Clearing the Airbag Light

[Duck 16]

The airbag light has come on in my car, and it's going to cost me $220 to get it "off" at the dealership (which I am not eager to pay) - how do I get it out myself? It was caused by a loose connection under the seat. Can this be "cleared" with a scangauge?ie. - how do people who have removed a seat (and the light has come on, since they disconnected the airbag) get that light cleared?Thanks!-Iain

[Francesco 71]

This happened to me a few months ago. It is actually a common problem on the fortwo, and is in the TIPS system in ASRA. They should not be charging you for it -- even at 200000+ Km -- as it's a defect. If you're comfortable tinkering, you can hard-wire the SRS connection (replace the faulty connector). The instrument panel light can only be reset by a Star computer, so if you do the work yourself the dealership will only charge shop time to reset it. My dealership would only charge perhaps 0.3 hours for it, but yours may have a minimum one hour charge. Still, that's not $220.

[MightyMouseTech 0]

Sorry, don't know of any way to manually reset the SRS light, but, next time disconnect the battery before removing the seat, and do not reconnect until the seat and all SRS wires are reconnected. Sorry, I know, hindsight is 20/20.....How did you have a "loose" connection on an SRS part? Does it not have a double-lock on the connector?

Edited June 30, 2009 by MightyMouseTech

[Duck 16]

@ Mightymousetech: I actually have never had the seat out, or played with the connectors - the light just mysterously appeared as I was driving away from the shop a week and a half ago. I have a feeling I might have bumped the wires by stuffing those re-useable grocery bags under there (hey, I saved the environment, for a $220 repair charge! Horray).

@ Sameguy: They did say there was a TIPS about it but I've no idea what that is (a "recall"?) If it is... you're right, why am I paying? Can you elaborate on what the fix is? They did say that they basically bypass something. I'm confident with a soldering iron. Will the airbag be any less likely to deploy if I do nothing?

-Iain

[Francesco 71]

They may fix it FOC. I was under the impression that the fix was a non-bulletin, but free job -- ie. it should be a recall item, but they don't want the publicity and the DOT/TC have no reports about it. But maybe I'm wrong. The "bypass" is exactly that: the so-called double-locking connector is faulty, so they remove it and solder the wires together. It will not lessen the likelihood of a deployment.

ETA: "TIPS" is just a section of the ASRA where techs can write notes about cars. When a tech logs into EWAnet (WIS/ASRA) and enters a VIN, he can check for "TIPS" from other techs about that model. I was told that a TIP will be entered about the clutch drag point, for instance.

Edited July 1, 2009 by SameGuy

[Duck 16]

OMG way too many acronyms. What is "ASRA"?I will ask about getting the repair done for free... if they say they can't, I might just pull the bulb and leave it at that. I can't justify spending $220 to turn off a light (really).-Iain

[MikeT 747]

What is "ASRA"?

A discount grocery chain store in Romania

[Francesco 71]

Seriously, it shouldn't be $220. If that's what they've already quoted, you're getting hosed by a dealership you appear to trust.

[Duck 16]

The reason: I'm far out of warranty, and a TIPS is just a database of "things to watch for", not a formal "Recall" (as it was explained). I've offered to do the electrical work once I get the car back, myself, and then have them clear the code (hopefully for a minimal charge) at my next service.Trust me, I'm not getting hosed - and I'm going to leave it at that. ...However the fuel rail may be cracked.-Iain

[Francesco 71]

Isn't that what I said? :DSo they were ready to charge two hours of shop time for the fix and reset? Ouch. I watched them fix mine; it took the junior tech all of 20 minutes for the "repair" and my car was already hooked to the Star for other stuff. The reset takes 30 seconds (hooking and unhooking the Star, including boot-up time, takes a further two minutes).In your case, yes, it's an easy patch job. And I know you'll be doing better work than the guys at the shop.

[cassini75 0]

when they replaced a airbag on my car, shortly after they did the light came back on, was told the new airbag didnt have the proper resistance and they put some sort of resister inline and reset code, maybe its related to yours that was just replaced?

