Fault in SIPS bag Volvo S40 1999

ChewyLuey

Hi All

Have a 99 Volvo s40 1.8 petrol.

Airbag light was showing last few weeks. Took it to a main dealers for a service and they said there is a fault in the passenger side SIPS bag. They switched the light off and said if it came on again the bag would have to be replaced which could cost around €700.

......The light is back on! Rather than paying huge money like that for essentially a "side airbag" should I be able to just bypass it/get the light switched off on the dash ?

Anyone ever have this problem or have any advice ?

cheers!

Alun

You might be able to get it done, but think down the line to when you eventually want to sell the car. I, for one, wouldn't want to buy a car with a faulty airbag, side or otherwise.

crosstownk

Personally I'd prefer to have the faulty airbag replaced - it could save you from serious injury or worse someday.

However, if you want to have it removed and keep the light out you will need to replace the airbag with a resistance so the airbag control unit thinks the airbag is still connected. You will probably have to measure the internal resistance of the airbag and get a resistor to match. It's easier said than done. I know VW make special resistors for disconnecting airbags on some of they're models but I don't think that these would fit a Volvo.

bazz26

There are also insurance implications too.

Afaik you have to inform your insurance company that you are having the safety device deactivated and they usually require it to be done as per the manufacturer's specifications. They more than likely require the garage that is doing the work and the policy holder to sign some sort of legal document. In the event of an accident and after detailed investigation it was discovered that the disabled safety device could have prevented a serious injury or worse prevented a death, the insurance company would then not be liable. Not telling them is not a good idea either because if the device fails to deploy in an accident their investigation can lead back to the garage where the original issue would have been logged. Sounds pretty worst case but **** does happen.

Just as a matter of interest did you get a second opinion from another garage incase the problem is with the air bag sensor or a wiring loom rather than the device itself?

ChewyLuey

Just off the phone as I read your post about a second opinion!!

Spoke with Sales Manager (often a good idea cos hes thinking of future $$!) at the main dealers where I bought the car last year. He then had a quick chat with the head volvo mechanic there. He said they would find it very strange that the bag became faulty all of a sudden with no impact. He said he suspects it could be down to :

a) someone accidently kicking the unit causing a connection problem when getting into the car or
b) the forward/back motion of the seat fraying or cutting a wire.

Of course he said he cannot assure any of this until they look at the car but he did tell me in the very worst case scenario they will keep the price very low if it needs complete replacing. (i mentioned no figures to him but he said "Garage 1 will probably charge you X to get it replaced [he was spot on with the estimate] we won't charge you anything near as much cos you bought of us etc")

Still I'm worried that if it was something as simple as a wire or connection, the other main dealers didn't get it in their diagnosis. It will be interesting to see the outcome.

Mr.Diagnostic

Hi,

It is very unlikely that the airbag is faulty, probably a wiring fault. It is a much better idea to repair rather than decode the bag for safety reasons.
Regarding testing resistance of the airbag, dont, unless you have a very good meter. It is possible for the small voltage from a meter to deploy an airbag.

VW resistors were mentioned here. When these are fitted the module is also recoded to allow for this.

I wonder how many people have paid for parts, that were not actually required, because they were diagnosed as being faulty. Thats a scandal but not as uncommon as you might think. I find that many Techs rely too much on what the diagnostic tool tells then without looking further.

Good luck

maidhc

Mr.Diagnostic wrote:

It is a much better idea to repair rather than decode the bag for safety reasons.

Probably is, but probably isn't worth spending massive money trying to solve the problem on a 1999 car either. My 03 Focus doesn't have side airbags, I don't feel scared!

Mr.Diagnostic

maidhc wrote:

Probably is, but probably isn't worth spending massive money trying to solve the problem on a 1999 car either. My 03 Focus doesn't have side airbags, I don't feel scared!

Good point, but, it is very unlikely to cost a large amount of money.

Also, if a car is fitted with side bags and someone disables one of them they are leaving themselves open to possible legal problems. I am often asked to bypass airbags and unless the manufacturer has made allowances for this I will not get involved.
Besides the possible legal problems, could you (or the OP) sleep at night knowing that you are responsible for destroying a life that could have been avoided by spending a few quid?

maidhc

Mr.Diagnostic wrote:

Besides the possible legal problems, could you (or the OP) sleep at night knowing that you are responsible for destroying a life that could have been avoided by spending a few quid?

I could tbh! The car is no worse than one which never had an airbag.

(Put in context; the drivers airbag in my mondeo should have been replaced at 10 years. The car is 11 years old, and it sure as hell won't be getting a new airbag.)

ChewyLuey

I like to have everything functioning in the car the way it was when it left the forecourt. Luckily the car isn't far of the mark in this respect 7 years on. I certainly will do what I can to get the bag functioning again but understandably I was peeved when "main dealer 1" basically wrote off the air bag as faulty and said €700 straight off. In the end I would definitely feel guilty that my girlfriend/ mother/ friends could be sitting there during a crash. If the car never had side air bags its one thing but seing as they have it would only lead to regret.

As I said "main dealer 2" sounds like he will make more of an effort to get this sorted properly and at less expense so fingers crossed!