Help Please !!! Airbag Issues

[OutTheOffice]

Hi all, I really need some advice from folk who have had airbag ECU issues.

We have had our warning light on, the van went to a local garage who identified error code B0102. They cleaned all the earthing points, the warning light went off and returned the van to us. They also checked for frayed wiring under the seats etc

A couple of days later the light came on again, this time the garage said they would need to send it away, so I did this myself and sent it to crash data. They came back and said the unit was beyond repair so a new one , coded was sent out.

I have fitted the replacement ECU this AM, and the airbag light is still on, not just that, but the seat belt warning light now wont go out and the mileage is constantly flashing.

I have now spent £380 on the new ECU and £90 on the diagnostic at the garage and got no where.

Where should I go from here?

Thank you

 

[Phill D]

Worth remembering, I think, is that it is a, low voltage, dying starter battery not holding a charge that seems to be the trigger that causes this fault to appear.

I bought a new airbag ECU from Coastal Motorhomes and took it to Crashdata together with old one to have the new one programmed for our Ducato.

Low voltage is not quite a myth but it serves as a useful excuse for a poor product.

 

[OutTheOffice]

Low voltage is not quite a myth but it serves as a useful excuse for a poor product.

Definitely not the battery in our case.

 

[OutTheOffice]

£412 inc

Starter battery checked, not the issue.

Thank you, not quite as bad as I was fearing. Im hoping the local independent garage sort it out, but we have a fall back booking at the Fiat Professional garage on 15th Nov which is the earliest they can get us in

 

[the1andonly]

OutTheOffice HAVE YOU GOT IT SORTED YET?
What going on john blody keyboard.
Where in Northamptonshire? What year?
I'm in Northampton with a copy of Multiecuscan waiting if you want to play. PM me
soory all, plenty of finger trouble

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[LithiumConvert]

Starter battery checked, not the issue.

It is not the battery voltage now which is the issue. It is what the voltage was when the the fault started to be triggered.

 

[MGman]

It's a disgrace that these haven't been replaced FOC as they obviously have not been fit for purpose.

Well I suspect they also won't or address the inability to read the speedometer either.

Interestingly, when Essenjay (Poole) replaced our faulty airbag ECU they noted that the new version has a different part number. Fiat may be using a different manufacturer? They also said since fitting the newer version they hadn't had any "returns".
By the way Essenjay were a lot cheaper than Fiat Professional's quotation.

 

[Nanniemate]

Just had ours fixed at a Fiat approved garage last week. They are seeing so many of these failures that they now keep plenty of the ECU devices in as a stock item. It is a shame we are unable to report it to the DVLA, the fact that it triggers a warning light prevents it from requiring a recall. Meanwhile the airbag ECU failure list is growing, we had the dreaded three lights appear whilst motorway driving, airbag, seat belt and flashing mileometer.

I may be wrong but if the seat belt warning light does not go out I THINK it may effect the mot.

If not a piece of black insulting tape over the warning light dies the trick

 

[OutTheOffice]

OutTheOffice HAVE YOU GOT IT SORTED YET?
What going on john blody keyboard.
Where in Northamptonshire? What year?
I'm in Northampton with a copy of Multiecuscan waiting if you want to play. PM me
soory all, plenty of finger trouble

Thats really kind of you, Van is in New Duston Garage at the moment, ( we are in Bugbrooke) I had a call from them just before they closed to say they think its now fixed, but were not really sure why it was producing all the error codes. Im picking it up tomorrow hopefully all will be good then. Will give you a shout if the issues continue. They are good guys at NDG, they service the van and our cars, never had a probem with them

 

[OutTheOffice]

So very strange, the local garage tried to fix the 3 seats error code and couldnt. Just before calling me to say, no we cannot solve this, they decided to take the ECU out, to check for bent pins that might have been making for a poor connection. They said they couldnt see anything wrong with the leads or the way I had connected it, but when they fired it up after putting it back in, hey presto all the lights went out. So fixed, for the moment anyway, hopefully my saga is over, but im still not really sure what the issue was. Picking the van up tomorrow AM, hopefully all will still be good. Another positive, the extended warranty company have agreed to pay CrashData. Now to find the water leak !!!

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[the1andonly]

Thats really kind of you, Van is in New Duston Garage at the moment, ( we are in Bugbrooke) I had a call from them just before they closed to say they think its now fixed, but were not really sure why it was producing all the error codes. Im picking it up tomorrow hopefully all will be good then. Will give you a shout if the issues continue. They are good guys at NDG, they service the van and our cars, never had a problem with them

Im in Duston, son used to play for Badgers. Close enough to pop around. What year is it

 

[OutTheOffice]

Im in Duston, son used to play for Badgers. Close enough to pop around. What year is it

Very close, cheers, Ill see what happens when we collect the van this AM, if it is still causing and issue will give you a shout.

 

[FrankNicklin]

From "my" manual



There is a specific and pedantic process to disconnect and reconnect the vehicle battery

The problem is that the system need to shut down and start up in an organised way, if the battery power is low or intermittent during this shutdown, memory may be corrupted or the communication process between modules confused. Its the air bag computer that is most likely to fail. Its the door switch that initiates the start up or shutdown of the van electronics.

