Xantia side airbag light (another one)

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moggsy
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Xantia side airbag light (another one)

Post by moggsy »

Hi folks,

I've got the side airbag light on constantly on my 2000 Xantia HDi Exclusive. Got to get her through the test soon so it needs fixing urgently!

Having trawled the forum for suggestions, I concluded that the under-seat connectors were a likely culprit. However, we have cleaned them thoroughly with contact cleaner and although the light has randomly gone out once or twice, for the most part it stays on. The connections were not at all dirty or loose, but then I have owned the car since it was a year old, am the only one who drives it and almost never move the seat so that's perhaps not surprising.

Another post that I found said the cause turned out to be, in his case, the side airbag controller/ECU. I've got a good second hand one that is promised to be functional and code-free, but now I am looking at fitting it and not sure how to get to it. Anyone replaced one of these and can tell me how the trim comes off to expose it? I am scared to wade in there and damage something!! Sorry, being a wimp, but she's perfect inside and I'd be so annoyed if I broke something due to ignorance .....

If one of you kind chaps could explain how to access the controller I will try swapping it out and hopefully that's my last pre-Controle Technique issue resolved!

Thanks in advance
wheeler
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Re: Xantia side airbag light (another one)

Post by wheeler »

Have you had a diagnostic check done?
There are 2 different setups on the Xantia, one that has a single central Airbag ECU but has side impact sensors (known as satellites) in the sills or there is the earlier type that has a seperate smaller ECU on each side in the sill. Do you know if you have the right part?
Either way both are mounted in the inner sill, cant remember the exact location as it been years since ive been near a Xantia but its neat the B pillar, you can normally get to them by pulling the carpet & sound deadening up.
They are not coded to the car & can be swapped from a different car no problem.
As for the under seat connections, cleaning them doesn't normally help long term, they are a terrible design & need to be cut off & joined directly by soldering.
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Re: Xantia side airbag light (another one)

Post by xantia_v6 »

The side airbag ECU's are accessed by removing the front seat belt reels.
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