can I disconnect the flashing airbag light?

falling-out-with-my-car · 22 Jul 2009, 16:53

Hi due to medical reasons it has been necassary to disconnect my airbags completely, which makes the airbag light flash for five mins at the start of every journey then it lights up solid.

Has anybody discovered a way to disable this light once and for allm in an xantia MK2 please?
it would be really good if you could just pull a fuse and switch it off for good.

Thanks in advance.

Nigel.

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 22 Jul 2009, 18:18

Well, there is discissions under Mk1 seats into Mk2 OR VICE VERSA, but in short, you CAN remove the BULB from the dash, Air Bags are not MOT tested, so are not missed - Yet!

Paul

falling-out-with-my-car · 23 Jul 2009, 03:12

hmm i guessed it would be as easy as removing a fuse, taking half of the dash apart takes ages sod it I'll live with it and just hope the little B*gger of a bulb gives up its last breath before I do.

regards Nigel.

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 23 Jul 2009, 10:05

Stick a square of BLACK insulation tape across the light so you dont see it flashing at you..!!

Paul

falling-out-with-my-car · 23 Jul 2009, 11:22

paul, thats cheating but I have to hand it to you it's often the simplist ideas that are the best inventions.

thanks and regards Nigel.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 23 Jul 2009, 11:31

There's a "dirty" fix, too - if you're an amateur car sparky. From the airbag wiring diagrams, identify the feed wire to your warning lamp, and send 24V up it. Exit one filament, dash left.

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 23 Jul 2009, 12:45

addo

thats clever too, but id be frightened incase I blew something else...

Paul

Clogzz · Unread post by **Clogzz** » 23 Jul 2009, 13:47

Something else to blow up is the airbag itself.
The light is a led, and is part of the airbag, which has a two-pin orange plug.
Don’t know if there’s one wire for the bag, and the second wire for the led, plus the earth through the steering column.
If both wires are for both the bag and the led, then it’s too dangerous to risk touching.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 23 Jul 2009, 14:32

Clogzz wrote:Something else to blow up is the airbag itself.
The light is a led, and is part of the airbag, which has a two-pin orange plug.
Don’t know if there’s one wire for the bag, and the second wire for the led, plus the earth through the steering column.
If both wires are for both the bag and the led, then it’s too dangerous to risk touching.

On the MK2 the airbag light is on the instrument console.

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 23 Jul 2009, 22:13

That's the one I meant - a 5mm wedge base bulb.

Gratuitous airbag detonation is best left to Americans in canvas deckchairs.

citronel · Unread post by **citronel** » 24 Jul 2009, 12:30

it is possible to check original airbag circuit resistance and use a resistor that will simulate the presence of the airbag ?

Krede · Unread post by **Krede** » 24 Jul 2009, 13:44

Handbook states that there's a risk of setting off the seatbelt tensioner/ air bag just by using an ohm meter on them.

Perhaps some sort variable resistance could be placed in the connector instead of the air bag, and increased until the lamp goes out?

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 24 Jul 2009, 23:32

I tend to feel the manuals are being very conservative.

After all, they don't tell you to wear an anti-static wrist strap when dealing with the airbag or pre-tensioner connectors. So risk of sparking to set off must be pretty small. And, many meters are very "gentle" in applied voltage. A pre-tensioner could surely be found to experiment with...

citronel · Unread post by **citronel** » 25 Jul 2009, 08:49

Good digital measurement tool have internal resistance >5M? so I think the risk it is very small.

I used my digital tool to check lot of sensitive electronic devices from GSM mobile phones to now my car ECU and I never damaged any of this... any way idea with variable resistance it is very good if you don't have available a measurement tool with high internal resistance, start with one R variable till 1Mo and maybe will be enough.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 25 Jul 2009, 08:52

Using a variable resistance will be a great and safe idea to determine the value needed to fool the ECU. I just hope the ECU is not clever and looks for inductance too like the ABS sensor does when toing it's integrity check on the ABS sensors.

If the value can be found for a suitable resistor, that will be of great value (no pun intended!) to the forum