Air bag warning light Xantia HDI

[Philip1927]

This comes on intermittently and I have been lucky so far that it has been out when MOT done!
However it is now on more than off. I understand there may be a faulty connection somewhere.
I am very much a layman when it comes to cars.
Anybody got an idiots guide for me to help sort this light problem out?
Ta

[Hell Razor5543]

The connections on the seat airbags is known to get grotty over time. I would disconnect the battery for 15 minutes (the longer the better, to allow the air bag circuits to lose their electrical charge), then look underneath the front seats for the connectors. You might be lucky, and all they need is a clean with proper contact cleaner (and no, WD40 will NOT do!), and a few times of plugging and unplugging the connectors. If that does not work soldering them together can help (but you need to be good in tight spaces!).

Allow for the fact that some of the systems need a few 'clean' cycles before they will put out their error light. It normally takes 5 clean goes for this to happen. The airbag system may well be one of these.

[Philip1927]

Thanks will try.

[xantia_v6]

Which airbag light is coming on? the side airbag light or the main one?
It the main airbag light is coming on, particularly during parking manoeuvres, then there is a possibility that the "clock spring" rotary connector to the steering wheel is failing. This can be confirmed with a Lexia diagnosis. Depending on the year of your car, these parts are no longer available new, and a second-hand one must be sourced.

[Philip1927]

The airbag warning light is top right on instrument panel. Not sure if main or side.

[Hell Razor5543]

Does the light show the word "AIRBAG", or does it appear like a person wearing a safety belt with a 'balloon' to the right. The first indicates main airbag (steering wheel/front passenger dash area) while the second indicate the side airbag built into the seats.

[Philip1927]

It's the one with a person and a belt so I guess it is the side airbag.

[Hell Razor5543]

That means that the under seat connectors are a likely cause of your problems. Saying that though, on my second Xantia I had that same light, and when it was diagnosed it turned out the left side ECU (mounted just below the passenger safety belt mechanism) was faulty. Once I replaced that the airbag system became fully functional. It could be worth getting her onto a Lexia to see what it tells you;

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