Done the seat, now it's the @!*%@!! airbag...

hogweed · 6th May 2016, 15:40

OK, here’s the story so far… a few years ago, the airbag light came on. I think somebody ran diags on it, and identified the driver’s seat, so I cut the connectors out (sorry Brian) and soldered the wires together. All good.

Last year, just hours before the MOT was due, the [naughty word] light came on again. Assuming it must be the passenger seat this time, I wiggled the connector under it, and the light went off. Stayed off for months, but a while ago came on again.

So today, with a bit of decent weather, I decided to Vaseline the connectors, so disconnected the battery, undid the seat, and could only find what appeared to be one large connector, and one relay underneath – so I unplugged the connector block, put Vaseline on the connectors, joined and split it several times, then finally plugged it back – but the light’s still on.

I’ve tried to take a photo… am I right in thinking there’s only one connector block under the passenger seat? Unless I’m being dim (entirely possible), that’s the only one I can see… I mean, obviously, it COULD be the airbag ECU, or impact sensor, but I have a dry floor, so I’m hoping not.

Thoughts?
Ta

stevestrat · 6th May 2016, 16:06

Under both front seats are connectors for the airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner, a problem with either can bring the airbag fault light up. Never heard of a single connector and I've got both a mk1 and a facelift.

hogweed · 6th May 2016, 16:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevestrat

Under both front seats are connectors for the airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner, a problem with either can bring the airbag fault light up. Never heard of a single connector and I've got both a mk1 and a facelift.

Cheers... so is one of them not shown in the picture I've attached? What does it look like?

On the left is the big connector block which I Vaselined - on the right is the relay. I'm probably being really stupid here, but can't find anything else?

DragonFly · 6th May 2016, 16:28

You'll be looking for this connector I would think...

Which might be tucked right up under the seat...

stevestrat · 6th May 2016, 16:29

On a Mk1 the airbag connector is yellow, pre-tensioner is blue. On a facelift both connectors are yellow. If you look at the pic below, yellow connector to the left (yellow cable) is the airbag, yellow connector nearer the middle (black cable) is the pre-tensioner.

hogweed · 6th May 2016, 16:40

This is REALLY embarrassing.

Eventually I realised that the reason there was no second connector was that I had in fact soldered the wires on the passenger side last time, so of course no connector there. In my defence, m’Lud, the soldering was so neat you could hardly see where the joins were, and my work isn't normally that good.

So I reached under the driver’s seat, just poked everything I could feel with my fingertips, and… the light went off.

[Very VERY naughty word, repeated several times]

Still can’t see the yellow connector under the driver’s seat… and this time it wasn’t me Guv! But it’s all a bit cramped in there, unlike on the passenger side.

D’OHHH!!!!!

DragonFly · 6th May 2016, 16:42

When you removed the connector(s), did you splice in any extra wire, or did you just cut out the connector and solder the ends together?

I'm wondering if the wires could be a bit tight under the seat, especially if the seats moved since you did the soldering, and could be breaking down the joints.

hogweed · 6th May 2016, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by DragonFly

When you removed the connector(s), did you splice in any extra wire, or did you just cut out the connector and solder the ends together?

I'm wondering if the wires could be a bit tight under the seat, especially if the seats moved since you did the soldering, and could be breaking down the joints.

When I said my memory was bad… turns out I DID solder both seats

And the ones on the driver’s side looked to have been partially worn through in a couple of places – so I cut those bits (and my dry solder joints) out and re-did them.

The light’s gone out. For now.

And sometimes, with these motors, I think that’s the best you can say… “It’s OK… for now…”

hogweed · 6th May 2016, 18:27

Next time I'm putting a delay-off timer in the circuit to the dash LED

6th May 2016, 16:06	#2
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,479 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	Under both front seats are connectors for the airbag and seat belt pre-tensioner, a problem with either can bring the airbag fault light up. Never heard of a single connector and I've got both a mk1 and a facelift. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

6th May 2016, 16:29	#5
stevestrat This is my second home ZT260 #243 (resting) Join Date: May 2010 Location: Prestonpans Posts: 22,479 Thanks: 650 Thanked 4,624 Times in 3,358 Posts	On a Mk1 the airbag connector is yellow, pre-tensioner is blue. On a facelift both connectors are yellow. If you look at the pic below, yellow connector to the left (yellow cable) is the airbag, yellow connector nearer the middle (black cable) is the pre-tensioner. __________________ Steve T4 Location Map

6th May 2016, 16:40	#6
hogweed I really should get out more....... Vauxhall Insignia CDTi; MG TF 135 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norn Iron Posts: 2,958 Thanks: 942 Thanked 378 Times in 297 Posts	Terrible thing, age This is REALLY embarrassing. Eventually I realised that the reason there was no second connector was that I had in fact soldered the wires on the passenger side last time, so of course no connector there. In my defence, m’Lud, the soldering was so neat you could hardly see where the joins were, and my work isn't normally that good. So I reached under the driver’s seat, just poked everything I could feel with my fingertips, and… the light went off. [Very VERY naughty word, repeated several times] Still can’t see the yellow connector under the driver’s seat… and this time it wasn’t me Guv! But it’s all a bit cramped in there, unlike on the passenger side. D’OHHH!!!!! __________________ Past cars: MGB GT; Escort 1300 Sport; Vauxhall VX4/90; Marina Coupe TC; Celica ST (1972); Montego Turbo; Astra GTE 16V; Astra GSI 16V; Golf GTI 16V (Mk II); Sierra XR4x4 Estate; BMW 325i (E30); BMW M3 3.0; BMW M3 3.2 Evo. Left some of the more embarrassing ones out. And about 30 motorbikes.

6th May 2016, 18:27	#9
hogweed I really should get out more....... Vauxhall Insignia CDTi; MG TF 135 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norn Iron Posts: 2,958 Thanks: 942 Thanked 378 Times in 297 Posts	Next time I'm putting a delay-off timer in the circuit to the dash LED __________________ Past cars: MGB GT; Escort 1300 Sport; Vauxhall VX4/90; Marina Coupe TC; Celica ST (1972); Montego Turbo; Astra GTE 16V; Astra GSI 16V; Golf GTI 16V (Mk II); Sierra XR4x4 Estate; BMW 325i (E30); BMW M3 3.0; BMW M3 3.2 Evo. Left some of the more embarrassing ones out. And about 30 motorbikes.

6th May 2016, 16:28	#4
DragonFly Loves to post Non 75 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Bristol Posts: 471 Thanks: 56 Thanked 189 Times in 93 Posts	You'll be looking for this connector I would think... Which might be tucked right up under the seat...

6th May 2016, 16:42	#7
DragonFly Loves to post Non 75 Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Bristol Posts: 471 Thanks: 56 Thanked 189 Times in 93 Posts	When you removed the connector(s), did you splice in any extra wire, or did you just cut out the connector and solder the ends together? I'm wondering if the wires could be a bit tight under the seat, especially if the seats moved since you did the soldering, and could be breaking down the joints.