Pretensioner problems

[The Arch Bishop]

Hi all,

I'm trying to get my old Puma back on the road and MOT'd ready for the summer. The one thing stopping me is the Airbag warning light that is doing the four flash, pause, four flash dance.

I've been trying to cure this on and off for months now.

So far, I've;

- Swapped both pretensioners for known good ones
- Checked the wiring for continuity from the connectors to the airbag control unit
- Cleaned all of the connectors
- Cleaned the earth
- Reset the electrics

Sadly, I still have the problem.

So, my question is; could it be the airbag control unit itself? Has anyone had this happen before?

Also, rather than strip out the dashboard to remove it (again), could I just leave the old one in place and slap the new one in through the glovebox inspection cover?

As always, any help is appreciated!

 

[CherryVimto]

I don't really know how that system works, so I'm just throwing ideas round here....

If I would be in your situation after all that, I'd be looking at swapping the module over.

Failing that, there may be a high resistance on one or more of the wires, thus making the system think there is a fault. Assuming that is, that a high resistance in a wire would have any effect on the system.
Even with a high resistance, a wire would still have continuity.....

Probably not much help, but I though I'd throw it out there anyway....

Edit: Have you just checked continuity from one end of each wire to the other?
May be an idea to cross check each wire against the others, in case you have a short between two wires.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Hi Tony,

The continuity checks were all from the pretensioner wires to the multi-plug for the module. I only had a vague clue as to which pins in the plug were for each wire (don't worry - all of the airbags etc were unplugged) so I probably would have noticed if one pin was showing continuity on two pins in the multiplug. All seemed to check out although I can't use a multimeter for toffee.

Not sure about the the resistance as I can't seem to use the multimeter that I borrowed (digital thing - my cheapy analogue one which I can use wouldn't stretch across the cabin) but they all seemed to be around the same figures.

Guess I'm looking at a replacement module then..... off to IanG I go.... :lol:

Cheers for the advice!

 

[jbc1971]

Hi I ve had a problem with my passenger pretensioner I believe the seats have been changed but the drivers side ok and I ve put in another seat belt pretensioner had the same codes we 40 ed the connections now just getting solid light on now,
Any ideas Help

 

[jbc1971]

Oops WD40

 

[milburn7191]

Make sure the pretensioners are the same type originally fitted; there are at least a couple of types. When I fitted the millie recaros I had to keep the original pretensioners even though they had the same plug and hadnt been detonated the airbag light came on.

 

[jbc1971]

Thanks for that mil burn the problem there is I believe the leather interior is put in with its pretensioners part code XS which I had the same in my daughters puma so put her one in first still had the 4 4 flash fault but after putting wd40 on the module connections now a solid air bag light so not sure what part code is meant to be in mine also no yellow connectors on both pretensioner s been connected with red crimp connector and also both pretensioner wires don't match the car colour have green and a black wire on pretensioner and black / red and orange / think blue ,all suggesting the pretensioners are wrong I know they do pretensioners with start code YS but trying ellimination process first ,need help as confused it's only alarming on passenger not driver side at mo air bag light flash code 44 which is passenger pretensioner.so not got a clue.
Any help most great full

 

[quest63]

so airbag flash code 44 is 4 lots of four flashes then?

so five lots of four flashes would be passenger pretensioner?

 

[The Arch Bishop]

I've just booked Jegger in for an MOT at our local friendly garage. They're going to take a look at the Airbag module and see what crops up. Sometimes, you just have to give up guessing and just get stuff fixed. Wonder what the MOT will bring? :-|

 

[evilrob]

Good luck Jegger! :thumbs:

 

[quest63]

Ditto :thumbs: :thumbs:

 

[jbc1971]

Yeh that's it bite the bullet pay the nice garage man fingers crossed ,hope his names not Dick Turpin..haha :grin:

 

[jbc1971]

Well before I do just to answer your question Quest 64 after my mot where it failed on the Airbag light got a nice bloke to come round with his snap on diagnostic computer and it also said just passenger pretensioner just before he smiled and proceed to rape me for £40 but like I said now I ve got just a solid airbag light stay on no flashes

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Yeh that's it bite the bullet pay the nice garage man fingers crossed ,hope his names not Dick Turpin..haha :grin:

No, they tend not to try anything on since I wandered in and asked to use their press to install some gearbox mounts. Most garages won't rip you off if you clearly have some mechanical knowledge. They're a decent bunch anyway.

 

[quest63]

Well before I do just to answer your question Quest 64 after my mot where it failed on the Airbag light got a nice bloke to come round with his snap on diagnostic computer and it also said just passenger pretensioner just before he smiled and proceed to rape me for £40 but like I said now I ve got just a solid airbag light stay on no flashes

Don't know if this helps

http://www.fixafordcar.co.uk/air_bags.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So did he just diagnose or did he clear the flashing? or did the flashing clear itself?

 

[jbc1971]

Yes thanks think I might try another look see if there's any rusty earths not seen any already done the one in passenger footwell I will look see if there's any others I missed thanks guys

 

[jbc1971]

Quest63
I hadTC/ABS light on aswell so the home diagnostic chap cleared that one and said that it's alarming out on the passenger pretensioners so been trying to sort them out since poor baby been sitting out on the car park sad since no mot with Airbag light

 

[Sjoerd]

What resistance do you measure over the pretensioners? I use a resistor to turn of the light (bucket seat). I can check easily what it should be on my car.

 

[jbc1971]

Hi sjoerd
I have not measured resistance only continuity don't know how to check the resistance could you explain please,can anyone explain how to check cause have the wires twisted together,
Thanks to everyone's input I will conquer this.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

You have to use an Ohm-meter. For the selected element/circuit just touch plus and minus with supplied electrodes (red and black) and readout what appears on LCD