Hi all,
When I switch on the ignition, the airbag light illuminates for 2-3 seconds then goes out as normal, but then it flashes 4 times in a repeating cycle which I gather is an error code signifying the seatbelt pretensioners have a fault.
There is a section of wiring loom sticking up through the carpet under the left hand runner of the passenger seat but it isn't connected to anything, and it appears to have had the multi plug ripped off the end so the wires now end in crimped connectors - two silver in colour, and two bronze.
The drivers seat wiring comes up through the carpet from near the outside seat runner and disappears into the seat base cushion, and a yellow-sheathed cable comes down from the seat cushion and ends in a yellow multi plug under the seatbelt buckle.
The passenger seat doesn't have the yellow-sheathed cable from the seat base to the pretensioner, however there are 2 or 3 snipped cable ties underneath the seat cushion which must have previously held this cable on. The wiring which pokes through the carpet is only long enough to reach halfway across the underside of the seat base so I assume the yellow connector lead has been removed.
The 4 wires which hang loose are as follows:
Inside a yellow sheath: Purple / orange tracer.
Black / red tracer.
Taped to the outside of the yellow sheath: Purple / black tracer.
Black.
My question is this: If I can't find a suitable lead, pretensioner or buckle in a scrapyard, or find the correct part from a Ford dealer or parts supplier, is there any combination of connecting the wires together to give a false no-problem reading and stop the airbag light flashing? I have tried all the possibilities (I think) but I'm not sure if the fault code "locks on" until a certain number of fault-free starts have been made or the fault has been erased by plugging in a computer.
I don't want to get into the ethical ins and outs of running without an operative passenger seatbelt pretensioner, I use the car solely for commuting by myself and would fix the problem before its next MoT if it were to last that long, and besides there are plenty of Escorts without pretensioners fitted which are in perfectly happy use by their owners.
Many thanks, Dave.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 03/07/2008 at 01:33
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Dave
Don't try shorting those wires unless you want to change the ECU as well.
The missing cable plugs into the end of the pre-tensioner and then into a similar plug to the one that you can see on the driver's side. There may be yet another plug just outside the seat rails.
Get a new cable from a scrappie and cut sufficient of the loom with it to enable you to solder them in, colour-to-colour.
As always when working on airbags; consult the manual for the required safety precautions - you're working with explosives and they have killed technicians.
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airbag and pretensioners are not subject to the mot you maybe advised that the light is on /pretensioners have gone of etc,but are not reason for failure, however the insurance company would not pay out on a crash if the airbag system failed to deploy and you tried to claim, i second the above post get down the scrappies
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