issues with EPS system after the air bag replacement

[Elliotnina]

Hi all, has anyone had issues with EPS system after the air bag replacement? I've had mine done about a month ago and since then EPS/ASR light comes on on the dashboard...took it to a workshop that advised that my ds3 needed a new battery, got a new battery for stop/start system and there's still a fault...rang the citroen where I had the air bag replacement and (obvs) they immediately said "it would be very unlikely " but a quick Google search shows that it could definitely be a poor connection of something that was disconnected whilst the work was carried on...then I took it to yet another place for a diagnostic and got codes related to the EPS...please help...I think I'll try to contact them again as the mechanics that carried out the diagnostic today have said that it seems to be an electrical issue, thanks

[mickthemaverick]

I'd take the car to where the airbag was done and ask them to sort it. Ringing them gives them the chance to fob you off but standing there with the car they are obliged to look at it.

[PaulC5]

If it was the steering wheel air bag then at a guess they might have disturbed the rotary connector which may or may not affect the ESP/ASR.

[Elliotnina]

Hi all, just an update on this issue...2 months after the air bag replacement the ESP and ABS warning lights are still on the dash..no one seems to be able to solve this one...after initially speaking on the phone the the citroen dealer closest to me ( 30 ish mins away), I contacted citroen customer service with a "essay" of an email...the next day got a phone call from citroen customer service and spoke to a very nice lady with French accent that immediately booked me into this dealer in question( as they initially had said to me they wouldn't be able to book me in til almost 2 months later), I was told by this lady that I'd have to pay £144 for the diagnosis work if the mechaninc didn't find a fault( meaning that if it wasn't an issue related to the air bag replacement carried out by them)...so left my ds3 at citroen in the morning and my dad drove me back to work...at around 4pm the same day I was told that I could go pick up the car, so dad drove me there again...only paid £70 because apparently they only spent 30 mins on the car and found they weren't at fault, they didn't know what was wrong and that the mechaninc just cleared the codes, I was told that it the fault shouldn't happen again but if it does I'd have to take it back..and so 2 days later the same warning lights were back on the dash...I can't drive the car when ESP/ ASR and ABS lights are on as the steering goes very stiff and difficult to turn although it seems to be "intermittent"...if I let the car running/warming up on the drive, then off and turn ignition on again the light sometimes disappears and the car drives normal...so, I booked it for citroen again as I thought they'd be the best place to solve this problem... the first day the car was back there they rang me to say that it need more investigative work because they couldn't find a fault, the warning lights had disappeared (of course, the car was "warm") and they rang me to ask for £288 for 2 extra hours of investigation...I allowed it...the day after when I went to pick up the car I was charged £440 ish( VAT and whatnot Inc.) for them to ask me for £2.5K for a steering rack and that was deffo the problem...I didn't allow for this work and took the car back home( the warning lights were back on and I had to "warm" it up for a bit in the car park)...I then got an auto electrician £80) that concluded the car would need to go a ramp for further inspection of the power steering module as he suspect it was failing...I then took it back to the garage where I got the first diagnostic carried out...the mechanics there don't think it's anything to do with the steering rack and so they kept the car there and at the end of that day they rang saying it would need 2 top mounts and that the car seemed to have a "bad" ground wire and that it seems that rodents must have had " a feast" at chewing my wires all around the car...I was charged £300 something for the 2 top mounts and the "fixing" of the ground wire, they assured me that the problem was fixed but yer again...about 2 days later it was back again (note that it has been really cold lately)...took it back to this same place and yet again after carrying out a 4th diagnostic (this time didn't charge me, first time their diagnostic was 50 quid) they finally said that it was the BSI unit and that it had to be sent away to be fixed and recoded and that this could cost up to £900...of all the ppl that locked at the car...no one seems to agree on what it is and can't pinpoint the issue... the warning messages on the car display say " esp/ asr faulty; left hand front tyre underinflated and power steering faulty"( these messages are only there when the lights are on on the dash)... I've carried out resets, pumped tires to correct pressure, changed the tyre (left front), removed the wheel and cleaned the disc and cleaned the Abs sensor with contact cleaner( this was today with my dad's help)...the light was still on, drove it down the road with the esp light on for about 10 mins, came back home, switched ignition off and on again and the light disappeared so went for a longer drive.came back, left the car on the drive, went out for some food ( 2 hours max), tried the car again and guess what...you guessed it right...switched it off and on again and it was gone .I truly just don't know where to even go from here...I'm thinking of replacing the Abs sensor.. my apologies for the long message...just wondering if anyone can help this girl and dad with any ideas or should we quit...thank you

[PaulC5]

If the car battery voltage is low it can sometimes affect the electric power steering and also give a false ASR/ESP warning. Has anyone checked the battery again despite it being new - before the first start of the day it should be 12.7 volts if fully charged and with the engine running about 14.4 volts if it does not have a smart alternator. With the fault appearing to go when the engine has been run some time (and is therefore hot) this will charge the battery a bit.

