Oh No Air Bag Light On/E10

[BillyB]

Help all ye knowledgeable guru's.
Air bag light came on last weekend while out on a run, have put the B800 on it and getting E10 which on reading is a communication glitch, tried all the usual things to correct but no luck. Just been to my local BMW and they plugged it in and got the same ( I thought it was maybe my scanner ). What do I start to look for.
Cheers all. Have just read bmw report and it says . No communication with airbag control unit.

 

[Chrisr1949]

Hi Billy, I had a similar issue on my year 2000 2.0 litre last year. Have you ever had any previous airbag issues, every time the airbag module registers an error you "lose a life" The airbag module can only register a maximum of I think 65 errors from new, then it locks and is inaccessible. It cannot be reset by normal code readers or even INPA. It has to be sent to a specialist who can reset it. I found a Liverpool company who still had info on these modules, Crashdata.co.uk. I had an online chat with one of their techs at 8:30pm on a Tuesday, I posted it to them the following morning, they received it on the Thursday, fixed it, posted it back to me on the Friday and I received it on the Monday. All for the princely sum of £30. A year later I've had no other problems. It's situated behind the centre console switch panel. Be sure to observe the usual warnings. The module can store energy capable of firing the airbags for a few minutes after disconnecting the battery. This is so they will still fire even if the battery is disconnected during a major accident. SO, disconnect the battery and go and brew up (at least 10mins) before working on the airbag system. GO on Realoem and find the module part number and Google it and see what the chat is for your particular module. Hope some of this helps.

 

[BillyB]

Thanks @Chrisr1949 will look into that. There is no prior knowledge of problems only me and one other owner, it is 20 years old this month so something's have to give.

 

[BillyB]

Having checked all I could I have booked it in to where I get it serviced and they will put all their meters and things on it and see if they can find a problem before I have to change the module ( second hand ) if I can get a good one. BMW quoted me £900,+ vat for new one. And I thought Dick Turpin was long gone

 

[Chrisr1949]

Sorry, but there's a bit of a difference between £30 to a specialist company and £900. The modules simply lock. They are not faulty merely in need of specialist unlocking. The locking after 65 errors means 65 instances of an error. Every time you switch on the ignition the airbag module tests all your airbags. If it returns an error then you lose a life. So if you have one airbag fault and switch your ignition on 65 times your module locks. In addition remember that after the module is unlocked or nailbiting replaced you will still have to locate and replace the airbag item that caused the error in the first place! I'm a lifelong DIYer, I have a background in electronics and I have INPA and DIS as well as Delphi diagnostics. That allows me to keep well away from garages.

 

[Chrisr1949]

Don't know where the 2 smilies came from!

 

[Chrisr1949]

Also I think a replacement module new or used will need to be coded to your car (more money), I'm not 100% sure about the coding, maybe anther member can help out here. But if they say that it needs to be replaced due to not being able to communicate with it then they don't know of this fault on our cars. It would need a classic BMW indie to have the knowledge.

 

[BillyB]

Hi. @Chrisr1949 . I get what you're saying. I'm booked in with the guys that have help look after the Z and they are going to check feeds and such like before I decide next move. I am thinking depending on what they find ,to contact that company you used ( crash data ) and send it too them. Thanks for the reply . Smiles are good at the moment , not happy missing the Scottish Cruise.

 

[Chrisr1949]

Ah well, such is life . I'm nearly 70 so for my first 30 years of driving second hand cars there were no airbags, certainly my FSO Polonez didn't have any

 

[Chrisr1949]

And another thing....... The flashing of the airbag light is generated by the dashboard. When you switch on the ignition the airbag light comes on, it then goes off whilst the airbag module system check is carried out (seconds) if the dash gets a good-to-go command from the module the airbag light goes off. If not it starts to flash.

 

[BillyB]

Hi @Chrisr1949 . The light comes on with the ignition and stays on. Another piece of info for you , at the time the light came on and this was while I was driving, the hazard lights came on and so did the interior light. I pulled into a lay by and switched the engine off waited a minute or so while waiting I opened and closed my door and the interior light went off also pushed the hazard switch and they went off , I then started the engine but the airbag light stayed on the rest you already have read

 

[Stevo7682]

Hope you get a result on this
Stephen

 

[DrWong]

For the sake of thirty squids, I'd be tempted to just remove the module and send it to crashdata.co.uk. Particularly if a forum member can vouch for them after having had similar issues. My air bag light has come on before, related to the seat wiring as it went off when I subsequently moved the passenger seat. I just wonder how many 'lives' I've got left in mine..

@Chrisr1949 did you get the same 'no communication' error code that BillyB refers to when your module went kaput?

 

[gookah]

everyone is using the under bonnet connection are they? and not the one in the footwell.
I know you said BMW took a look but they probably have never seen a Z3 before, at their age.

 

[BillyB]

Hi @gookah . I certainly have been using the under bonnet plug. I will contact Crash data tomorrow as shut today and have a chat with them.

 

[gookah]

no worries, just checking...

 

[BillyB]

To quote Canned Heat I'm "on the road again".
I purchased a refurbished module from BMW after having a very uninspiring conversation with a module refurb co, that and the fact I had missed the Scottish and the Lakes I needed the car running again. I fitted the module no problem and without removing the centre consol, took it to a very knowledgable independant electronics/diagnostics chappy who was recommended to me and he did the coding/ configuring. Jobs a good un.

 

[Mint]

Good news Bill, hope it didn't break the bank.

 

[BillyB]

Not quite @Mint but its put a dent in the retiral fund