Airbag warning light on following seat removal.

[TriumphZ3]

I removed both seats to replace the worn bushes and just noticed this morning that the airbag warning light is staying on. Have I just replaced the connections badly, do they need pressed together or maybe cleaned, or does this have to be reset somehow after disturbing the connectors? I'm assuming these are the very thin wires like audio connectors?

 

[the Nefyn cat]

This may have happened if you turned on the ignition at all while the seat wiring was disconnected, the car gets upset if you try that. If you've got a code reader you will probably be able to reset it with that, not all readers are the same, my Creator does it. And if you haven't got a reader, this is your opportunity to spend some more money.
Just consider it "being in touch with your feminine side".

 

[Kenhayes247]

If you removed the seats, but did not disconnect the battery and happen to switch the ignition on, the car will detect there is an issue and in this instance display a warning light. If you have an OBD scanner you can generally reset the light there.

 

[TriumphZ3]

Thankfully I do have a Creator 410, plus the circular adaptor so should be able to use it. Being paranoid I disconnected the battery up to an hour before each seat removal and stayed well away from battery or ignition, with the key well away, so it can't have happened that way.
(Incidentally there are two of those circular connectors in the engine bay, which one is used?)

 

[Rudyrov]

That happened to me as well and I have never been able to reset the light. Please let me know if the Creator 410 is successful with your reset

 

[the Nefyn cat]

If the battery was disconnected then it may not be as simple as turning the light off with the reader. Calls for more investigating. My Z only has the one pacman type socket under the bonnet, not come across two before. I'm sure someone else here knows more.

 

[Ianmc]

Connector is off side on RHD cars.

 

[andyglym]

That happened to me as well and I have never been able to reset the light. Please let me know if the Creator 410 is successful with your reset

A basic airbag reset tool will do the job for you As an aside, the airbag won't deploy as designed if the light is on.

 

[andyglym]

 

[Kenhayes247]

My Zed has only 1 socket, sure it's not the lid hanging off

 

[andyglym]

My Zed has only 1 socket, sure it's not the lid hanging off

It's the only socket under the bonnet, rear left as you face the engine mate. The lead plugs into the reader as it's an adapter for the car packman socket.

 

[Kenhayes247]

The socket can be on the other side engine dependent. If you have the M43 it's on the right. As you look at the engine.

 

[Daz7401]

Well this is a coincidence. I have had a very similar experience today. Had a dark patch on the speedometer and while stripping down the instrument cluster I found that the Airbag light had been broken and filled with black silicone. Whoever did this even refitted the bulb holder minus the bulb. The disappointing thing is that the car is an import and has had the dials swapped buy the dealer I bought it from and that would have revealed the broken light. Fitted a new bulb and surprise, surprise it was lit.
Anyway the point of this rambling post is that the codes were for the seatbelt pre-tensioner and side airbag sensor both right hand side. Cleared the codes (body module/SRS) and they came straight back and put the light on.
The fix today was to clean the plugs under the seat for the seatbelt and under the carpet for the sensor.
Also I fixed the dark spot by gently heating the area and pressing it down whilst it cooled. Hopefully this will last as the other fix I’ve seen is a lot more involved.

 

[Daz7401]

That happened to me as well and I have never been able to reset the light. Please let me know if the Creator 410 is successful with your reset

Hi,
Yes the 410 clears airbag codes, it’s what I used today.

 

[TriumphZ3]

Apologies for the confusion; OBD socket located but I was confused by the similar socket on the other side of the engine bay, the circular thingie with all the loom cabling coming out of it. My mistake.
Creator 410 plugged in and tells me it's the passenger side seatbelt tensioner. It also did not clear the codes - yes it offered, but the light came straight back on again.
I'm assuming by Daz7401's post above that the seat is coming out yet again and I need to clean contacts under the carpet?

 

[Daz7401]

Apologies for the confusion; OBD socket located but I was confused by the similar socket on the other side of the engine bay, the circular thingie with all the loom cabling coming out of it. My mistake.
Creator 410 plugged in and tells me it's the passenger side seatbelt tensioner. It also did not clear the codes - yes it offered, but the light came straight back on again.
I'm assuming by Daz7401's post above that the seat is coming out yet again and I need to clean contacts under the carpet?

Hi,
I was able to clear the seatbelt tensioner code after cleaning the plugs on the seat and lead that comes from under the carpet. The side airbag sensor that was also throwing a code is below the seat under the carpet towards the front of the car. That needed the connection cleaning before the code would clear as well.

 

[TriumphZ3]

Hi,
I was able to clear the seatbelt tensioner code after cleaning the plugs on the seat and lead that comes from under the carpet. The side airbag sensor that was also throwing a code is below the seat under the carpet towards the front of the car. That needed the connection cleaning before the code would clear as well.

Ok.. so this afternoon's activity is going to be removing the carpet to get at the wiring. Haven't been that far yet with a Z3; once the seat is out how does the carpet come out from under the trims? Asking before I break something or remove something I can't put back...!

 

[Ianmc]

The plugs in question are normally under the seat/above the carpet so carpet doesn't need to be removed.

 

[TriumphZ3]

Did someone say the tensioner cable is under the carpet to the centre tunnel area? If they're above I'll be very happy (to an extent, seat having to be removed yet again!) but I'm not au fait with these cars yet. I had already cleaned the terminal blocks with Servisol contact cleaner, maybe that was a mistake...! Should have left well-enough alone.
In any case how on earth does any normal human being get at the cables and the connections as they sit, under the seat? I can't squeeze my shoulders between seat and b-post in order to get both hands in at once!

 

[andyglym]

Did someone say the tensioner cable is under the carpet to the centre tunnel area? If they're above I'll be very happy (to an extent, seat having to be removed yet again!) but I'm not au fait with these cars yet. I had already cleaned the terminal blocks with Servisol contact cleaner, maybe that was a mistake...! Should have left well-enough alone.
In any case how on earth does any normal human being get at the cables and the connections as they sit, under the seat? I can't squeeze my shoulders between seat and b-post in order to get both hands in at once!

The only real way is to unbolt the seats and either tilt forward (you'll need somebody to hold it tilted) or remove the seat.