[Steve C. 0]

well, lo and behold i was sitting still at the border waiting to cross to the states, and the airbag light just came on. i wasnt even driving when it happenned. just waiting to move ahead in the line at customs, so my wee car is at mercedes burlington, and what i thought would be a few minutes to hook up a computer and just reset a switch, might take a couple of hours to do with removal of seats, etc...so now i wait at home for the verdict. lets see what this costs if its not a warranty issue. this is my second smart, aug 06, and only has 36k on the odometer.

[Duck 16]

You'll be covered for free under warranty. They are removing an electrical connector from under your seat and hard-wiring it (making it a difficult job to ever remove the seat in the future).Cassini - the "resistance" is simply the code that the computer reads out ("high resistance") meaning "open circuit". No resistor is added; simply the connector is removed and the wires are soldered together.-Iain

[Francesco 71]

Iain, did you end up doing it yourself?

[Duck 16]

Not yet. I have the paperwork in front of me though as to what gets done, and they just nip out the connector and install an "axial solder connector" (?!) which I guess is a pre-bought all-in-one easy way to solder two things together.-Iain

[Francesco 71]

Yeah, I guess. Do you have a drawer or subwoofer under the seat that's affected? Mine was the driver's seat, and the junior tech had to drill the rivets on the drawer frame.Overall it took him them 20 minutes or so, but I know I'd have done a better job. The wires under the seat weren't put back properly and and there were rivet shavings under the floor mat.

[Duck 16]

That's partly why I want to do it myself. That and it costs me $0 vs. $220 to leave it to someone else and wonder how poorly it was done. :)So finicky.-Iain

[Francesco 71]

Yeah, one of these days I'll finish spring-cleaning my car and I'll be securing the wires properly. Without the drawer, removing the seat is dead-simple. But the problem is then it's hard to wire up permanently. Basically, you have to unbolt it, but then slide it quite a bit further forward than it normally goes.

[cassini75 0]

what about soldering in something like this and you can still disconnect

[Speedie 4]

Be careful if they didn't secure the wires - there have been some cases of them getting into the seat mechanism - with less than fun results - make sure they are secured with some tie wraps. The connectors are pretty hokey considering they are a safety device - just a really cheap automotive connector - not even weather proof and no strain relief on the wires - just a crimp connector slide into a plastic socket.You have to watch connectors - they add a lot of resistance especially if they corrode - that is the main reason MB is just soldering the wires together - it is a sure bet they won't come loose or corrode (if done right). Cheers,Cameron

[Steve C. 0]

mon. morning at 8 i dropped it off, by that afternoon i got a call saying they had to order parts so it wouldnt be ready until tue. i got it back tue around 3 30, side airbags had been replaced and the light is now off again, no charge as its a warranty issue. thanks to burlington merc for the work. no thanks to smart for using cheap wiring throughout giving every owner issues from airbags to headlight bulbs needing replaced so much...

[Duck 16]

They replaced the whole airbag! Insane. Must have been a different code. That's a big ticket item, so they must have been sure it needed replacement. I wonder what was wrong with it?-Iain

[Steve C. 0]

not sure iain...first thing i asked was what do you think caused it to come on in the first place, as i was stationary when it happenned, and he just shrugged his shoulders, says they are sometimes finicky and can be tripped whilst driving over a solid bump or whatever. great news. oh well, perhaps when i get a copy of the warranty work done, it might give some insight...btw, off topic, but have you seen the frank lloyd wright fallingwater lego set yet? i know you dig lego, thought i'd pass on the info in case you hadnt heard. (last time i tried to pm you, it said your box was full)

[szasz 0]

Interesting that I found this thread on here so easily...my light came on a few days ago...took it in yesterday for a regular B service and they are telling me the whole airbag needs to be replaced. And it's not cheap I might add. I wondered how something like this could just suddenly become faulty or wear out...I've asked them to look into it further, because it doesn't seem like something I should pay for...Oh...and I'm out of warranty since Feb...good timing, huh?

Edited August 5, 2009 by szasz

[atikovi 1]

Recently I bought one of these scanners: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT and a key code for 450 Smarts from JCRecordings.com and got the airbag light off in 10 minutes.