Fiesta AirBag Light Problem!

GreenMint

GreenMint

GreenMint

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Hi all,

As some of you may/may not be aware from a thread i made before i have my 1998 MK4 Fiesta 1.3 up for sale.

I had a call late last night showing interest about the car, great, and the woman calls again today to confirm she'll be here about 5pm, great i think, i go to get the car out of the garage just to give it a wipe over and warm it up a bit (last time it was moved was about 6 weeks when i moved it around, gave it a good wash and put it in the garage) but for some unknown reason the AirBag Light is now coming on, and staying on :(

I've never had an accident and triggered the airbag (The previous owner did, but that was 5 years ago, and it was all sorted after that by Ford) but in the last 15 months of ownership this light has never come on, and now with about 7 hours till a viewer comes along, this is happening and i have no idea why, i'm being totally legitimate with the sale of the car, but i know that something like this will make it look not so :(

if anyone has any advice/experience as to what may be causing this, i'd reallyappreciate it!

I've called a few local garages and they're all booked up today as backlog from the Bank Holiday, and i don't wanna take the car out really as i'm not insured on it (no-one is, so until insured in someone's name it is illegal to move off to drive, right?)

Thanks for any advice, i need it! :D
 
Is it flashing? If so, count the number of flashes.

It will be something like:

on for a few secs, flash, flash, flash, on for a few secs, etc...
 
Are there any yellow electric plugs under the seat?

If so unplug them and plug them back in.

Make sure you disconnect the battery first just to be safe.
 
My mam had the same problem with her Renualt Clio, it was a problem with some electrics under the seats apparntly and she had to get it sorted by Renault.
 
Yeah there is a yellow wire, which dissappears into tubing at each end, so not visible way to plug/unplug something like that in.

Ack, not good to hear hyper, what gets me is that its been fine whilst in use, now 2 months sitting and this happens :(
 
Had this with my monedo, I pulled the plug with the yellow wire from under the seat, cleaned the connections, put it back in, light went out, but mine was flashing 5times I think then off then flash etc.
 
Tesla said:
Are there any yellow electric plugs under the seat?

If so unplug them and plug them back in.

Make sure you disconnect the battery first just to be safe.
Click to expand...

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! NOOOOOOOO!

DO NOT START UNPLUGGING STUFF, that is a mechanics worst nightmare!

The garage plugs the diagnostic computer into the car and all sorts of errors register because you've had stuff unplugged.



With just one plug; if you manage to fix it, fine, but if you then have to take it to the garage, they will waste time looking at the bit you unplugged. That or clear the error log and send you out again for a week.
 
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BigglesPiP said:
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO! NOOOOOOOO!

DO NOT START UNPLUGGING STUFF, that is a mechanics worst nightmare!

The garage plugs the diagnostic computer into the car and all sorts of errors register because you've had stuff unplugged.



With just one plug; if you manage to fix it, fine, but if you then have to take it to the garage, they will waste time looking at the bit you unplugged. That or clear the error log and send you out again for a week.
Click to expand...
It's a common Ford fault from mid-90's cars. Calm down.
 
Just took it down to the garage now, managed to get a free time.

Sadly its looking like its a part behind the wheel, i don't quite remember the name, some coil that controls the airbag that had probably weakened with just sitting the car in the garage and then snapped, so i'm told, apparently about £110 all in with repairs :( Just what i didn't need!

Although, come to think of it, he did seem to do all his looking under the passenger seat, not the driver one, hmm :(
 
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what a coincidence, i was planning on selling my '98 fiesta aswell and the airbag light has just started flashing on it constantly, if that wasn't bad enough the car has decided to dispell all of the water from the resevoir and radiator onto the surrounding floor!

Nuts.
 
slothmeister said:
what a coincidence, i was planning on selling my '98 fiesta aswell and the airbag light has just started flashing on it constantly, if that wasn't bad enough the car has decided to dispell all of the water from the resevoir and radiator onto the surrounding floor!

Nuts.
Click to expand...


Looks like we're cursed mate :D
 
Sounds like the clock spring then. They are not hard to fit if you're ok with hand tools and prob about £10 on ebay.
 
TimBrad said:
Sadly its looking like its a part behind the wheel, i don't quite remember the name, some coil that controls the airbag that had probably weakened with just sitting the car in the garage and then snapped, so i'm told, apparently about £110 all in with repairs :( Just what i didn't need!
Click to expand...

somehow i think you gonna be had if you pay them that.

do the yellow plug thing first.... air bag light issues are common on a lot of cars. i see it all the time on the forums im on and a lot of the time it actually is the dodgy connections under the seat.

im guessing if its been stood for 6 weeks, it might have got a bit damp inside and is playing around abit. ave a go at the yellow plug and see what you can do.

ignore syko boy who posted, unplugging the airbag will not do anything but be logged under the ECU. thats all. if in the future a garage will need to diagnose something, theyll look at the log and probably clear it if needs be. nothing to worry about at all.
 
Right, thanks for the help, here's an update! :D

I got a call from the girl who was coming on Thursday, and she decided to come this morning instead, fiddled with the wires under the seat yesterday, nothing,pulled it out of the garage this morning, light on, so i figured ok, i'll tell them about it, tell them i can get it sorted etc.. so did exactly that, offered to get it done, or reduce the cost of the part from the asking price, which sat fine with them, turned the car on, THE LIGHT DIDN'T COME ON!

Her dad took it out for a test drive, no light at all, but i felt good about myself for telling them and being honest.

Long and short of it, the nice girl called Sarah bought the car today and i'm chuffed, seems like a nice girl, not some idiot and she'll take care of the old boy :)

1998 Ford Fiesta 1.3 Encore
47.1K on the clock

Listed at £1150 sold for £1000

So not too bad i don't think, and i'm glad i took a few quid off for being honest, have been ripped off before with a lie from a car seller about services, and didn't wanna do that to someone :)

Bye Bye Reg, i'll miss you!
 
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