Fiat Airbag warning light (1 Viewer)

[TheCaller]

Interim update: It was a faulty ECU. Top marks to Fiat - at a couple of weeks under three years old (but only 22000 miles) they have agreed to fund the replacement. Purchased new in the UK but not a UK conversion, so the 2 year pan-European warranty applies, rather than the 2 year + 1 year dealer insurance backed warranty that you get with a UK conversion.

The work is booked in & I'll post a final report once everything is sorted.

 

[rickscott]

Just for reference, an airbag light is currently NOT an mot fail, it will be advised though, legislation may change in the future however.

 

[TheCaller]

An air bag light ON is an MOT fail. Supplementary Restraint Systems (SRS) Malfunction Indicator Light MIL) - Section [5.4.2]

An air bag light that fails to light at all (as it should briefly when the key is first turned) is an advisory, as the failure of the light does not indicate a failure of the SRS.

So yes, while failure of the airbag light itself is an advisory, if it's on & indicates a fault with the SRS, it will result in a fail.

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[rickscott]

I bow to your superior knowledge @TheCaller, My information was incorrect.
I have clarified this today with my local MoT tester.
Apologies for any confusion I may have caused by posting misinformation. (I believed I was correct at the time, but have now confirmed I was wrong)

 

[Molls-Phot]

We had this issue for more than a year with our previous 2009 X250. The cause of our problem was the wiring loom behind the glovebox shorting out on the bodywork. Despite trying to have it fixed all that time under warranty, it wasn't until afterwards when it lead to the van not starting, that the cause was discovered so we had to pay for it.

 

[TheCaller]

@rickscott A month ago, I didn't appreciate the distinction either, but I had good reason to find out.

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[TheCaller]

I have a 2013 Fiat Ducato PVC & the airbag warning light has started coming on. It started as an intermittent thing – coming on when the key was first turned (as it should), but then taking a while to go off. Turning off & turning on again usually cured it.

But gradually it got so it wouldn’t go out & it also started producing a warning beep. Now it’s on all the time.

That pattern suggests to me a sensor problem rather than a genuine fault with either the airbag or the seat belt pre-tensioner. Anyone got any thoughts on this one?

Interim update: It was a faulty ECU. Top marks to Fiat - at a couple of weeks under three years old (but only 22000 miles) they have agreed to fund the replacement. Purchased new in the UK but not a UK conversion, so the 2 year pan-European warranty applies, rather than the 2 year + 1 year dealer insurance backed warranty that you get with a UK conversion.

The work is booked in & I'll post a final report once everything is sorted.

Final update: As above, my local chap diagnosed a faulty airbag/seat tensioner ECU fault. After a bit of a delay getting hold of Fiat, they agreed that if a Fiat Professional garage confirmed the diagnosis, they would consider a goodwill contribution. They did stress that whatever the outcome, I would be responsible for the cost of the diagnostic test. As mentioned on other threads, the lady I spoke to was called Dawn & she dealt with the case very efficiently, keeping in touch with the Fiat Professional agent & me, through to conclusion.

I am fortunate that Camper UK in Lincoln are only 26 miles from me. There is a nearer commercial Fiat Professional dealer, but they are not motorhome dealers, nor do they appear to have a very good reputation. I've used Camper UK in the past for servicing & they are good, but not cheap. It would be unusual to get both & good is more important (& often cheaper in the long run)!

They too reminded me that I would be responsible for the diagnostics but fitted me in on an afternoon when I had to be in Lincoln anyway. In the event they took all of 5 mins to confirm the diagnosis & very kindly waived the diagnostic charge - which was very fair because they could have charged me the standard £66 for it. I suspect they assumed that they would get the repair job whatever the outcome, which wasn't necessarily the case - if Fiat had turned it down I would probably have sent the unit away for repair or exchange. At that point I was thinking repair at £50 - £70 against new around £350, but I then discovered that Fiat 'only' charge around £170 for the unit. Still not exactly cheap, but a lot less than I was expecting.

It took a little while for Camper UK to submit the claim, but Fiat chased them for it. To be fair, Camper UK were very busy - it followed their open weekend & the workshop was flat out. As Fiat had already hinted, they did approve the claim - both parts & labour. I arranged to drop in on the next occasion that I was in Lincoln, which was this morning. The ECU only takes a few minutes to swap & I was on my way again - all working.

