Airbags few Q's

[StarBenn]

My airbag lights have been on the entire 2+ years I've owned this car. I've resolved it by removing the bulb.
I've had the steering wheel one off and swapped to a known okay one. No change. Now having ditched the seats with side airbags the fault still appears.
The battery has been disconnected a few times for various reasons, so I assume either the ecu doesn't reset at that time or the fault remains.


So few questions on the above:

1. If I had side airbags and now I don't, will the airbag ecu be looking for them and show an error as they're not there?

2. Where is the airbag ecu?

3. If 1. is yes, how do I reset my ecu so it doesn't know they should be there.

4. How much of a ball ache is it to get to the passenger airbag (in the dashboard)?

5. If I have a airbag light on, does that mean chances are my airbags won't go off anyway? (Has anyone had an airbag light present and a crash to tell?) or does it depend on the fault?

Thank you muchly fellas.

[Niall]

1. If I had side airbags and now I don't, will the airbag ecu be looking for them and show an error as they're not there? Yes

2. Where is the airbag ecu? Under the centre console mounted to the exhaust tunnel

3. If 1. is yes, how do I reset my ecu so it doesn't know they should be there. You can't. You need to buy resistors to put in the plugs where the airbags used to plug in. Contact Cully on here

4. How much of a ball ache is it to get to the passenger airbag (in the dashboard)? not the easiest of jobs put it that way!

5. If I have a airbag light on, does that mean chances are my airbags won't go off anyway? (Has anyone had an airbag light present and a crash to tell?) or does it depend on the fault? It should disable the system if the light is on but there are rumours of people crashing with them on and airbags going off.

[StarBenn]

Brilliant job Niall. I'll get on it.

[cully]

1. If I had side airbags and now I don't, will the airbag ecu be looking for them and show an error as they're not there?

Answer
simple answer yes the airbag ECU is looking for the side bags
no bags = faulty system


2. Where is the airbag ecu?

Answer
In front of the gear stick on the floor you will need to remove the lower front centre console to find it

3. If 1. is yes, how do I reset my ecu so it doesn't know they should be there.

Answer
you don't reset the ECU, the ECU resets itself when the bags are present

4. How much of a ball ache is it to get to the passenger airbag (in the dashboard)?

Answer
very large Ball ache

5. If I have a airbag light on, does that mean chances are my airbags won't go off anyway? (Has anyone had an airbag light present and a crash to tell?) or does it depend on the fault?

Answer
theres no hard and fast rule for this depending on the airbag fault
but yes the airbag system could go off in an impact accident with the warning light On


I am guessing you have fitted seats with just the Pretentioners (orange plug) and you have plugged these in to the car side loom orange plug,
you have a yellow plug(car sideloom) that is not used, and a red Plug (carside loom) that is not used.

the Red plug is for the side airbags you need to emulate an airbag in this plug for the light to reset itself

I sell airbag resistors that do this job you will need one for each removed bag/pretensioner

Ebay link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291091440128

[StarBenn]

I am guessing you have fitted seats with just the Pretentioners (orange plug) and you have plugged these in to the car side loom orange plug,
you have a yellow plug(car sideloom) that is not used, and a red Plug (carside loom) that is not used.

the Red plug is for the side airbags you need to emulate an airbag in this plug for the light to reset itself

I sell airbag resistors that do this job you will need one for each removed bag/pretensioner

Ebay link
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291091440128

I have indeed. The orange plug is in.
So those resistors you sell plug into the red plug in the floor and jobs a good'un the ecu is happy?

Little question, is 2 still £1 P&P?

[cully]

yes 2 is still £1 p+p
the secret is to get a good connection by crimping or sildering the wires this would involve cutting the red plug off

[StarBenn]

the secret is to get a good connection by crimping or sildering the wires this would involve cutting the red plug off

Soldering it is then.

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+1's to you both cully and Niall for your speedy help.

[StarBenn]

I'm assuming it doesn't matter which way round it's attached?

Thank you for speedy dispatch. The good lady has been instructed to leave some good feedback.

[cully]

nope no worry on connections