[Dustysweeper]

The freeze frame and live data for that abs sensor needs looking at. That is the proper way to diagnose a fault, not by just clearing codes.

Did you get a printout from any of the diagnostic sessions?

[Elliotnina]

Thanks for the replies...I'm yet to try reading the batt voltage first thing in the morning...and yes, I did get codes from the diagnostics...the codes don't match meaning that everytime the car went in for a diagnostic they would point out to something else...as if they only printed the part of the diagnostic they thought it was relevant each time I went to pick up the car with another different issue(as in..it wasn't what they thought last time) I just don't know what to do anymore as I'm losing hope that anyone is even able (or wants to ) find the fault...it might be a case of scraping the car( here I am right now trying to "warm it up" to go to the shops...I shall let you know how long it takes)

[Elliotnina]

Oh and by the way...does anyone know for sure if a ds3 2014 has a TPMS sensor inside the tyre or if the tyre pressure "is controlled " by the ABS system in these vehicles? Could it be that a TPMS sensor is damaged? Although, when I bought the car(privately) it came with 5 alloys (authentication lady previous owner had damaged one against a curb) so my thinking last week was to change that left tyre to the other alloy( obvs pumped pressure)..I also noticed that there is some rust/ corrosion on the disc ( on the inside side of it), could this rust affect the Abs system? I don't notice any difficulty when breaking when the car is "warm" and the warning lights are off is it worth getting a new disk or even change one of the others to this front left side ( providing it doesn't have corrosion or rust on it)? Also I have 2 different tyres on the front axle...meaning, the right front tyre is different from all other 3( all 3 are the same make same everything) but it's the front left that "is signalled " in the car display...could this different tyre on the front right be a problem?( this tyre is also same size as the others)...thanks again

[PaulC5]

You could swap the front left wheel with one from the back and see if the fault moves with the wheel.

If you are thinking of moving a brake disc to the opposite wheel I would not bother, you would be better off replacing both of them if worn below the minimum thickness and also replacing the pads. Do not just replace one disc, both sides should be done so the brakes are balanced. The front and rear discs will be different so can not be swapped over.

When you pump up the tyres you have to reset the TPMS on the screen somewhere if not already done.

[mickthemaverick]

As Paul says maintaining 'axle balance' is essential with cars with ABS. Ideally all aspects should be matched so discs, pads and tyres should all be changed in pairs to maintain equality in the system.

[wheeler]

When you say the warning came on after the airbag replacement do you mean immediately after you got the car back or was it a day? 2 days, a week later?
I cant really see it being related to the airbag replacement as the steering wheel wouldn't have even needed to be removed.
What actual fault codes do you have? I would also be amazed if this has anything to do with the BSI.

[Elliotnina]

Hi all...thanks so much for your suggestions and ideas...I will swap that left front to the back front and see how we go from there...the thing is though..when I pump the tyres( tried it 3 times now since having the air bag replaced) I can't adjust the TPMS in the car display as it simply doesn't "come up" ( no option available when going into "driving assistance" menu)...which it has also left me thinking that it may not be registering the pressures ( of perhaps all tyres in this case)...does the TPMS have to be done/adjusted in any other way? I've read that it could be done with a device ( forgot the name of it now) at a workshop! And yes, my dad has already said that I'd have to replace at least both of the front discs if I was going to try that option...I think I have now ruled out it being related to the air bag replacement..it's just weird that it seems to be kinda intermittent...I've also had a look at prices for an ABS sensor for the front left side, but I don't know if that'd be a more complicated job to do ( my dad is pretty handy and has all the tools, I just do all the research about stuff/vids)...the ESP/ABS fault kinda appeared about a week after the air bag was done ( October)...in the summer my had had done the service on both our cars (engine oil, air filters, oil filters, etc) he also put new pads and painted my calippers red...the car was fine until the air bag got done...my thinking is if there was a fault that wasn't necessarily showing on the dash then when the car had a reset at citroen (October) it started "picking up" the faults?! I don't know...but I truly appreciate all the help guys...MOT next month and it obvs won't pass with ESP/ABS faults on

[Elliotnina]

Just for context...
First diagnostic codes: system scanned (12) 25/11/25
BSI - 2 faults - F5FF, F047
ECU - 2 faults- PO113,U1118
ABS or ESP - 2 faults - U1321,U1121

Another diagnostic at the same place after fitting the two top mounts and "fixing" ground wire as they thought it was the problem: system scanned (13) 2/1/26
ECU -4 faults - U1318, U0140, U1118, U2000
POWER STEERING - P0606