AirBag Light + No Horn = Squib?

[Rawce]

Hello,

My ageing '52 C5 110 Diesel continues to cost the earth (recon alternator after that self destructed), even though we do less than 4k per year in it. The airbag light has been on for over a year now, but I was always told by the garage that it's not an MOT failure. However, they warned me it will be a failure, or it's the horn which stopped working a couple of months ago, I can't remember.

The garage said that as both have gone, they may have a common failure point in the squib - that's where diagnostics are pointing towards. My understanding is that the squib is a mostly an ECU/wiring/contactors but basically a fancy way of connecting your steering wheel and it's myriad functions to your dash. The contactors can often get quite dirty and hopefully all they require is a good clean (hopefully I get to use my until now frivolous Dremel).

Anyway, I now have a garage to work in (and a Haynes to get frustrated with), I'm up for getting my hands dirty again like I used to before the car was parked on the street (I once got caught on CCTV using the work's car park at the weekend to change my sparks and HTs - it's not like I was changing the ruddy oil!) rather than get the garage to replace with a recon or new one for probably more than the car's worth (~£450).

So, I'm just checking with you knowledgeable types the following before I embark on my near Bilbo Baggins-like epic journey (a strange land where half hour jobs seem to take 4 hours and 5 times the swearing than absolutely necessary):
1. Both airbag light and horn not working point to the squib;
2. Whether I need to think about getting a recon squib as cleaning won't get me anywhere.

I've had a quick search on squibs in the forums but none seem to share the horn failure.

Cheers for any help, no matter what the outcome I'll pop back on here and share my observations for future reference.

Ross.

[Gibbo2286]

Where on earth did the word squib come from I assume you mean the Comm 2000 unit under the steering wheel, here are some pictures of it stripped down. There's nothing in there you can use a Dremel on. The most likely cause for the airbag light is a break in the flat cable (clockspring) but from experience they're too delicate to repair.
Your best bet is to get a used unit from the breakers but you'll need to be quite specific about the part as there are about nine variations according to the car spec.
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[Rawce]

That looks about right, thanks Gibbo. Squib I think is a universal term for box of tricks on the steering wheel. The Dremel would only have been used to buff up the copper/gold contacts as I hear these can glaze up with age. I'm guessing I'll have to open it up to see which HAL9000 unit it actually is?

[Rawce]

Also, are the flat cables typically available from a dealers?

[SaabC5]

Typically called the Comms 2000/clockspring. Never heard it called a squib, is it damp?

[Stickyfinger]

Squib
A squib is a muggle (non-magical person) born to wizard .....there, you learn new everyday

[Peter.N.]

They were 4d in Woolworths when I remember them.

[Gibbo2286]

Fireworks at the lower end of the explosive range when we were kids, hence the saying 'damp squib' for something that only half worked.

You can't buy parts for that Comm 2000 and you need a bit of skill and a lot of patience to strip and re-assemble them, a lot of fiddly parts to juggle into place.

[wheeler]

Deffo sounds like a com2000 failure. I have always know the squib to be the explosive part of the airbag itself.

[qprdude]

Airbag light is now an MOT fail.

[Rawce]

Yep, just looked up squib and it's the airbag initiator - http://www.airbagcenter.com/airbag_terminology.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As the horn's duff too, general consensus seems to be the Comms 2000 unit. I'll have a go at stripping it tomorrow to see if the contacts are in need of a clean. If that doesn't work then I guess it's a recon job.

Cheers for everyone's help, I'll let you know how I get on.

[Stickyfinger]

Off topic I know.....but is there a regulation that says your horn MUST be on the steering wheel ?? could a button/stalk be added to activate the horn and would this circumvent the MoT ?

I have added one like this on a classic as well as added one for dim/dip

[Northern_Mike]

Off topic I know.....but is there a regulation that says your horn MUST be on the steering wheel ??

No.



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[Rawce]

Air horn in a can taped to the drivers mirror it is then. Or just strap Brian Blessed to my bonnet?

[waynedance]

Air bag light on is an MOT fail but would pass if bulb removed.