grishenko45

hi all,

my airbag light has come on, and my MOT is on monday!! instant fail with light on i believe...

how do i reset it so it won't come on during MOT? i'll get it sorted but can't afford getting the code read right now.

ive checked the yellow plugs under seats, cleaned them etc...still on.

any help guys?

thanks

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

Although this is to be included in the new version of the test, I think it is still a pass but advise item! Even so, get it sorted ASAP, have it go off at the wrong time or not go off at all when you most need it, won't be pretty either way lol

grishenko45

just found on the AA website it's an advisory only till march 2013.

Mondego

If you happened to live in the Highlands of Scotland, I would do a cheap Airbag light extinguish for you with my Autel EU908 MOT Pro (provided there isn't an actual fault!!).

Mondego

Damn right. My mate is having BIG MOT issues right now with a Clio Sport 173 he's got. Throwing up an airbag light due to a side impact (since has been well repaired) but the car was well inside MOT and no one bothered to worry about the light. Now he's had to replace all sorts.

The MOT tester will also check to see if all warning lights come on when you turn the ignition on. So you can't even get away with whipping the bulb out.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

seeing as its now june 2013 its a failure, once the fault is sorted it needs to be reset via correct laptop

grishenko45

thought about wiring the airbag light to the oil pressure light so it comes on then goes off as it should.....??

alternativly could i get the code read and cleared at the same time as MOT?

STeve

iTrader: (11)

only if MOT station has the software to do it

grishenko45

gonna have another go at those yellow connectors under the seats today, i do move my seat around a lot!
going to try to bypass the plugs with wire to see if they are faulty

Gadget

The Light wont reset and stay out if there is still a fault.
If you bypass the airbag with a bit of wire, chances are the light will come on anyway as airbags have a resistance! the wire will have none.
Try disconnecting the live and the earth off the battery, then joining the leads together for about 10 mins. This allows all modules to discharge to ground. Called in the trade, a " Hard Reset "
We do this all the time to our Jags and Landrovers where they have been sat for so long, sometimes the batterys are a little low so when you crank the module throws the light on because of the low voltage.
If there is no fault, the light will go out and stay out.

Gary

grishenko45

thanks gadget - i didn't mean bypass the airbag with wire- i mean disconnect the yellow plugs under the seat and attach each ends with wire to see if there is a faulty yellow plug.
i've heard of touching the two ends of the battery leads togethers, but only on VWs...is this really ok to do on my ford?

Mondego

Gary/Gadget has it correct.

As I mentioned above (last night) there is no need for laptops or software. Every garage has a (probably Autel) scanner, they read codes (mine does a lot more) and clears them. BUT, as I said yesterday, and Gary/Gadget said today, this whole process will NOT work if there is an actual fault, the light will simply be lit on next start cycle.

As for hard reset, this should present no problem to a Ford. Not sure about all makes, but disconecting the battery and leaving the car battery leads in the air (without shorting them) will also work, but need to leave for about an hour to gain the same effect. You will lose ALL memory data this way (without a scanner/code reader) seat memory, radio etc etc.

Mondego

Although a temporary and desperate measure, this would work!

oldford

Even the youngest mechanic would notice this (so never mind a experienced Mot-tester) as the airbag light is normally the last light to go out.

Mondego

Again, Gadget is correct. Shorting the wires in this conector won't help. There are electonics beyond that point, and they have a certain resistance. The control module will know this, and throw the light on anyway.

Mondego

I beg to differ. I could easily create a circuit to encorprate a latch system to ensure that the airbag light was the last to go out. Very simple IC controlled electronics. And I could even adjust the time in m/s to suit the car manufacturers original timing specs on the light extinguishing sequence.

Although, it's a stupid mission for someone who actually owns all necessary diagnostic equipment (me).

grishenko45

i'll try the hard reset and hope that works. i'm certain it's a broken wire in the drivers pre tensioner, as i mentioned i move my seat forwards and backwards every day. the passenger seat never moves. i'll also take the trim off the floor next to the seat to see if i can see a break in the wire and check the earth.

grishenko45

you can tell they want rid of old cars can't you!

oldford

That's not what you said before. You concurred that wiring the airbag light to the oil pressure light would work. I just warned that it wouldn't - without quoting you.
So why are you quoting me?

