BMW, airbag warning light and NCT

dudara

Here's my question. My E46 BMW is due for it's NCT - but - the airbag warning light is currently illuminated on the dash (a well known aging issue in the E46s). I understand that this is a fail under the new rules in the NCT.

Question is - can I pop out the fuse or is the test more complicated than that?

crosshair1

Get it diagnosed & fixed, its usually the connectors under the front seats.
You will need to have the fault memory erased after its repaired though.

mickdw

I woud agree with the under seat fault but Im not so sure that the fault needs to be erased though. Any of these under seat faults Ive seem will clear the fault once the connector is fixed automatically

dudara

dudara wrote: »

Question is - can I pop out the fuse or is the test more complicated than that?

They will check it illuminates as part of ignition start up.

td2008

Mine passed the nct with the light on, wasn't it expecting to! They never mentioned it though.
It was the passenger airbag sensor at first in mine, (e46) had it fixed when i got the car, then it was the battery disconnect wire or something, still have yet to get it fixed!

unkel

dudara wrote: »

Question is - can I pop out the fuse or is the test more complicated than that?

Yikes! Would you not be more concerned about the question if your airbag is actually working or not? Have you any idea of insurance implications of popping out the fuse in order to pass the NCT test, knowing that your car would not have passed the test otherwise?

I don't want to ride a high horse here and I am far from perfect myself, but maybe you should ask yourself some of these questions?

dudara

unkel wrote: »

Yikes! Would you not be more concerned about the question if your airbag is actually working or not? Have you any idea of insurance implications of popping out the fuse in order to pass the NCT test, knowing that your car would not have passed the test otherwise?

I don't want to ride a high horse here and I am far from perfect myself, but maybe you should ask yourself some of these questions?

I have - I'm not a reckless idiot - I know prettty well that the fault lies with the seatbelt tensioner or the harness under the seat - but I work abroad and right now my main concern is to get the car through the test. I can get it repaired later.

They will check it illuminates as part of ignition start up.

I thought that they might do this alright.

Looks like I'll have to arrange to come home for a few days so as to get it fixed properly. Right nuisance

voxpop

Mine went through(retest) about a week ago with the airbag light on. throw a bit of black tape over the light

biko

Hm, it depends on the tester
You can remove fuse, or even the bulb, but if the light doesn't come on and go off when the tester starts the car he may (or may not) cop on to an issue.
It seems some will pass and some will fail.
Then you may have to get car retested.

I think there's a difference for NCT if it's a red or yellow light.

dudara

Thing is - this is a well known issue with E46 BMWs of that age - so any clued-in tester will probably look for it.

Pacifico

My e46 failed for this last week!