So, while it was a bit poor that the part failed so early, I have no complaints about the way Fiat dealt with it & am pleased to recommend Camper UK. Although I am a customer of their service department, I didn't buy the van from them & while they are a Fiat Professional garage, they are not Globecar dealers.

I am grateful to this forum for making me aware that it's not uncommon for these ECUs to fail early & that Fiat have replaced quite a number under warranty. I was able to take that knowledge to Fiat - whether that affected the outcome I don't know, but it certainly didn't do any harm.

My thanks to everyone who has contributed along the way.

 

[Stealaway]

After fitting the clutch I asked my mechanic to also turn of the airbag light. His code reader said it was the airbag ECU that was faulty (as above) and said that a replacement is reasonably cheap at £170!!! - he expecter twice that. He has a man who repairs ECU's in Cornwall but he don't do the airbag ones.
Do we know any repairers who do this ECU? This is a 2012 Ducato

 

[TheCaller]

Do we know any repairers who do this ECU?

Google turned up several for me, but I didn't need them in the end, so I didn't keep a list, I'm afraid.

There don't appear to be any large firms with established household names to protect who do this sort of thing, so you are rather left judging how good they are likely to be by the quality of their websites. Not the ideal guide, but one or two dropped out of the running quite quickly. I worked on the assumption that if they couldn't organise a half decent website, then their ability to repair electronics or handle business administration efficiently was likely to be suspect too.

/Rant mode on/
I know many people have difficulty with spelling (me included), but most people who can't spell are well aware of the fact. So if you are designing a website that is supposed to be promoting your business, you'd think it was a bit of a no-brainer to get someone who can spell to check it over.

I'm not entrusting my delicate electronics nor my hard-earned cash to someone so clearly devoid of common sense & attention to detail.
\Rant mode off\

EDIT: You could try www.apuljackengineering.co.uk. It's not the sort of thing they advertise as doing themselves, but they might know of a reputable repairer.

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[Stealaway]

I've finally decided to replace the airbag ECU. Can some one tell me where it is and does it look like this?

 

[TheCaller]

I've finally decided to replace the airbag ECU. Can some one tell me where it is and does it look like this?

On the cab floor - front centre, tight up against the bulkhead. If I remember correctly, you remove the big cover over the battery area to reveal it. It's a year ago now! I'll have a look when I go out to the van.

 

[TheCaller]

@Stealaway

I'll have a look when I go out to the van.

Maybe a bit late now, but here's a photo of the cab floor. If you remove the large cover section in the passenger footwell, you will find the ECU underneath it, right at the front in the right hand corner, when looking towards the front of the van.

There are two wiring connectors, from memory. They just unclip. Then the unit just unscrews from the floor.

Probably a good idea to remove the key & put it in your pocket before you start.

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[Stealaway]

Yep it is there and this is mine.
I just had it confirmed that it is a fault ECU by a second garage, but the price is now £350!!!! Bugger.
I have tried a few places that repair ECU's but with no luck.
I wonder if I can get it apart?

Any other ideas peaps?

There are good few S/H on Ebay at £50 but none exactly the same - would they work?

 

[Marleyboy]

I have exactly the same prob with my 2012 Ducato did you get yours sorted? And if so where? How much?

 

[TheBig1]

I have exactly the same prob with my 2012 Ducato did you get yours sorted? And if so where? How much?

the problem with giving an exact price is that it could be as simple as the common damaged wire under the seats at about £50 through to an airbag ecu at nearer £500

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[Marleyboy]

Had someone look at it and it's def the airbag module will have to get in touch with fiat in morn as I've looked on eBay for one with no luck and can't find anyone who reconditions them.

 

[TheBig1]

Had someone look at it and it's def the airbag module will have to get in touch with fiat in morn as I've looked on eBay for one with no luck and can't find anyone who reconditions them.

http://www.ecu-repairs.com/

 

[Marleyboy]

Thanks I'll try them

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[joka250]

http://www.ecu-repairs.com/

Only just picked up on this thread so apologies if I start repeating what has been said. @TheBig1 link will take you to a company that I used for a number of years and found them to be extremely valuable for much edu work. It is a few years since I retired and last used them but former colleagues still use them.
A suggestion that occurs to me is that so often when discussing purchase of pre owned motorho mes look out for damp is quite rightly stressed but I would add that with modern vehicles we should also pay close attention the possibility of ecu and other control unit failures. If a dash message or warning light the potential problem is apparent but I would also be looking for warning lights failing to show on start up. Make yourself aware of what should illuminate and when. Dealers have been known to remove or by pass warning lights, that may only be an advise at MOT but hides expensive problems.

