A "new" question about Xantia airbags. (Faults)

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
CitroSwede
Posts: 25
Joined: 13 Feb 2012, 02:02
Location: Sweden
My Cars:

A "new" question about Xantia airbags. (Faults)

Post by CitroSwede »

I will try to explain it as good as i can, my English isn´t what is has been.. :wink:

I have searched the forum, but couldn't find something similar.
My airbag warning light is flashing now and then, i have checked the codes with the lexia and it says:
-Igniter passenger airbag open circuit. (my lexia is in swedish but i think it is the same in english.)

If i turn off the ignition and start the car again, it isn't blinking anymore. For a while...
Sometimes it can take days for it to blink again, sometimes minutes.

I have sprayed electrical cleaner in all the connectors i could find. Under the seat, in the "ECU" for the airbag and the connector that goes to the passenger airbag, and i have tried to spray clean the ground connector on the airbag itself behind the glove compartment.

I wonder if a bad connection to the seat belt pre-tensioners can cause this fault code?
Because i find it more probable that the low quality connectors under the seat are to blame, than the two wires and one connector that goes to the passenger airbag.
The whole airbag system seems to be like one unit, if one thing fails, it causes faults somewhere else too.
For example, when the fault code for the pass. airbag is active, it is not possible to read the pre-tensioners.
The lexia then says that pre-tensioners are not operative, or disconnected.
When i have cleared the code for the passenger airbag, the lexia is able to find the pre-tensioners again.

Strange... does it mean that the passenger airbag code is caused by the pre-tensioners, or that the pre-tensioners are automatically disengaged if there is some problem with the airbags.. ?

Any ideas of where to look? ... please?
Citroën Xantia HDI -00
Have Lexia..
Estately
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 184
Joined: 02 Nov 2010, 20:50
Location: Stafford
My Cars: 00 Xantia 2.0 HDI 90 bhp Estate 237k Gone to New Home
07 C5 2.0 HDI 138 Exclusive Estate 211k. Gearbox selector failed.
10 C5 2.0 HDI 138 Auto Exclusive Estate. Px'd
13 C5 2.0 HDI 160 Manual Exclusive Tourer.
x 13

Re: A "new" question about Xantia airbags. (Faults)

Post by Estately »

The site does contain some information about the air bag warning light, but I think the search is not too good for you to retrieve it.
If it is any help I have found that my warning light will come on and stay on variously:
a) During wet weather. (No water getting into the car)
b) When the seats have been moved forward or backward.
c) When items are put under the seats (now a forbidden activity).

My cure centres on the wires under the seats:
If any are loose such that they will move about when the car is driven, just tape the loose wire to the seat frame.
Firmly hold the wires near each connector and use a pushing / pulling together action either side of the connector, you need to do this with the fingers of both hands and given the access under the seat you need to be kneeling outside the car doing it through the open door. (no need to disconnect just push and pull).

Your Lexia should indicate which side of the car to concentrate on.
Some on this site recommend removing the connectors and soldering the wires together, but it is an added difficulty if you ever need to remove the seat.

Hope that helps.
If it can happen it will.
Post Reply