Mondego

Chill dude. I simply added a modified/alternative answer to cover the gap you revealed.

Mondego

For sure, check all this sh1t out....

oldford

Who will take responsibilty when the car is sold with this "alternative" airbag light, then has an accident and somebody's girlfriend or wife is injured or killed?

Mondego

Dude, seriously, take a chill pill. The guy has an MOT monday (tomorrow), he wants something temp to get him through.

Even better, he wants some one with a diagnostics (he lives no where near me, or anyone else with full kit) to hopefully extinguish the light and cross his fingers there is no fault to put it back on.

No one wants to kill anyone's wife or gf!!

Mondego

I am sorry, oldford, the last thing I wanted to do is annoy you.

It was a completely hypothetical, jestful latch electronics idea. I won't be building any circuits, and besides, even if I did, his MOT is tomorrow, he's over 500 miles away, I have work in the morning, my kid needs a lift to brownies later, my dinner is almost ready, AND, I left my jetpack in my uncle's garage, and he's off out with friends on a firework training course.

fiesta_gaga

peeps quick question ive changed my seats in my mk4 the air bag light has come on because the wires are disconnected because the plugs are different. if I change the pretensioners with one off another mk4 fiesta same model same year as my car will that sort the problem???????

PLEASE HELP ME DOUGHNUT HERE!!!!!

Mondego

If you feed the car the tensioners it was designed to work with (MK4 to same spec/model, if indeed there are differences), then yes, it'll work.

Mondego

Tensioners off your old seats not an option?

fiesta_gaga

no I don't have the old ones available does its have to be the same engine size and does it make a difference whether its 3 door or 5 door.


I have a 1.25 zetec so do I need the exact same car to make it work?????
or can it come off a 1.3 or 1.4???

Mondego

(we shouldn't be raping this guy's thread btw! But.....)

Not exact same, it's not concrete, since for example there COULD be differences between 3 and 5 door models, yet there may not be.

You SHOULD be safe with same trim and year. Gonna be a slight risk, but get the right ones and it will respond as normal (before seat upgrade).

Best bet is to phone scappies, or search somewhere online to grab some off the exact same car. That way you avoid risks, but could cost you more cash, but less hassle.

EDIT: engine size generally shouldn't matter. Highly unlikely Ford changed the tensioners among engine sizes in this circumstance.

fiesta_gaga

sweet thanks a lot dude much help!!!!!!

Mondego

NP.

You'll sort it.

grishenko45

was the airbag module - they said they scanned it and the fault was with the module.
frauds are charging Ł152 for a module and Ł65 for programming!
can't i just get one with the same code and put it in?

Mondego

That's what happened to my mates Clio. Although his actually had a minor side impact, had to replace the module, but no programming was required. Once the mudule was replaced, the light didn't come back on.

There should be way cheaper options for you. A little research to verify.

Mondego

Ask them what the fault code was, that way you can type it into google and see what's true/false.

grishenko45

they said the code was coming up as the module was bust.
will the code clear with the new module installed or will the code have to be cleared and then the new module installed?

Mondego

Yeah dude, they "said" it came up as bust module, I am sure it probably is, but just really good to do your own checking with the code they produce.

Fit new part, then erase codes and scan again.

RichieST

iTrader: (2)

There are loads on ebay, take yours out and get one with matching part numbers, whack it in and see what happens.

grishenko45

sorted!!
the exact code that was causing the problem couldn't be read as the airbag module was broken. so i got a 2nd hand one with the same part number (printed on the top of the module) and installed and re-read the code...
code was B1921 airbag module ground circuit.
so i rewired the earth in and the light went out. MOT passed!

the earth wire from the airbag module multiplug is the black and red one from the
smaller plug in location a9. i wired this to an earth on the drivers side kick panel (earth E4 in the haynes)

thanks for the help on this one.

Mondego

NP.

Sweet. Good job.