Xsara VTS airbag wiring

adrianeaton · Post by **adrianeaton** » 25 Sep 2003, 19:08

Hi all
Our VTS is suffering an intermitant fault with the airbag warning lights, for both front and side bags (although I suspect the fronts is related to the pre-tensioners).
It seems to be caused by the wiring under the front seats - the problem seems to appear when we carry people in the back or put anything on the floor behind the front seats.
It's now got to the point where it's happening half the time and I'm spending most evenings upside down in the footwells making sure the numerous (exposed!) multiplugs are connected properly.
I'm well aware of all the necessary precautions with working with airbags - what I want to know is whether this is a common fault and whether the only option is the same as with the 306, i.e. cut the plugs off and hard solder the connections - great option till you need to get the seats out for some reason! Wandered if some better multiplugs were available to replace the existing ones?
Anybody successfully managed to get Citroen to fix this FOC? Seems like a design flaw to me!
Adrian

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 26 Sep 2003, 00:59

its a very common fault on xsaras & saxos,id recomend soldering & insulating with heatshrink.if you dont want to do that then unclip the plugs,the end that comes up from under the carpet can then be stripped & the terminals taken out (one at a time so you dont mix them up) and the insides squezed together a little to make them a tighter fit,this method doesent always work that well.

blueboy2001 · Post by **blueboy2001** » 26 Sep 2003, 01:46

Had this problem on my 2001 Xsara when it was about 6 months old. It was fixed inside an hour at the dealer FOC. The service manager said they have a mod kit they fit to stop it happening again, and from looking under the seat it didn't look like they'd soldered it as I could still see a multiplug.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 26 Sep 2003, 04:02

one end of the multi plug is cut off and is replaced by a different one (tighter terminals & heatshrink on the back to stop the wire wiggling about) which is joined on with a kind of soldered heatshrik sleeve.

adrianeaton · Post by **adrianeaton** » 26 Sep 2003, 15:11

Thanks chaps, will look into the dealer option - I need to find where my new local one is anyway!
If they deny all knowledge then I guess it's contortion time in the footwells with a soldering iron!
Adrian