Airbag warning light - help please

[Candapack]

So, heading off to Spain, leave home Wednesday. Just moving van this morning, airbag warning light not going out and message "Check Airbag" flashing. Manual no help, nearest Fiat Pro outfit stacked up with work.
If it means that airbags might not deploy, then I'm not too worried. After all, most of us have spent years driving without airbags.
But if it means the airbags might deploy unexpectedly, well that's a different matter.
Any ideas?

 

[chaser]

So, heading off to Spain, leave home Wednesday. Just moving van this morning, airbag warning light not going out and message "Check Airbag" flashing. Manual no help, nearest Fiat Pro outfit stacked up with work.
If it means that airbags might not deploy, then I'm not too worried. After all, most of us have spent years driving without airbags.
But if it means the airbags might deploy unexpectedly, well that's a different matter.
Any ideas?

Try undoing and doing up again the connecter under the seats, sometimes they get disturbed if moving seats or swivelling them, nearly always the cause of the light

 

[Lenny HB]

Check the connections under the seats, they sometimes get snaged on the swivel.

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[TheBig1]

there are a few regular faults

1 the wiring under a swivel seat damaged

2 the clock spring in the steering column snapped

3 the airbag ecu has failed

normally it is 1 or 2, but have heard of quite a few ecu fails

 

[daveandsan]

I might be talking a load of cobblers here but I think it is best to disconnect your battery before messing with airbag wiring.

 

[adonisito]

They’re a pain in the neck those lights and an MOT failure, it can be the wiring under the seats, true. If not take it to an auto electrician, they can normally sort it as it’s so common on all vehicles.

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[TheBig1]

I might be talking a load of cobblers here but I think it is best to disconnect your battery before messing with airbag wiring.

always a wise move in case of any parasitic current causing the airbag to go off

 

[chaser]

I might be talking a load of cobblers here but I think it is best to disconnect your battery before messing with airbag wiring.

Don't think you need to go that far but make sure the ignition is off.

 

[Deleted member 29692]

If it means that airbags might not deploy, then I'm not too worried.

That is what it means.

But if it means the airbags might deploy unexpectedly,

They won't.

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[robnchris]

Had that problem with ours, it was a faulty ECU, we were lucky Fiat paid for the replacement.

 

[carolyn]

Same problem and it was the airbag ecu. We were told it meant that the airbag might deploy when you didn't want it to. Seems unlikely as that would be very dangerous and should make the van unsafe to drive in which case I shouldn't have been allowed to drive it 2 hours to Southampton to get it done under warranty. Seems more logical that with the fault it might NOT deploy. Having said all that I'm afraid it's all supposition from me who knows nothing about mechanics but just using logical thinking haha. Good luck but what a pain for you.

 

[Candapack]

Thanks all. Specially @NickNic 'cos he said what I wanted to hear!!

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[tacr2man]

@NickNic Is spot on they have to passive fail , and it doesn't mean that all the system will fail if the fault is just one item circuit unless single critical . When doing the underseat wiring check , it will need the ign off to be able to do the re check when you switch back on anyway . Don't just check the plugs are together , as they usually are, because double locked, its more likely the locating tang on the pin has been bent and allowed the cable to be partly pulled out of contact . So physically check the wire for movement . Airbags are harder to accidentally deploy than they used to be.

 

[Diabalo]

Airbag ECU sounds like the likeliest culprit, you will need a diagnostics check to be sure.

 

[2bob]

what m/h is it £440 if ecu

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[Candapack]

what m/h is it £440 if ecu

It's a Rapido V55 PVC, on a Fiat Ducato, first regd Jan 2017 so should be still under warranty (2 years?).
The problem isn't getting it fixed, it's getting it fixed (or not) tomorrow.

 

[camoyboy]

We had our airbag ECU fail at 1100 miles, and replaced under warranty. Unfortunately we had to wait 10 days for the new part to come from Italy! As already said the airbags will NOT deploy if there is a fault, the system is shut down until fixed.

Colin

 

[PeteH]

Connector under seat was the issue with both my Smart and the Punto. I now have a programme to reset the MIL and Airbag lights after I fix it. Saves a 40quid visit to the Garage each time!. Multiecuscan software runs under Windows for Fiats. The "free" version will not reset lights. But the 50quid upgrade will and was worth having (for me anyway). plus USB OBDII "dongle" off e-bay.

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[Fletton]

there are a few regular faults

1 the wiring under a swivel seat damaged

2 the clock spring in the steering column snapped

3 the airbag ecu has failed

normally it is 1 or 2, but have heard of quite a few ecu fails

Mine was ECU failure.. just over two years old....

Ten min job for them to replace.. and just over £200 If I recall...

I had to wait for part.. but as a F/t’r carried on regardless until fitted..

 

[Candapack]

Update, decided best to have it checked properly and delay travelling for, hopefully, a couple of days. Nearest Fiat Pro has slotted us in tomorrow evening (incredibly, the workshop runs from 7am until midnight), se we'll know what the problem is on Thursday and then decide what to do.
Thanks to all for your input.

 

[GWAYGWAY]

Airbags make a big bang and a big mess so DO make sure you take OFF the battery lead first before delving in there.

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[TheBig1]

Airbags make a big bang and a big mess so DO make sure you take OFF the battery lead first before delving in there.

and wait at least 5 minutes after disconnecting before touching the wiring for the airbag

 

[Stealaway]

See this thread from last year -

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/fiat-airbag-warning-light.140004/page-3#post-2625065

 

[Stealaway]

£30.00 repair by Crash Data ----- https://www.crashdata.co.uk/Default.asp
All good and very quick turn around. Very happy bunny.

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