C5 warning of Airbag Fault

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 18 May 2010, 15:16

I had a warning about two weeks ago on the display in the C5 which said airbag fault, it beeps and the service light comes on. Not the spanner to say it needs servicing but the service writing lights up orange.

The first time it did it i took the battery off for a few hours and it was fine. However ive been out in the car three times today and each time its warning that there is an airbag fault and the service light is appearing again too.

Just before the first airbag warning came up about two weeks ago it beeped and told me of an engine management fault, though its running and driving as normal and that has not retuned since.

Anyone any ideas? Suppose i need to get it on a lexia?

Thanks, Chris.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 18 May 2010, 15:22

Without a Lexia session Chris . .... .... ... thats all we can say ...........

Paul

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 18 May 2010, 15:31

Yes thats what i thought, didnt know if anyone had had this fault before and known what it might be, loose connection or somehting. Ill take it somewhere and get it checked.

Paul, I dont suppose you have found a headlamp washer cover for a S2 Xm have you?

timborob · Post by **timborob** » 18 May 2010, 17:30

The C5 is new to me but i did read on my previous car (Rover 75) that airbag faults were caused by wears in wires/connection from the driver's seat and seatbelt tensioners.

Maybe a place to look into on the C5 too?

Sorry I can't help anymore

Post by **quintet** » 18 May 2010, 18:26

If i recall these cars had wiring issues with the connections under the polystyrene false floor on the passengers side, remove the carpet (n/s/f) & the polystyrene, i think you'll find 3 or 4 plugs under there, one of them's for the airbag system, try givin them a wiggle & check the connections, having said that I'm not sure that particular fault would bring on the engine light. Sorry but i cant recall the color of the airbag wiring plug, i seem to recall there being a blue, brown & possibly a grey one but I'm not sure which is which so just check each one, there might be a black plug too.

citroenxm · Post by **citroenxm** » 18 May 2010, 20:27

Citroenmad wrote:Yes thats what i thought, didnt know if anyone had had this fault before and known what it might be, loose connection or somehting. Ill take it somewhere and get it checked.

Paul, I dont suppose you have found a headlamp washer cover for a S2 Xm have you?

Chris, you'll have to give me the weekend, I dont get much time in the week..

sorry..

I will have a look for you though!

Paul

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 18 May 2010, 23:03

Its probably just coincidence, but when the warning has appeared as i start the car the airconditioning has been on too. Without the AC turned on ive never had the warning. Seems odd and probably not related.

So when i first start the car it beeps and warns me about an airgab fault (has done it 4 times at the moment), the service writing lights and stays lit but the warning goes off.

Ill get it on a lexia when i can get booked in with the garage and see what they say, hopefully its nothing much!

Ill take a look for wires under the seats etc tomorrow and see if they are ok, though as its very intermittent at the moment i think its more likely an electrical glitch perhaps.

Thanks very much Paul, that would be great

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 19 May 2010, 09:21

see here for recent similar thread > http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... connectors

This one had a fault code though so without an initial fault code its just guessing. You dont really get problems with under seat connectors on the C5 as the pre tensioners are in the inertia reels not the stalks, is onlt the lateral airbag connections & they are a different more reliable connector. The ones under the foam block thingy in the passangers footwell are the same type of connectors used on old saxo pre tensioners

h2ocooler · Post by **h2ocooler** » 19 May 2010, 21:19

I have to say Wheeler was spot on with the location of the fault, nearly a month since it was cured and no problems (so far

) Even with my Lexia it didnt really help as the fault code/location did not relate the the system.

Try the above connections, I had tried the under seat ones loads of times (I did stop short of replacing the plugs) but it made sense when explained as the "fault" would sometimes go away but almost always came back when I had a front seat passenger.

The "AIRBAG FAULT" message does flash up (and beep) when first starting the car, the display will revert to the radio ect but the "SERVICE" light stays on, if there is another message displayed say low fuel the airbag one will come up too.

Rob

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 20 May 2010, 09:26

I dont think mine is in connection with having a passenger, as i have been on my own when the fault has happened. It is very hit and miss and has only done it 4 times so far.

Ill check the connectors under the carpet today and see if it returns

h2ocooler · Post by **h2ocooler** » 20 May 2010, 12:51

Mine did come and go even without a passenger but it nearly always returned if there was a passenger, I was thinking that it might be the passenger seat at fault but it was where they were moving the polystyrene block under the carpet and hence disturbing the connections.
Rob

woodywoodpecker · Post by **woodywoodpecker** » 29 May 2010, 18:01

wheeler wrote:see here for recent similar thread > http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... connectors

This one had a fault code though so without an initial fault code its just guessing. You dont really get problems with under seat connectors on the C5 as the pre tensioners are in the inertia reels not the stalks, is onlt the lateral airbag connections & they are a different more reliable connector. The ones under the foam block thingy in the passangers footwell are the same type of connectors used on old saxo pre tensioners

wheeler
just want to say a big thanks to you mate just done them plugs under the passenger carpet and my service light is now off and no more airbag warnings coming up, cars been like this for a few months, now its spot on really glad i joined this forum and read your post cheers.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 29 May 2010, 18:10

Ive had a fiddle with these wires too and ive not had the light on for a week now.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 17 Jun 2010, 18:32

Well seems my fiddle with the wires wasnt enough, as the airbag warning has been on quite a bit lately.

So today i had a better look at the wire connections below the passenger side carpet.

I removed the connectors, gave them a good clean with electrical contact cleaner, blew them out with the air line and refitted. No problems as of yet, so ill see how it goes.

The Lexia brought up the same code as the one h2ocooler had with his, LEVEL 1 Drivers side, and he fixed his with these wires.

If the problem returns now ill have to solder the wires together as stated.

A nice idea though, putting 4 connecting wires below where the passengers feet goes, truely excellent!

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 17 Jun 2010, 23:28

The problem will return, the permanant solution is to just cut out the connectors & solder them.
The connectors only exist on RHD models as an extension over to the right hand side so not that big a problem overall as far as citroen are concerned.