Air bag warning light

WinscombeWilly · 8th August 2019, 08:53

The air bag warning light on my 06 MG ZT will not extinguish. I have taken it to my garage several times and they have attempted a repair but it only lasts for a day or two before the light comes back on. I am not at all technically minded and the explanations the garage gives me as to what they have tried do not mean a lot. I know that they have removed the front seats on a couple of occasions. Does anyone have any suggestions?

suzublu · 8th August 2019, 09:19

Under both front seats are blue plugs & yellow plugs. Unplug & spray with contact cleaner. Plug together & unplug several times to clean the pins. Should help.

Beena wild · 8th August 2019, 20:35

Ahem.. there's a procedure with fiddling around with airbag connectors which i believe involves disconnecting the battery for at least 15 mins?

Phil-T4 · 8th August 2019, 21:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beena wild

Ahem.. there's a procedure with fiddling around with airbag connectors which i believe involves disconnecting the battery for at least 15 mins?

Makes no difference, if the ignition is off then the airbag system is not powered and incapable of firing.

Teranchelope · 9th August 2019, 10:46

Does that mean the capacitors are inactive too? I thought you needed to allow them to dissipate? I have the same airbag light problem, on the passenger side I think. May try rubbing (lightly) Vaseline on the pins after contact cleaner to improve the contacts.

hinged_bap · 9th August 2019, 12:11

When I did mine, I left the existing connectors in place, and used scotch-lock connectors in parallel, worked OK albeit probably not one for the purists.
I beleive there is a technical bulletin around, about the connectors failing because of some gas that is emitted by the foam used in the seats

Tourist · 9th August 2019, 20:15

Same as above - I had this problem on my Rover 45 and also briefly on the 75.

I undid the multiplugs, and cleaned the contacts on the male connector and also made & broke the multiplug a few times after spraying with contact cleaner.

Once I'd tested to make sure the light had gone out, I put a blob of Vaseline on both of the connectors and pushed them together.

The Vaseline seals the plug and stops any further oxidisation of the contacts.

The Rover 45 lasted for the remaining 18 months that I owned it and was still going strong when I sold it, the 75 has been fine for two years now.

Rich in Vancouver · 10th August 2019, 03:57

hinged_bap
The Scotchloks may have identified the problem but now that you have proved the connectors are the problem it would be prudent to remove the jumpers and connectors and join the wires properly, either by soldering or at least with sealed crimp connectors. Scotchloks work by cutting through the insulation on the wires, and usually a number of the conductors inside. They make the wires weak and easily broken by vibration or an errant foot, and prone to corrosion from moisture ingress. You certainly don't want this on the airbag circuit.

hinged_bap · 10th August 2019, 12:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich in Vancouver

hinged_bap
The Scotchloks may have identified the problem but now that you have proved the connectors are the problem it would be prudent to remove the jumpers and connectors and join the wires properly, either by soldering or at least with sealed crimp connectors. Scotchloks work by cutting through the insulation on the wires, and usually a number of the conductors inside. They make the wires weak and easily broken by vibration or an errant foot, and prone to corrosion from moisture ingress. You certainly don't want this on the airbag circuit.

fair comment. Attention: Sponge Bob, if you're reading this then it may be a job you wish to consider doing ( you have the car I did this to ).

ardvark · 18th August 2019, 16:37

How the hell do we get to these connectors? Do we have to take the seats out? I've moved the seats forward as much as they do and I still have'nt enough room to get to them thru the back door.

8th August 2019, 08:53	#1
WinscombeWilly Newbie MG ZT Join Date: Jul 2019 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 2 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Air bag warning light The air bag warning light on my 06 MG ZT will not extinguish. I have taken it to my garage several times and they have attempted a repair but it only lasts for a day or two before the light comes back on. I am not at all technically minded and the explanations the garage gives me as to what they have tried do not mean a lot. I know that they have removed the front seats on a couple of occasions. Does anyone have any suggestions?

10th August 2019, 03:57	#8
Rich in Vancouver Gets stuck in MG ZT-T Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: White Rock, BC on Canada's Pacific Coast Posts: 849 Thanks: 338 Thanked 367 Times in 210 Posts	hinged_bap The Scotchloks may have identified the problem but now that you have proved the connectors are the problem it would be prudent to remove the jumpers and connectors and join the wires properly, either by soldering or at least with sealed crimp connectors. Scotchloks work by cutting through the insulation on the wires, and usually a number of the conductors inside. They make the wires weak and easily broken by vibration or an errant foot, and prone to corrosion from moisture ingress. You certainly don't want this on the airbag circuit. __________________ ZT-T190, Anthracite, LHD, Left the Line on June 24, 2002, Sold new in Switzerland, spent time in Germany, Imported to Canada in September 2021

18th August 2019, 16:37	#10
ardvark Al 75 CDTI Tourer Auto Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Studley Posts: 1,457 Thanks: 1 Thanked 69 Times in 48 Posts	How the hell do we get to these connectors? Do we have to take the seats out? I've moved the seats forward as much as they do and I still have'nt enough room to get to them thru the back door. __________________ ARDVARK

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8th August 2019, 09:19	#2
suzublu This is my second home rover 75 1.8 vvc club se wedgwood blue Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Seaton Carew Posts: 26,905 Thanks: 65 Thanked 7,142 Times in 4,642 Posts	Under both front seats are blue plugs & yellow plugs. Unplug & spray with contact cleaner. Plug together & unplug several times to clean the pins. Should help.

8th August 2019, 20:35	#3
Beena wild Loves to post MG ZT190+ 2.5 2002 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Dublin Posts: 466 Thanks: 33 Thanked 55 Times in 50 Posts	Ahem.. there's a procedure with fiddling around with airbag connectors which i believe involves disconnecting the battery for at least 15 mins?

9th August 2019, 10:46	#5
Teranchelope Regular poster Rover 75 Facelift 54 plate saloon Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Pulborough Posts: 70 Thanks: 15 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Does that mean the capacitors are inactive too? I thought you needed to allow them to dissipate? I have the same airbag light problem, on the passenger side I think. May try rubbing (lightly) Vaseline on the pins after contact cleaner to improve the contacts.

9th August 2019, 12:11	#6
hinged_bap Gets stuck in 75 CDT Conn SE Auto saloon Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Southampton Posts: 773 Thanks: 134 Thanked 104 Times in 81 Posts	When I did mine, I left the existing connectors in place, and used scotch-lock connectors in parallel, worked OK albeit probably not one for the purists. I beleive there is a technical bulletin around, about the connectors failing because of some gas that is emitted by the foam used in the seats

9th August 2019, 20:15	#7
Tourist Loves to post 2004 Rover 75 Tourer CDTi Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Fulbourn, Cambridge Posts: 455 Thanks: 105 Thanked 123 Times in 101 Posts	Same as above - I had this problem on my Rover 45 and also briefly on the 75. I undid the multiplugs, and cleaned the contacts on the male connector and also made & broke the multiplug a few times after spraying with contact cleaner. Once I'd tested to make sure the light had gone out, I put a blob of Vaseline on both of the connectors and pushed them together. The Vaseline seals the plug and stops any further oxidisation of the contacts. The Rover 45 lasted for the remaining 18 months that I owned it and was still going strong when I sold it, the 75 has been fine for two years now.