Old Car, Airbag Light Flashing

[MH123456]

I've a Partner 2001 Combi M49 (1996-2002) 1.9d WJY.

It only has a driver's airbag and I think - correct me if I'm wrong - there's no pretensioner and the two blue wires under the driver's seat are for the seatbelt indicator. I've replaced the plug/socket under the seat with bullet connectors on both blue wires, replaced the clock spring rotary connection behind the airbag with one from a 98 306 with the same part no. (the horn is on the indicator stalk, so not involved). The connector replaced had loss of continuity on one of the airbag connections when rotated, the replacement didn't. Due for the MOT retest tomorrow and it hasn't fixed the problem.

I followed procedure to disarm the system plus an extra ten minutes. The battery's been disconnected for over a week which should reset a few things and clear temporary faults. The airbag light illuminates, goes out and starts flashing suggesting further connection problems or another fault. To further support this hypothesis: I was driving it for a week with the light extinguished until I took my son to a party 30 miles away along a really pitted B road in west Cumbria, one of the pot-holes set the light going again and it's been more regularly intermittent since until the week before the MOT when, it was flashing constantly. Sod's law, it did the same last year but I was lucky it didn't come on during the test.

I replaced the connections under the drivers seat some time ago, so it's something I'll re-inspect next week while on leave during half-term week. With no pretensioner, is the seatbelt indicator still part of the diagnostics with the airbag system?

Just trying to locate my bluetooth OBD adapter for a quick check, but I do have Lexia/PP2000 as well. With the age of the car and the VAN bus system, are either of these likely to help with isolating the fault or do I expect to see a generic code?

Any help is greatly appreciated, the car has given me only a few minor problems and pulled me out of so many more with relatively little fuss, it's the last of the Pug M49 combi's on the road and I'd like to keep it that way for another year. Any tips on which looms/wires/connections/etc I should be focussing on?

Thanks

[xantia_v6]

PP2000 should be able to tell you if the fault is in a sensor circuit or the firing system. That would halve the possibilities.

[wheeler]

Do you have side airbags in the seats? If so have you cut out & replaced the connectors for them too?
As said above, really need a fault code to narrow it down, without that just pure guesswork.

[MH123456]

Do you have side airbags in the seats? If so have you cut out & replaced the connectors for them too?
As said above, really need a fault code to narrow it down, without that just pure guesswork.

Just driver's, steering wheel airbag - pretty certain it doesn't have pretensioners, but going to get the seat out to make sure. No wires to the passenger seat, it's more utilitarian than a 306.

Couldn't find the bluetooth OBD reader and the lexia kit is behind a load of boxes in the shed, so started stripping it down today:
- BSI shutdown
- Battery disconnected
- Airbag removed
- Lower central console removed
- ACU unplugged and removed
- Secondary connector unplugged

It's a bit dark to get any good photos of the car interior.

I'll get it all connected up again soon with some electrical grease and read any codes.

[MH123456]

Going through a factory repair manual notes the pretensioners are in the B-pillars. I'll have a go at them tomorrow.

Edited: nope, it was a poor translation of pop-rivet. The pretensioner will be in the seat, but didn't see anything there when I repaired the springs.

[wheeler]

Would have thought on a mk1 the pretensions would be in the stalks on the seat. Either way it will 100% have pre tensioners.

[MH123456]

Would have thought on a mk1 the pretensions would be in the stalks on the seat. Either way it will 100% have pre tensioners.

Thanks Wheeler, had a look through some similar under-seat wiring images online. I'll get the seat out, remove any trim, inspect the wires and connections.

When I got it the three central springs in the seat had gone and the seat had fallen through, possibly causing some intial wear which needs repaired. Should really get a better one from a 306 but I'm working with what I have for now. Got enough foam and some carpet adhesive, I could rebuild and reupholster the seat while I'm at it.

The following day:

Both seats out. Now I remember seeing them and why do I also remember the wires being blue? I think pretensioners came before airbags as well though, my thoughts are less reliable of late. Anyhow neither are blown and still have tight plug retainers attached.

Hoovered the small remains of broken glass from a few years ago when the (now evicted family's) kids thought it would be smart to vandalise my car three times, while on CCTV and when I was 5 metres away in the garden. Checked continuity for connections to common ground in case it was fouling on the body work, wires all look ok. Checked connections under the seats - driver's OK with the bullet connectors, bent passenger pins slightly and reconnected it a few times. Cleaned and refitted the earth. Everything loosely refitted apart from the airbag. Will do that later and check if the problem's gone. I'm hoping it was just the connection on the passenger side. If not, I'll try to find one of the few readers lying about.

A little while later... fixed.

Another day:

Washed all the dirty trim before putting it back, and making the seats secure. Now the airbag light is on constantly and won't go out.

Found my bluetooth OBD connector but it doesn't read the ACU, so need to find the Lexia connector which isn't where I thought it was, though might be in a box within a few feet of where I'm sitting, so time to move the sofa and sort through some computer hardware. The car is booked in for MOT on Friday, so I have another day to remedy the problem which could be:
- Wire caught in trim screw when putting it back together
- Dislodged wires behind the centre console
- Many other things

I did do a bit of fiddling with the seats to get them in securely, so I'll disconnect the battery tonight on the off-chance it will work tomorrow morning.

Day before the MOT:

Took the centre trim out and noticed the ACU plug clip was loose, tightened up, battery on and it's working again. I'll put some tape over the plug to secure the clip as I must had dislodged it when attaching the gear lever gaitor clips.

[MH123456]

MOT acquired with an dvisory for slight steering end float which is about 0.5mm to 1mm max movement back and forth along the column felt at the steering wheel. This was a major fault which I struggled to replicate when they told me about it, they've possibly taken pitty and passed with the advisory.

I see they've tightened up on a lot of checks, so before the test I checked the four column bolts securing it in place are tight and I nipped them up around a 16th of a turn, but it didn't need it. I needed a breaker bar to remove the steering wheelbolt and used them same to carefully reattach the wheel securing bolt, there's no movement there.

I think the column is the same for 96-08 models, are there likely to be bearings and clips in play which would wear over time, the universal joint shouldn't allow this type of play. Are there spare parts for bearings and clips you think could remedy the slight play in the column?