 

[Stealaway]

I have exactly the same prob with my 2012 Ducato did you get yours sorted? And if so where? How much?

No - I've still have the warning light and have not been able to trace a module either yet. Even a new one is proving difficult.
I've rung a couple of repair shops be none of them do these except to rest them after a crash.
Let me know if www.ecu-repairs can repair them.
Good luck - for both our sakes

 

[Marleyboy]

Have you tried ringing Fiat direct yet? That was my next port of call.

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[Stealaway]

Just tried my local Fiat stockists and they quoted £164.32 +vat (£197.18) - not as bad as I've been led to believe but still not cheap.

 

[Marleyboy]

Just ordered mine from fiat same price. Thanks everyone at least it's getting sorted.

 

[biglamin]

my airbag warning light has come on in my peugeot boxer -also just outside the warranty. My local centres can't fit me in even to do a diagnostic check - I'm setting off for Spain tomorrow. Anyone know of a helpful honest service near Benicassim? I'm always suspicious of people telling me I need a full new system when it might just be a loose wire

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[Ian5341]

Hi Im new to this but wanted to tell you how I solved the the airbag ecu fault very cheaply. Mine was an airbag ecu fault showing an airbag warning light and tested by peugeot, they wanted to replace the ecu and reset the the warning light and charge £750.00. I have a Boxer based motorhome (Elddiss aspire 625) but the airbag ecu is made by Fiat. I sorted it for £30.00

Ian

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Hi Im new to this but wanted to tell you how I solved the the airbag ecu fault very cheaply. Mine was an airbag ecu fault showing an airbag warning light and tested by peugeot, they wanted to replace the ecu and reset the the warning light and charge £750.00. I have a Boxer based motorhome (Elddiss aspire 625) but the airbag ecu is made by Fiat. I sorted it for £30.00

Ian

Please enlighten us as to how you fixed it.

Thanks.

 

[Ian5341]

Hi. After checking all seat connections and seat earths I had the Ecu checked at dealers and they said it was faulty and required a new one. However after months of research I spoke to “Crash Data UK “ and they said the Ecu was probably corrupted which commonly happens with motorhomes when the starter battery goes flat. I thought back and that was when the problem started. I sent off the ECU PAID £30.00 and it was returned after 48 hours. I installed it and hey presto air bag warning light gone. Talk to them they are really good. Ian

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[biglamin]

Our ecu was tested twice and the diagnositic machine couldn't read it. We got no reply from ECU repairs after their initial acknowledgement but CrashData did reply very quickly - full marks there. We were advised that as the ecu wasn't registering on the diagnostic systems we should source a second hand module and send it to them, along with our faulty one so they could transfer the coding over. Obvs didn't want to buy a second hand one which might also have a fault we just forked out the £400 to have a new one fitted - ouch. Point is though, should the ecu develop faults after only 3 years!!!!!

 

[Saltings]

We had aa similar problem with a new 12 month old Mclouie Fiat when the builders removed the standard seats to recover them they cut the harness recovered the seats then taped up the wires took it to Fiat they said a complete new harness due to the builders fault, buy this time I was fed up with them passing the book to each other so had a look myself and found a plug under the rubber mat disconnected it soldered up the wires and plugged it back in fixed.

Hi

Having removed the drivers seat of our Fiat Ducato I30 Multijet to put in the new battery I am now putting the seat back. I said in a note - "ensure you screw the airbag wire back in the same position!". Only thing is that was three weeks ago and I now cannot find the correct position!! Anyone any ideas. I know it is an obvious plasce but blowed if I can see it.

 

[berni109]

The loom wires appear through floor at the offside front of the drivers seat and terminates in a socket that clips onto the framework of the seat offside top under the bit u sit on. Plug for the seatbelt connected signal and the seatbelt tensioner plugs in and wires cable tied up to the centre bottom oh seat. To allow rotation.
Or it is on a standard van without battery under seat
Hth

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