Air Bag Warning Lights

[Geofflyn]

I have two airbag lights on. The orange one on right hand side of binnacle that says passenger airbag deactivated and the red one on left hand side of instrument binnacle which says airbag pretensioner failure. Consensus amongst my Ozzie buddies is that its likely to do with the fact that down here as part of compliance they remove the switch on the passenger A pillar which allows activate/deactivate using the ignition key. Just wondered whether anyone on here has experienced airbag warning light issues and the causes.
thanks
Geoff

 

[CatmanV2]

Hmm I would have *thought* that if the switch was removed, then it would be left in the closed position, that is passenger airbag activated? You can clearly see the switch, BTW, open the passenger door. It's on the side of the dash, where the door closes.
As for the other fault, maybe it is faulty. My experience of airbag failure lights is that the connections fail over the years, and that triggers the light. Some cars will reset it after a number of restarts with no issue, others need a diagnostic reset.

C

 

[Geofflyn]

Hmm I would have *thought* that if the switch was removed, then it would be left in the closed position, that is passenger airbag activated? You can clearly see the switch, BTW, open the passenger door. It's on the side of the dash, where the door closes.
As for the other fault, maybe it is faulty. My experience of airbag failure lights is that the connections fail over the years, and that triggers the light. Some cars will reset it after a number of restarts with no issue, others need a diagnostic reset.

C

Thanks C you are right the switch is removed and locked in the activated position. I have done a battery reset hoping to fix it but to no avail. I did read elsewhere that connections fail and also that the airbags have a useful life of about ten years and then the lights can activate. Quite frankly the useable life but surprised me ad I would have thought that it's a component that should not be able to fail/wear out other than via activation ( god forbid). They have actually removed the centre piece of the switch ( bit like taking the cigarette lighter out of its home) so I have thought about reinserting the part and turning on and off with the key to see if that clears it.

 

[CatmanV2]

Hmm, interesting point about the gas generator lifespan. My GT had a sticker that gave a date as to when they should be replaced. My Alfa specialist said in no uncertain terms to simply ignore it. His view was that no-one ever changed them unless they'd been activated, and it was a bit like Best Before dates on food. (Note, not use by dates)

I guess it *might* cause an error light, but I've never heard of it. Looks like you need to get it hooked to a diagnostic and reset it. See if ti comes back.

C

 

[Geofflyn]

Yes it's due for the annual service so I'll get them to look at it. I don't think the airbags can be reset with an OBD. Reader can they?

 

[jamesc69]

I have two airbag lights on. The orange one on right hand side of binnacle that says passenger airbag deactivated and the red one on left hand side of instrument binnacle which says airbag pretensioner failure. Consensus amongst my Ozzie buddies is that its likely to do with the fact that down here as part of compliance they remove the switch on the passenger A pillar which allows activate/deactivate using the ignition key. Just wondered whether anyone on here has experienced airbag warning light issues and the causes.
thanks
Geoff

I had similar problem (i think both airbag lights were on?) - sorted by replacing passenger airbag switch. Common failure according to Marios @ Autoshield, cheap fix, £40-50 part cost i seem to recall.

james

 

[Geofflyn]

Thanks James, anyone know if it's a DIY. Task?

 

[NickP]

There is a switch in the glove compartment that is prone to failure, this is for the main airbag rather than the passenger side one. Mine has been on and off since I had the car it got reset last year for the MOT and then came on again a week later, they garage said the switch in the glovebox is the likely culprit. Its a cheap part and 30 minute job to change.

 

[Geofflyn]

Thanks Nick
I'll have a look on Eurospares and see what they have. Do you think this is different from the switch James mentioned earlier?

 

[CatmanV2]

Yes it's due for the annual service so I'll get them to look at it. I don't think the airbags can be reset with an OBD. Reader can they?

Not 100% sure, but certainly the Alfa ones could be.

C

 

[NickP]

Geoff, I'd guess its the same switch, the lights can be reset on an SD2, but if the switch is gone it will come back on again.

 

[Geofflyn]

Not 100% sure, but certainly the Alfa ones could be.

C

Illgo dig out my OBD reader and have a look. Never used it before so this will be interesting.
Thanks, all very helpful guys.
Geoff

 

[Brendan]

I also had the same problem, both lights would not go out. Went to garage who reset it and said it was the bit in the door where you turn the bag on and off. Apparently, its a Alfa part and is £ 30 and easy to replace. Lights have not returned since.

 

[Geofflyn]

Thanks Brendan, it's sounding more and more like the culprit and when I look on Eurospares there is really only the controller 188 quid) and this switch that can be the problem other than a wire falling off a connector. No one ever seems to have had a problem with the controller so fingers crossed its the switch.
Cheers
Geoff

 

[ncslee]

You can strip the switch down & clean up the internal contacts relatively easily. It is a common fault. The switch is not just on/off it has resistors inside which change as the switch is operated. You will need to have the lights reset with SD2-3 as it stores the fault.

Lee

 

[Geofflyn]

Meant to ask does anyone know if the faulty switch means the bags areactually deactivated or is it just a light show?

 

[ncslee]

I think its just a light show as the ecu is not picking up the correct resistance from the switch

Lee

 

[Geofflyn]

You can strip the switch down & clean up the internal contacts relatively easily. It is a common fault. The switch is not just on/off it has resistors inside which change as the switch is operated. You will need to have the lights reset with SD2-3 as it stores the fault.

Lee

Lee this switch has had the middle bit removed as part of the Oz compliance process as we are not allowed to deactivate the passenger airbags. The switch would have been locked ( somehow ) in the activated position and the key section removed. I presume a bit of rewiring to replicate "on". As it needs SD2 to reset it I might as well get guys to put in a whole new switch. Anyone happen to know the Alfa part, although Eurospares are only 15 quid for the switch. Just easier to pick up an Alfa part locally.
Thanks
Geoff

 

[Geofflyn]

I think its just a light show as the ecu is not picking up the correct resistance from the switch

Lee

That's what I told the wife when she asked was her airbag ( that's not me) working....glad I didn't tell a porky even though I didn't know!

 

[RossWA]

I had the airbag deactivated light showing after compliance was done on my 3200, I took it to my local Maserati specialist and it took him an hour to reset the light. That was months ago and it hasn't come back.