2008 Xsara Picasso "Passenger airbag deactivated"

[danamino]

I bought a 2008 Xsara Picasso in Portugal last month. There are a few things that need sorting, but twice on the way home from buying it in Lisbon I had a warning that said something like "passenger airbag deactivated". The first time I was driving along an empty motorway at around 90mph and decelerated for a junction and the warning came on. Then once more on the way home. It hasn't happened since.

I have another 2008 Xsara Picasso that I will be retiring soon as it is on Irish plates, so it can be a donor car, and I wonder if there are any parts on the new car that could be failing that relate to this warning, and if I should pre-emptively remove for when needed, or just change now?

I once had an airbag warning light on my first Xsara Picasso and the garage started with a new clockspring, then the ecu under the gearstick, until they finally changed the ecu under the seat, which fixed it. So I'm curious if "passenger airbag deactivated" could be this kind of thing? Thank you.

[PaulC5]

If you open the front passenger door there might be a switch on the end of the dash to deactivate the passenger airbag using the key in it - check if this has been used to turn it off.

[danamino]

I stopped and looked there right away and it hadn't been turned off.