Airbag Warning Light - MOT Failiure?

[jagdeepbmw]

I am booked in for my yearly MOT, however, the dreaded airbag warning light is on. Will my car fail or will this just be an advisory?

[bmwdriver86]

From

http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing...

it states

"The vehicle will fail the test if any airbag fitted as original equipment is obviously missing or defective."

Hope this helps

John

[jagdeepbmw]

Thanks, this is what I've read too, but, apparently this has not been taken into effect as of yet. Due to complications, this has been delayed and put back. Can anyone who conducts an MOT confirm this?

[dooosuk]

The Mrs' Corolla passed with the airbag light on in April if that's of any help...have a feeling it'll fail next year but it comes on and off as it pleases...often weeks apart.

[Rollcage]

At the moment it won't fail, but will do so some time soon. Should have been a fail from April, but it hasn't happened yet.

You'll get an advisory though.

[jagdeepbmw]

OK, so this is ok for now but I will need to get this fixed before the next MOT. I thinks its the seat sensor mat in the passenger seat, looks like another 300 quid to spend on the car..... great!!!

[E30M3SE]

You can buy 'bypass' plugs for around £10-15 that will kill the light on the dash if it is due to passenger seat occupancy sensor, as a 'short term fix'.

[stevesuk]

I had the airbag warning light on appear my E46 a few weeks ago. I bought a £30 diagnostics cable (inc. software) from eBay. Connected everything up to my laptop, read and cleared the fault code, and (touch wood) its not come back on again since.

Once the airbag warning light has been on once, it will stay on until you've cleared the fault code (even if you disconnect the battery, and regardless of whether the fault is still present). So it might have been a temporary fault that's no longer a problem. If you haven't already tried, might be worth clearing the fault (either investing in a diagnostics cable, or finding a friendly garage to do it for you). Might cost a lot less than £300, and save you worrying about an MOT failure.

I was worried mine was the passenger occupancy sensor mat too, but the fault code was actually related to the seatbelt pretensioner wiring (I'd been hoovering the carpets the day before it happened, so think I maybe disturbed a cable).

[jagdeepbmw]

Ok thanks, it might be a quick fix then. I think I'll try and get someone to reset the fault code and see what happens.

[jagdeepbmw]

It does come on and off intermittently, especially when someone is sitting in the passenger seat, thats why I think its the sensor mat. I suppose the only way is to get his diagnosed properly.

[philmots]

On a lot of other brands of cars it can be the plug under the seat that's been disturbed. Either loose or separated.

Not sure if BMW have the same issue bit its got to be worth checking.

[bmwdriver86]

+1 for the above. Mine did the same after cleaning the underside of the seat. A clear of the codes will remove the light if this is the problem.

[mattwatson]

i bought the bypass unit as well. sorted out the problem straight away.

the bypass unit just means the airbag will deploy whether someone is in the passenger seat or not

[jagdeepbmw]

I only got an advisory for the airbag light in Sept 2012. Just after that MOT the light went out and has been off for the whole year. Now its MOT time again, the air bag light decides to come on again!!!!!. Has anything changed from last year regarding MOT failiures with the airbag light being on?

[jboy72]

jagdeepbmw said:

I only got an advisory for the airbag light in Sept 2012. Just after that MOT the light went out and has been off for the whole year. Now its MOT time again, the air bag light decides to come on again!!!!!. Has anything changed from last year regarding MOT failiures with the airbag light being on?

I believe it is currently a fail. My friend had to have the mat sensor thing replaced in his 525d at the time of MOT because the SRS warning light was on.

[E30M3SE]

It is a straight fail.

[4rephill]

It's now an MOT fail to have any warning lights remain illuminated on the dashboard.

It's also an MOT fail if any of the warning lights fail to illuminate at all when the ignition is switched on (to prevent people from simply removing the bulbs).

[jagracer]

4rephill said:

It's now an MOT fail to have any warning lights remain illuminated on the dashboard.

It's also an MOT fail if any of the warning lights fail to illuminate at all when the ignition is switched on (to prevent people from simply removing the bulbs).

Not quite so but in the OP's case an SRS indicator malfunction is a fail.

[Rollcage]

Has the CEL light become a fail yet JR? I know it was supposed to be, but hadn't been implemented last time I asked.

[jagracer]

If you mean engine warning lights then no. Off the top of my head It's SRS, ABS, Tyre pressure monitors for anything used after 2012 and ESC lights.