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        General >> Problems >> Air Bag Warning Light
        
(Message started by: rod on Mar 28^th, 2004, 11:34am)

Title: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by rod on Mar 28^th, 2004, 11:34am

Hi peeps

Your next mission, should you choose to accept, is to sort my Air Bag Warning light before STN feels the need to give us the full SP.

For about a years the warning light has sometimes glimmered and has sometimes been bright. I drive along and it comes on. Then it goes out. It now stays on bright most of the time.

FMC (the third one I tried) said "We've got a bloke who is an expert on Scorpio electrics" Oh yeah.

"Right sir, its your battery junction box got water in it and rusted. I don't think it's anything to do with all the other things that could affect the light" (long explanation about seats, seat belt tensioners, etc - all way above my zero mechanical head). He showed me the junction box (the one under the battery - which has a cover) and it certainly was badly corroded.

£182.04 later, the light is still on. I paid this last September and have lived with the problem and have party sorted the problem by adjusting the steering wheel so I can't see the light!! I have no desire to go back to FMC ever again with a complaint or anything else.

Any ideas lads? Please make it simple.

Cheers

Rod

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by rod on Mar 30^th, 2004, 5:23pm

WOT!!!

No ideas at all?

Hello? :'( The car behind you isn't a cossie AND it's got a dodgey air bag warning light.

Rod

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by Alan on Mar 31^st, 2004, 12:28am

Sorry rod

Havent got a clue, this a a good fault and can only think the only way to find this sort of fault is with an airbag fault code reader. I would have a look in the yellow pages and give another garage which specialises in this sort of stuff a chance.
Sorry to be so negitive but seems that no one else havent replied I felt that I should.

Alan

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by allante on Mar 31^st, 2004, 12:31am

And just so Alan doesnt feel lonely, ill reply too!

isnt this a fault which could be diagnosed with FDS2000?

Andy

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by Alan on Mar 31^st, 2004, 12:36am

Yes I beleve it can.
But the FDS2000 is only as good as the person operating it.

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by Danny_R on Mar 31^st, 2004, 8:57am

someone correct me if I’m wrong but I thought the airbag light flashed a fault code if something was wrong. when I bought my Scorpio in October last year, the airbag light didn’t even illuminate at self test. thinking the LED might of blown I removed the instrument cluster to find someone had smashed the LED out of place to hide an error. I fitted a new LED and hey presto it illuminated but was flashing a fault code which turned out to be a loose connection on the drivers side airbag.

rod does your airbag light stay illuminated constantly or does it flash a code? it could just be a loose connector on the back of the instrument cluster or as some members have experienced, dry solder joints on the back of the cluster.

HTH, maybe a senior member can advise a little better than me :)

Danny R

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by daven on Mar 31^st, 2004, 9:02am

Rod - try the mailing list, you may get an answer quicker than here!

Daven

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by rod on Mar 31^st, 2004, 5:59pm

Well thank you lots

Alan - for pitching in.

Allante - you are in Lincs. I'm in Grantham. Do you know anyone with a what was it..........pause whilst I go back and write it down.......ah yes, a FCS2000. I thought that was another Ford!!!

Danny - A code? what's that? Anyway, I've driven 130 miles today and the light was on part of the journey but it goes off and then back on again seemingly at will. Tried deliberately hitting potholes etc but can't work out a pattern. It was still a loooooovely journey - so superior!!

Daven - Getting a bit iffy with my IT skills also. I have learned how to post because you nice peeps have encouraged me. But my mailing usually has a stamp on it!!!

BLIMEY - I feel so inadequate I may have to borrow a car to come to Derby so I can watch from the other side of the road. Only joking. There is a bar and and those ginormous steaks!!!

Sorry to burden you all. If it helps I'm definitely up to going on a steep learning curve.

Regards to y'all.

Rod

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by fixmyford on Mar 31^st, 2004, 7:14pm

Hi all,

If the water enrty/fuse box problem has been eliminated fully! Then an airbag warning light which stays illuminated means either a circuit or an a/b control module at fault.
This could indicate,either a power or a earth related fault to the module, as it glows then an earth problem could be more relavent,it would also be wise to check the cluster earth! the module could be faulty, you could have a partial short in the wire up to the cluster from the module or.... the fault could be with the cluster processor! Both earth points are behind the dash, the cluster one is above the column near the cluster and the a/b module one is in behind and above the glove box....best if luck with that one.
Please disconnect the battery for approx 5 mins at least before disconnecting any airbag stuff!
Having been heavily involved in these since the launch I can never recall replacing a module.
Yes fds2000 is good, if a little old now, but why bother with it when it will only tell what you already know and can make asumptions which lead to incorrect diagnosis and cost.
Hope its of use.
fixmyford.co.uk

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by allante on Mar 31^st, 2004, 8:14pm

Rod,
FDS2000 (or WDS2000 after 96-ish) is what is supplied to ford dealers, like a laptop which connects to the port in your coin tray. I doubt whether any members here possess one as they are around 6 grand i think!

Andy

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by cad_room_stu on Apr 1^st, 2004, 7:45pm

I know this might sound a bit basic,but it works on my scorpio every time......
My airbag light comes on every so often and when it does it gets a swift wack to the top of the dash...hey prestow,light goes out!I have had the dash out and checked connections but could find nothing wrong.
IF IN DOUBT,GIVE IT A CLOUT!

Title: Re: Air Bag Warning Light
Post by rod on Apr 3^rd, 2004, 11:34am

Thanks CRStu - you clearly understand my level of skills!!!

Just opened the site (the weekend starts here) and read your post. Went out to the aubergine machine with evil intent, started up, had to put hand over the panel to shield the glare of the sun - AND WOT'S THAT!!!!

Only a quarter inch gap around the left hand base of the instrument panel!!! I can only assume that one of the two FMC garages I originally went to had not replaced it properly when they had the dash out.

Tried giving the top of the dask a good wack (lots actually) but the warning light is still on.

It may not be affecting the warning light but is there an easy way of pulling the instrument panel back into place?

Rod