Technical Seicento drivers air bag

[gunna]

Hi knowledgeable people
I have just got a 2001 seicento for the other half and need to know if drivers air bag was fitted to all models, ours is the 1.1 sporting abarth and when MOTed failed on dash warning lights which i traced down to a broken track on the ribbons, all but 1 light now works and thats the air bag light, we have a steering wheel that has AIRBAG across it but the module in the cluster with the 3 LED's only has 2 LED's on it none of the resistors for the 3rd LED and the wiring for air bags is not there (green wire from air bag ecu according to schematics) so was wondering if it was never fitted or someones been playing musical steering wheels!
Also the OBD2 port is nowhere to be seen I have looked everywhere and no signs of it it is no where it is supposed to be under the fuse box on the bracket so is there any other locations it could be.
The old lady that had it owned it from 2 years old and all service stamps done vehicle only done 22,000.

 

[puntofan01]

I'm pretty sure an airbag was fitted as standard across the range from 2000 onwards.

 

[gunna]

Just looking at the service manual and looks like it was ordered in RHD from Germany and at around 2,000 miles bought into this country so I guess it was probably originally bought by someone in the forces, so just wondering if the Germans used a different airbag system to us which could explain why there is no LED's and no wiring to where the LED should be.
It passed it's MOT with an advisory this time but if they tighten the regulations it may not.

 

[David C]

It is possible that it needed a KPH speedo to be registered in Germany, which then got swapped again when registered in the UK. Which could explain the missing dash LED, but wouldn’t explain the missing wiring.
Have you confirmed the actual build date of the car from the chassis number?

Also, is it an MPI or SPI engine?

 

[gunna]

Well I have tried to do a VIN plate check and apparently none of the online sites like my VIN the 10th digit is incorrect!
I've just soldered an LED to work with one of the other check light so next MOT examiner will be happy.
It's a SPI model so question is what diagnostic port am I looking for on this vehicle and where should it be located as I can't see a diagnostic port anywhere that I recognise, would like to see one if I need it in the future.

 

[David C]

As it is an SPI it will be 2000 or earlier, so may not have had an airbag.
If the steering wheel airbag isn’t connected, you’d be better off swapping it for a bagless wheel.

As for the diag connector, it will be the old Fiat style 3-pin plug under the bonnet near the ECU.

If the engine management light looks like an engine, then the dash has been swapped, it should look like a spraying injector on an SPI.

 

[David C]

Looking on ePER, Model Year 2000 Sei Sporting steering wheels (as well as Sporting with "Sporting Kit", which is the Abarth bits) are listed both with and without airbags, so they were not standard in all markets.

Same goes for pre-2000.

 

[Eklipze3k]

The non-Airbag models still had the 'rugby ball' steering wheel, but they didn't have the word Airbag printed on them, the fact that your does confirms that it does have an airbag.

 

[David C]

The non-Airbag models still had the 'rugby ball' steering wheel, but they didn't have the word Airbag printed on them, the fact that your does confirms that it does have an airbag.

But his airbag may not actually be connected.
He needs to check.
Not a great idea to give all the appearance of a functioning airbag (light etc) if it isn't going to work.
In which case it would be better to get rid of it.
But he needs to check that.

 

[cc1]

There should be an air bag date sticker above drivers side seat belt if installed and the ECU is in the passenger foot well behind carpet.

 

[gunna]

I have gone through the paperwork and found the certificate of conformity from Fiat and the build date is logged at 03/06/2000 so it doe's indeed look like my first thoughts about someone playing musical steering wheels was probably correct as the only device by the foot well that i can see is the power steering ecu, i will investigate further to double check then in the near future put the correct steering wheel on.
Many thanks to everyone who had input and led me in the correct direction and at least I know a little more about the car now, and I have learnt how to use the schematics, probably the most difficult to get your head around I've ever used until you have got used to having 6 pages going at the same time!!!

 

[puntofan01]

That's scary!