Technical Air bag warning light

[LEXCERM]

Hi all,

I have a Multipla ELX 1600cc (2003).

Have just changed a bulb in the dash (the one behind the heating temperature dial). However, the air bag warning light has now appeared (the one with the person in the seat with a big dot). Have had the car since February and this has never come on - until now.

Have read many post regarding this problem, but not any relating to this problem happening when the dash has been taken out.

Any ideas people?

Thanks in advance,
Paul.

 

[petebarchetta]

hello,

i have had the same problem, Airbag drivers light came on, stopped the car then restarted it. light went out. laterit came back on. is there a reset for it??
or does it have to go to dealer for solution???
more money

 

[T14086]

dealer only!..........& dont let them just put out the light,tell them you want a print out and remedy.

 

[LEXCERM]

I got this resolved quite easily...but only because my friend is a mechanic!

He firstly checked under the passenger seat to make sure the connections were intact, then he simply did some wizadry with his diagnostics machine and 2 minutes later the warning light disappeared.

FIAT wanted to charge me an initial £65 to diagnose at the problem, then another £40 to fix it. Rip off!

 

[Zundapp]

The airbag light coming on is usually caused by the connector which sits on the floor under the the front passenger seat (at the left hand side front of the seat if you're facing the front of the car). There's some discussion about this in other forums.

The problem is caused by corrosion within the wires where they are crimped into the metal of the actual connector. The suggested remedy was to use electrical contact cleaner (£4.50 at Maplin's) to clean out the corrosion. I did this, but the light came back on within an hour.

I resolved it by cutting the three wires at each side of the connector and replacing it with a small electrical connector block - if I'd had to buy it it would probably be about 75p for a connector strip.

Problem instantly resolved, and has stayed fixed for the last couple of days. So fingers crossed!

 

[T14086]

I resolved it by cutting the three wires at each side of the connector and replacing it with a small electrical connector block - if I'd had to buy it it would probably be about 75p for a connector strip.

Problem instantly resolved, and has stayed fixed for the last couple of days. So fingers crossed!

Fiat dealers are strictly forbidden to cut any airbag wiring unless specified,doing so will instantly require a new loom fitted.

 

[Zundapp]

But then I'm not a FIAT dealer - who need a genuine FIAT excuse for charging wads of dosh for a very simple repair...!

Seriously though, the fix is working as it should. Turn the key on and the airbag light comes on, start the engine and the light then goes out. And if I should ever need to remove the passenger seat - the only reason I can think of for why the snap connector is there - it's still quickly disconnected with an electrical screwdriver.

But I don't think I'll need to remove the passenger seat unless I fall out with my wife.

 

[T14086]

But then I'm not a FIAT dealer - who need a genuine FIAT excuse for charging wads of dosh for a very simple repair...!

but your not liable for corporate manslaughter when the airbag doesn't go off in a accident!

Seriously though if you ever sell the car I hope you inform the potential buyer of your simple repair.

You'll struggle to find someone who'll tell you how to modify your system, let alone getting someone to do it for you (FIAT forbid Techs to perform any modification to airbag looms due to the legal implications, even soldering wires together).

Airbags are dangerous things not to be messed about with, and very sensitive to voltage/resistance

 

[Zundapp]

Yes, I'll tell them to take their chequebook to the nearest FIAT dealer who'll replace a poor quality item with another poor quality part. And who'll take their hard-earned with the good customer relations that they're famous for.

 

[T14086]

Many knowledgeable people who work with airbags on a daily basis give out advice on this forum,like the quote above,not only free of charge in their own time but as sensible safety advice.

The repair you carried out is not recognised or accepted in the motor trade as a viable repair (regardless of what you think of fiat garages or fiat customer care) and readers of this post (or any like it) should be aware of the potential dangers of attempting or carrying out such a repair.

 

[D4nny8oy]

That £65 to diagnose the fault is money well spent considering the cost of someones life if the airbag fails to deploy, or even worse if it fires-off while driving. Since your 'repair' you are liable in Court.

Also, regarding the "rip-off" dealers, consider the £1000's spent on the diagnostic equipment and annual subscription for updates, the training courses the Tech's have to go on, as well as the cost of owning/running the dealership.... If we could charge less we would!

I can assure you myself and many other Tech's (including T) have had Multipla's/Stilo's/Punto's/etc in for similar faults in airbag systems and have never resorted to chopping-up looms to cure side airbag faults, usually the fix takes but 10mins and the car never returns for the same fault again.

 

[Zundapp]

Dear oh dear, I do seem to have upset the FIAT people!

Remember, FIAT is the company who have produced cars with the same inherent fault throughout their product range for the past few years, by using poor quality materials in a safety device. Haven't seen a safety recall for this though. Takes you back to 'corporate manslaughter' doesn't it.

Mind you, it does bring the dealer quite a few 'well spent' £65 diagnostic fees. No wonder 'the car never returns for the same fault again'.

Oh, it's so easy to be cynical, isn't it!

 

[T14086]

Do what you want,ignore advice if you want because you obviously seem to know best.

For reference the fault is not inherent to Fiat...but then again you would know this aswell.

 

[Gary]

I really dont thnk you should be messing around with a crutial part of safety equipment on your car, As T says i think it should be left to the dealer to sort out.

If you had an accident and an insurance company had seen your work i am sure they wouldn't pay out either.

But its your risk, myself i wouldnt put my life on the line like that

 

[chr1s]

Just for information:

On a control panel which my company designed and manufacture for Saab (latest 9-5) there is an airbag warning light. All the connector terminals in series with this warning light are gold-plated, rather than just tin-plated, to ensure a reliable connection. (Even a connector internal to the control panel, where a second connector had to be added to accomodate the gold-plating requirement).

This shows that car manufacturers (or Saab at least) take the integrity of safety systems very seriously.

It would be interesting to know if FIAT are using gold plated terminals on the Safety Restraint Systems in their cars ? Anyone know ?

 

[glowplug]

I am a new guy here and just wanted to say a big thank you to Zundapp. Thanks mate you lead me straight to the source of my problem. Like you it was the orange connector under the passengers seat. I am with you all the way with respect to garages and what they charge.

I myself am an ex time served mechanic and know just how much "license" dealers/garages take when it comes to "resolving" issues. I left the trade 18 years ago and became an electronics engineer. Best thing I ever did but of course you never forget what you have learned and as such have always done my own repairs.

With this particular issue I found that even though the airbag light was on there was no code in the ECU (I would encourage anyone who works on there own car to buy an OBD scanner). As such I had an inkling that it was a bad connection. Trying to go through that mindfield that it the Multipla tech CD proved to be an endless road of frustration and as such finding your post was a welcome relief.

Thanks again.

 

[T14086]

With this particular issue I found that even though the airbag light was on there was no code in the ECU (I would encourage anyone who works on there own car to buy an OBD scanner).

Just to correct you,if the airbag light is on there will be a stored error, you cannot read it simply because you are not using the correct equipment.

 

[glowplug]

Fair enough I accept that my after market scanner may not read all codes, but as I have resolved the issue that it now irrelevant.

 

[T14086]

These aftermarket scanners (£35 ebay ones) are OBD/EOBD only which only covers errors on engine/emissions.

Therefore correcting your post incase someone (with a airbag light on) purchases one only to find out it is limited in its usage.

 

[glowplug]

Yeah very good point although mine cost considerably more than that and is definitely OBD-II/EOBD-II compliant. I have used in on many 2004 and up cars diesel and petrol and it has always been accurate, hence why I was surprised that there was no recorded error. Perhaps I need to update the software.