The airbag light stays on in a W-reg 1.6 Civic.
Is this a known fault like a poorly contacting plug and, if so, anyone know where it is?
If it is just a case of flicking off a plastic cover on the steering column and waggling the plug to clean the contacts, I might offer to have a go. But if it is more than that I don't really want to get involved.
Any good suggestions for the Redhill/Gatwick area where it could be taken?
Being only 5ft 2", and sitting close to the wheel, the owner tells me she has been told by one source she might be better off ignoring the light! But even if this were good advice, I can see problems at MOT time.
Any thoughts?
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Although this doesn't solve your problem, IIRC, the airbag light isn't part of the MOT test.
www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm
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Airbag warning light could just be a bad connection. But it will require plugging in and testing the ECU to find which one. Unfortunately I had this with the Alfa at Xmas & it turned out to be the ECU and was £ 200+VAT! In short you need a visit to a dealer.
Jim
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Buzbee,
Just a thought. Do you also have seat belt pretensioners? If so, then check the security of the wiring under the seats.
The on-line manuals from Honda *may* also help:-
www.honda.co.uk/owner/workshopmanuals2.html
There is some info, re: the SRS system, including a troubleshooting section.
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tr7v8, DD:
Thanks for the info. A few good tips there.
I had missed the point about extra airbags -- silly me. Nice to see there is an on-line manual.
The car belongs to a widower (recent) and it would be nice to help.
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You can diagnose these yourself (as on many Japanese cars) by reading 'flash codes'.
On the far left side of the dashboard, just under the dash, you will find a connector with two pins - this is the airbag diagnostic link connector (DLC). Short the two pins together using something like a paperclip. Switch the ignition on. The airbag light will come on for 6 seconds, then it will flash. Count the flashes - long flashes are '10s' and short flashes are 'units' - e.g. three long and five short = code 35. Come back on here with the number you read off and I will tell you the fault.
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Aprilia: Thanks for that. The person appears (sometimes)at a gym I go to a couple of times a week, so it could be a while. I seem to be becoming a problem solver for widows! Door catches, does my wall need pointing. Is this a reasonable estimate etc.
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Saw the Civic owner today (after the snowy weather). A Honda garage had re-set the air bag light for her for free, using an analyser box of tricks. They told her it was a voltage surge.
Does the Honda have over-voltage indication? Or is it a 'plaster for all sores' statement for when you don't know what a cause is?
Truth is, she had actually used jump leads to start another car and so a voltage surge could actually be true. Anyway, thanks, if it goes again I shall know how to fault find.
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buzbee - this thread just shows the value of buying a Honda - the average Honda dealer will bend over backwards to help and the fact they didn't charge for a simple job shows that they know the value of good customer service.
Most garages will charge £30 just to diagnose the fault.
It may well be that she used the same dealer that I use - Southern Honda ( used to be called Southern Counties ) in Crawley which is the nearest Honda dealer to Redhill / Gatwick.
If it was them it simply confirms my opinion.
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It may well be . . . . Southern Honda . . . in Crawley
I asked where she took it and she said it was on the A23 just south of Redhill centre.
the value of buying a Honda this does seem to bear out what you say.
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That must F.W Mays Honda - I did not realise that they were in Redhill, they must have opened in the last couple of years since I left the area but good on them for helping out a damsel in distress.
Customer service like that goes a long way.
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Is there any chance you can post the 'flash codes' on here please? It would be really useful.
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This problem is common with the Rover 400/45 models and is usually the pretensioner connections under the front seat. Disconnect and clean the connections and then reconnect.
She should ignore any advice about being "better off" without an airbag. However she should make sure the seat is properley adjusted to suit her size. In particular the distance from the airbag to her sternum should be a minimum of 10 inches. If the wheel is height adjustable, then the axis of the wheel should point to her sternum.
She could try going to the local Police station and asking a patrol driver to help her adjust her seat to give the best posture and driving position.
Currently airbags are not part of the MoT.
www.highwaysafety.org/safety_facts/safety.htm
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/airbags/pages/Minimize.htm
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