To disconnect the engine battery.

• Turn off vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)
• Remove battery cover.
• From inside the van close all doors and windows, but don't lock the van with the remote.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Wait a couple of minutes.
• Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive if removing the battery
• Its now safe to open the doors!

To reconnect the battery.

• Close all the doors and windows.
• Ignition key removed.
• From inside the van reconnect the battery, positive terminal first, negative terminal last.
• Wait one minute and turn the ignition on.
• Wait a further minute before activating anything else.
• Open doors.
• Only once satisfied all is working well, Turn on vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)

Jump Starting from another vehicle

• Turn off vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)
• Open the bonnet, close all doors with ignition key out.
• Ensure other vehicle has engine running
• Wait a few minutes,
• Connect up using the connection points in the engine compartment, positive first, then negative.
• wait a few minutes, open the doors and turn on the ignition on, wait a minute, start engine.

How do you disconnect the battery from inside the cab if working alone.

• From inside the van close all doors and windows, but don't lock the van with the remote.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Wait a couple of minutes.
• Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive if removing the battery
• Its now safe to open the doors!

 

[cyberyacht]

How do you disconnect the battery from inside the cab if working alone.

• From inside the van close all doors and windows, but don't lock the van with the remote.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Wait a couple of minutes.
• Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive if removing the battery
• Its now safe to open the doors!

If it's Ducato based, it's under the cab floor, left hand side.

 

[FrankNicklin]

If it's Ducato based, it's under the cab floor, left hand side.

Mine isn't, its in the engine bay.

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[FrankNicklin]

I may be wrong but if the seat belt warning light does not go out I THINK it may effect the mot.

If not a piece of black insulting tape over the warning light dies the trick

I hope thats a tongue in cheek reply. MOT testers no to look for these things. Warning lights have to come on and go out. If not as you say, it is an MOT failure.

 

[L' Hobo]

From "my" manual



There is a specific and pedantic process to disconnect and reconnect the vehicle battery

The problem is that the system need to shut down and start up in an organised way, if the battery power is low or intermittent during this shutdown, memory may be corrupted or the communication process between modules confused. Its the air bag computer that is most likely to fail. Its the door switch that initiates the start up or shutdown of the van electronics.

To disconnect the engine battery.

• Turn off vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)
• Remove battery cover.
• From inside the van close all doors and windows, but don't lock the van with the remote.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Wait a couple of minutes.
• Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive if removing the battery
• Its now safe to open the doors!

To reconnect the battery.

• Close all the doors and windows.
• Ignition key removed.
• From inside the van reconnect the battery, positive terminal first, negative terminal last.
• Wait one minute and turn the ignition on.
• Wait a further minute before activating anything else.
• Open doors.
• Only once satisfied all is working well, Turn on vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)

Jump Starting from another vehicle

• Turn off vehicle battery isolator (See photo B6)
• Open the bonnet, close all doors with ignition key out.
• Ensure other vehicle has engine running
• Wait a few minutes,
• Connect up using the connection points in the engine compartment, positive first, then negative.
• wait a few minutes, open the doors and turn on the ignition on, wait a minute, start engine.

Silly question maybe, but how do you close electric windows AFTER you have isolated battery?
I know little of electrics, so the first thing I do with ANY electrical problems, is check that the second earth strap I fitted to the engine, is still doing it's job.

 

[Phill D]

I hope thats a tongue in cheek reply. MOT testers no to look for these things. Warning lights have to come on and go out. If not as you say, it is an MOT failure.

That’s why there’s a “wink” emoji

 

[L' Hobo]

If it's Ducato based, it's under the cab floor, left hand side.

And it's a bloody tight squeeze to remove that heavy battery if your working with the doors closed!

 

[Lenny HB]

Interestingly, when Essenjay (Poole) replaced our faulty airbag ECU they noted that the new version has a different part number. Fiat may be using a different manufacturer? They also said since fitting the newer version they hadn't had any "returns".

New version but same manufacturer.

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[OutTheOffice]

I hope thats a tongue in cheek reply. MOT testers no to look for these things. Warning lights have to come on and go out. If not as you say, it is an MOT failure.

Do you know if that also applies to the advisory yellow warning triangle, we get that lighting up from time to time and not going off, but can never find anything wrong, i.e bulb out etc.

 

[L' Hobo]

Do you know if that also applies to the advisory yellow warning triangle, we get that lighting up from time to time and not going off, but can never find anything wrong, i.e bulb out etc.

Sorry to say, I think any warning light is a failure. Check earth lead and, if not already fitted, fit a second one, from chassis to the gearbox bell housing.

 

[Viennese]

New version but same manufacturer.

Would it be the same for a Citroen Relay?

 

[Nanniemate]

How do you disconnect the battery from inside the cab if working alone.

• From inside the van close all doors and windows, but don't lock the van with the remote.
• Remove the ignition key.
• Wait a couple of minutes.
• Disconnect the negative terminal first, then positive if removing the battery
• Its now safe to open the doors!

Easy open the window