Technical Airbag intermittent error after seat swap

[xavgdt]

Hello everyone! First post in the forum, thanks for having me

On my 2020 Ducato (120 2.3mj Euro6d) I had a passenger bench for two (no pretensioners, no airbag, no cables connected to it).
I have swapped it for a single passenger seat that came with a pretensioner belt buckle, and since the yellow cable that should connect to it was there, I figured I would connect it to the new pretensioner.

1. Does it even make sense to have a pretensioner without an airbag?
2. Since then, I have an intermittent error with the airbag system. I have checked it with AlfaOBD and it's the following
   Error code: B0118
   Incorrect configuration
   Last test completed positively
   Error intermittent
   I suppose it is for the new pretensioner connected to the system, but I am unsure. Would there be a way to get the airbag unit to "accept" the passenger pretensioner?
   I have looked into AlfaOBD options but I am not sure about the best way to proceed.

Thank you all for your help.

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

Have you disconnected the battery before connecting the cables? There's a special procedure described in the owner's manual to disconnect it properly.

The airbag module adores to get damaged when playing with the seats / airbags. It has been described multiple times on the forum. Try to find the related threads.

There's also a, I'd say high, possibility the new pretensionner needs a proxy alignment procedure. But as it is a security system, I'd not recommend it before someone experienced with that part confirms it. It works this way for any other equipment (cruise control, ambient temperature sensor, radio, etc.).

 

[bugsymike]

As @the green vanper says re "proxi alignment" that may be the answer.
Does the pretensioner wiring only work the seat.belt side, as often it would need to detect seat occupancy also. Was it a straight plug in or did you have to modify the connector?
The reason I mention it is on a 2010 Punto Evo I got for one of my daughters, it had a load of Air Bag related error codes due to previous owners passenger seat occupancy sensor repair. I managed to sort that but in this case it had shorted the BCM which I had to replace with a new one, as he had bypassed the resistor in the circuit. Then I ran a "proxi alignment " using a Snap On Zeus diagnostic tool belonging to a friend.

 

[MSjoberg]

Hello everyone! First post in the forum, thanks for having me

On my 2020 Ducato (120 2.3mj Euro6d) I had a passenger bench for two (no pretensioners, no airbag, no cables connected to it).
I have swapped it for a single passenger seat that came with a pretensioner belt buckle, and since the yellow cable that should connect to it was there, I figured I would connect it to the new pretensioner.

1. Does it even make sense to have a pretensioner without an airbag?
2. Since then, I have an intermittent error with the airbag system. I have checked it with AlfaOBD and it's the following
   Error code: B0118
   Incorrect configuration
   Last test completed positively
   Error intermittent
   I suppose it is for the new pretensioner connected to the system, but I am unsure. Would there be a way to get the airbag unit to "accept" the passenger pretensioner?
   I have looked into AlfaOBD options but I am not sure about the best way to proceed.

Thank you all for your help.

Question 1: Yes! The pretensioner improves the protective capability of the seat belt.

 

[xavgdt]

As @the green vanper says re "proxi alignment" that may be the answer.
Does the pretensioner wiring only work the seat.belt side, as often it would need to detect seat occupancy also. Was it a straight plug in or did you have to modify the connector?
The reason I mention it is on a 2010 Punto Evo I got for one of my daughters, it had a load of Air Bag related error codes due to previous owners passenger seat occupancy sensor repair. I managed to sort that but in this case it had shorted the BCM which I had to replace with a new one, as he had bypassed the resistor in the circuit. Then I ran a "proxi alignment " using a Snap On Zeus diagnostic tool belonging to a friend.

Thanks for the answers! I'm looking into the proxy alignment and will report back.
The connection was a straight plug. The seat has no seat occupancy sensor, and there's no cable for that. Just a lonely yellow plug that was a perfect fit for the pretensioner.

 

[bugsymike]

Thanks for the answers! I'm looking into the proxy alignment and will report back.
The connection was a straight plug. The seat has no seat occupancy sensor, and there's no cable for that. Just a lonely yellow plug that was a perfect fit for the pretensioner.

Good , hopefully a "proxi alignment" will identify the pre tensioner to the BCM and allow the Air Bag system to work correctly.

 

[The Panda Nut]

In the 90's I was told SRS systems had problems with bad connections under seats. I was told to cut off the connectgor under the seat and solder the wires, it worked for me.

 

[xavgdt]

In the 90's I was told SRS systems had problems with bad connections under seats. I was told to cut off the connectgor under the seat and solder the wires, it worked for me.

I guess just to be extra sure I'll also check and clean the connectors with contact cleaner! Thanks

 

[The Panda Nut]

I guess just to be extra sure I'll also check and clean the connectors with contact cleaner! Thanks

I think the issue is the connectors are not really designed to be taken apart and they need a perfect connection to work and not cause a fault.

 

[bugsymike]

In the 90's I was told SRS systems had problems with bad connections under seats. I was told to cut off the connectgor under the seat and solder the wires, it worked for me.

Yes Peugeot,Renault and Citroen were common for that, often after moving seat position. The local Renault agent billed me/customer to put it on the computer £100 including an unasked for "free safety check", then said there were several error codes and that it probably needed £200 + ECU/BCM? I then asked if that would cure it? They said maybe!!! Shortly after that I went to their closing down auction.

 

[the green vanper]

In the 90's I was told SRS systems had problems with bad connections under seats. I was told to cut off the connectgor under the seat and solder the wires, it worked for me.

The 90's were 30 years ago

Floors are frequently the lowest part of the body, it happens that water leaks inside the car / van. Misplaced seals, opened windows and doors during rain, sunroofs or softtops which often are not watertight after some time... Then the water + snow we bring into the car / van on our shoes / boots...

As we know, water will find the lowest spot and stay there until it evaporates. The carpets are getting wet and as the connectors are very close to them (or lying on / under them) causes the contacts to rust easily

 

[bugsymike]

The 90's were 30 years ago

That's where the "oldtimers disease" comes in handy, we can remember stuff we repaired 30-50 years ago, but not what we had for breakfast this morning.