au2 airbag question...help

fluxx · 08-07-2008, 09:13 PM

hello,

my au2 xr8 ute keeps flashing an airbag fault. i searched the forums and read my workshop manual and have discovered its a code 18 which is listed as 'unexpected system feature'

does anyone know what this means? or what i can do to fix it?

i took the car to ford, they charged me $88 to have a look and told me i should secure the passenger pre-tensioner cables under the passenger seat.

:

Ive checked all the connections, driver and passenger and they all seem fine. My horn and cruise buttons still work so im assuming its not the clock spring...?

Just wondering if anyone has any other ideas on what to do to fix this?

Cheers

Matt

private9 · 08-07-2008, 09:32 PM

About a year back, mine flashed an airbag fault for a full day. Disconnected the battery for an unrelated reason, and for whatever reason (I don't know why!) I haven't had any airbag faults since!

fluxx · 08-07-2008, 11:14 PM

thanks for the reply. ive tried disconnecting the battery but it keeps coming up with the error. from what i can gather, the au should stop flashing the lamp if the error is fixed so im assuming something is still stuffed.

i might have to go to a different ford dealer and hope for the best

used:

private9 · 09-07-2008, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fluxx

thanks for the reply. ive tried disconnecting the battery but it keeps coming up with the error. from what i can gather, the au should stop flashing the lamp if the error is fixed so im assuming something is still stuffed.

i might have to go to a different ford dealer and hope for the best

used:

An airbag error in an AU isn't exactly rare to a Ford dealer, so as you said I'd try a new one!

GK · 09-07-2008, 08:12 AM

Perhaps the seatbelt pre tensioner plugs have a bit of gunk in there. give them a bit of a clean and try again.

Ignore that advice if you've already done just that!

All the best with it.

Keep us posted.

GK

fluxx · 09-07-2008, 02:56 PM

ive gone to the lengths of plugging the drivers seat tensioner into the socket for the passenger and vice versa to see if the error code changes and ive also cut the plugs off the passenger side and soldered the wires together on the advice of ford... but still no luck

im wondering now if the fault is either in the wiring between the socket on the passenger side and the airbag module or wherever it goes next. or perhaps even with the module itself..?

it needs to be inspected for licencing, it failed last week and this was one of the things (well the last thing now) that needs to be rectified before reinspection so its driving me nuts

XR6-VCT-2000 · 09-07-2008, 03:36 PM

The buckle/lock you clip your seatbelt into is also part of the seatbelt pre-tensioner setup, and also the seatbelt itself. Try giving the seatbelt a few good tugs to set off the lock mechanism in it , and also clip the seatbelt buckle into the lock a few times / wiggle it about a bit , push on it etc etc, you might just have a bad or stuck connection happening in the lock-buckle or the belts locking mechanism. Does any of your seatbelts take a while to retract fully back in ? / or feeling a bit tight / if so it might be the above. I had a code 18 over a year ago now and had hell with it, doing the above fixed it. Gl.

XR6-VCT-2000 · 09-07-2008, 11:44 PM

Oh, I also forgot to mention earlier , if your any of your seatbelts take a while to retract fully back in after pulling the seatbelt out.... Then put the seatbelt out all the way and check that the seatbelt is NOT freyed at all on the edges of the belt , this can cause the belt to retract slower and also cause seatbelt pre-tensioner problems / code 18 problems. If you do have any lighly freyed seatbelts , before buying new ones / try hit them lightly with a cigarette lighter for a second or so to melt of the freyed edges off the seatbelt, don't melt the seatbelt though !. cheers.

**Mechan1k** · 10-07-2008, 10:19 PM

I have code 18 flash ... I was under the impression 18 means open-circuit fault with one of the connectors under one of the seats ... most likely dodgy connection to one of the seat belt pretensioners .... the only time I have that code flash is when it rains though ... weird.

XR6-VCT-2000 · 12-07-2008, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mechan1k

I have code 18 flash ... I was under the impression 18 means open-circuit fault with one of the connectors under one of the seats ... most likely dodgy connection to one of the seat belt pretensioners .... the only time I have that code flash is when it rains though ... weird.

Yes your right , It has got to do with the seatbelt pre-tension setup. I originaly had this code 18 when my wires&plugs under my seats were a bit dodgy and loose , i fixed the wires and plugs and all was good for a few months. Then i had the same code again a few months later . All my connections under the seats were fine this time except i noticed my drivers seatbelt took a while to retract fully back back in. I pulled the seatbelt out all the way and noticed the edges of the seatbelt were frayed a bit right at the end of the belt hidden on the spool usualy (probably causing it to retract slower), I got a cigarette lighter and singed (lightly melted/burned) the fryed edges off the the seatbealt. After that it retracted back in fully at full speed and the code 18 error disapeared.

XR6-VCT-2000 · 12-07-2008, 04:06 AM

'Mechan1k', about your car only causing the code 18 problem when its cold. Just out of curiosity - if you have the time ... Try warming up the steel buckle ( with your hands , whatever , warm it up first ) , then plug it into the seatbelt buckle lock (metal very cold expands and might be causing you problems/ if its worn out a bit ? ). Also it 'might' even be something as simple as the spring mechanism that retracts the seatbelt is a bit worn out , when a sping mechanism is cold it retracts slower , especialy if the spring mechanism is a bit worn out it retracts even slower when cold. Maybe Even give the seatbelt a few good tugs to warm up the spring in the seatbelt tension setup before you start the car - this will let you know if you have a worn out spring mechanism in the seatbelt tensioner ;) . cheers.

**Mechan1k** · 12-07-2008, 05:55 AM

It does it when it rains ... so I think it might be a retracting issue further back in the reel ... unless water has gotten into (as I do drive with the window open a bit with my weathershield if it does rain).

It does retract a little slow when wet as well ... so it might be to do with that .. I might pull the sail panel off and have a better look inside the B-pillar ... might just need a clean out too.