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Firstly, any of the Lincs lads have a spare passenger seat that I can use to substitute in a process of elimination?

THE PROBLEM:

This came on a little while ago and thought 'must do something about that'

Well, the time has come and my understanding was that it is normally the connectors beneath the seat.

Started with the3 passenger side, pulled out the connectors and pushed them back a few times, started the car and the light went out. Cured I thought. Went out and stopped after about a mile, restarted and light on permanently.

Same tratment and also tried to clean the contacts and same as before.

Use the type of connectors that Rover use and connected the wires together and on permanently.

Thought perhaps the wire was not stripped adequately or a break near the connector so soldered wires further up the seat wiring (both airbag and pretensioner, soldered the ends to the loom coming to the seat (the airbag has just 2 blue wires, tried to sort out which was which (connects to different colour wires on the loom but did not get any difference in resistance so thought it might not matter.

Result the same.

Any thoughts?

Any of the Lincs lads have a spare passenger seat that I can use to substitute in a process of elimination?

Will also check the drivers side tomorrow.

Could be a faulty part.

I do have a spare bag and pretensioner if you can't get one to try locally, however they are the old large connectors.

Did you clean the connectors with contact cleaner?

Duncan

Thanks for the speedy reply

No I did not use contact cleaner - must get some.

However, the cables are now soldered together from further up the seat wiring to the car side of the connector on the body loom.

Are we talking about the seatbelt warning or the airbag warning?

Must be airbag as seatbelt warning only shows for a few seconds by default.

Just re-read OP mentions airbag and pretensioner

Yes, sorry folks airbag warning light DOH.

Have now changed title

Just take care when working on these. They are triggered by a fairly small current and removing the connectors removes a small bridging link that protects against accidental detonation. I use the word detonation advisedly.

The problem is normally the connectors as you say, but plugging and unplugging cures for longer than a few seconds mostly. A bit of contact cleaner is a good longer term fix. However as this didn't work for you, it could be a short circuit either between the wires, or from one wire to ground. This could happen where the wires pass over or rthough the seat frame, or indeed somewhere in the car.

Other less likely candidates are the spiral cassette in the steering wheel, the crash sensors under the carpet (the car is dry under the carpets is it?) One of the detonators (either the pretensioners or sidebags in the seats, or the drivers or passengers bags.

A T4 (Testbook version 4.Computer Diagnostic System) would tell you what the airbag ECU (Engine Control Unit) thinks the problem is.

Thanks for that Duncan.

Aware that I am playing with explosives!

As normal, what I thought would be a simple fix has not been. Whilst the MOT has a few months to run am going away soon for a few months so need to get a new MOT.

I am going to try the drivers side thisd morning but from the way it reacted when 'playing' with the passenger side am wondering if it is that seat that is the problem.

You mentioned different connectors on earlier airbag and tensioners, did the connector for the seat motors change - one thought is to buy a pair of front seats and put those in and then use the parts from those for me seats.

Have also sent you a PM

No it was only the airbags, the motor connectors stayed the same. The only difference on the motors is the earlier ones the passenge seat won't move unless ignition is switched on.

Thanks for that......

Also for clearing up something that I thought had 'gone wrong'.

Playing about with the passenger seat I pushed the control and the seat moved. 'Ooh' I thought 'something has happened here as it normally only moves with the ignition on'. Obviously the first time I had tried moving the seat in the new car.

Duncan wrote: it could be a short circuit either between the wires, or from one wire to ground. This could happen where the wires pass over or rthough the seat frame, or indeed somewhere in the car.

Thinking more and more that it could be the passenger seat airbag.

I very gingerly applied the test meter to one of the wires that I had soldered to the seat bag wiring to the actual connector to find which pin in the connector it was. The battery in the meter is quite old and I reasoned that the voltage would be a lot lower than when it was new. As a test tried the other terminal in the connector and there basically no resistance - I presume this is wrong so the likely culprit is the passenger airbag?

Thought the easiest way of tackling this is to buy two front seats, searched eBay and went and collected them.

Decided to go for memory ones as the car already has them and the 'new seats' will provide spares - the plan is to fit them in, light goes out, pass the MOT then at my leisure stick parts from these seats in to the original seats.

Thought I will do it when I get back in the afternoon - someone would not let me.....the heavens went pitch black and then lightning, thunder and torential downpour. Hopefully, better weather tomorrow morning.

Good luck. T4 available Sunday if you are still stuck!

Fitted the 'new' passenger seat which had the different airbag connectors, so cut them off and joined the cables - by the way this seat has a relay under it whereas the facelift one does not.

Reconnect the battery, turn the ignition on and we are now in the grip of fear - will the light go out.......turn the key further, the engine starts and the light goes out. Let's not celebrate yet, turn it off, start again and yes, the light goes out - YIPPEE

Wondering now if I can adapt the 'new' bases for Yves 45????

May I give a big thank you to Duncan for his assistance and making time should I have needed a T4 session, your help and knowledge is very much appreciated.

Yeah, it's that relay that stops it working with ignition off.

Duncan wrote:Yeah, it's that relay that stops it working with ignition off.

So that must be the only owner benefit from the cost cutting