SRS warning lamp - 1995 C180 W202

[Jamesie]

Had this come on yesterday and stay on. I realise this indicates an airbag problem, but was wondering whether anyone has had the same and managed to resolve it themselves? Presumably this just means there is a risk the airbag won't inflate (as opposed to inflating when I'm halfway along the road?!

Interesting it happened on the hottest day of the year, but I guess that is just a coincidence. About to check whether it is still happening today.

Cheers

Jamesie

 

[grober]

check that the ELECTRICAL occupancy connections under the seat are OK. I have also just remembered that there was a factory recall on cars at that date of manufacture 95-96 about a possible driver airbag fault due to corrosion in high humidity conditions!! The airbags were replaced free of charge. The way to tell was that the new replacement airbags have a bright chromed star in the centre of the airbag the older design was black -same colour as the airbag unit. Get down to your MB dealer and get it checked out-your car may have slipped thro the net??

 

[recycled]

Have you got 2 or one airbag?

 

[Jamesie]

Thanks grober & recycled for your responses.

recycled - I am pretty certain I only have one airbag, but I may just be being stupid - not sure where the passenger airbag could possibly be.

grober - Thanks for the excellent tip regarding the recall - this in turn has led me to do some googling and realise that theaa has a great recall section on its website. Sadly, the recall you refer to only seems to have affected cars manufactured 1995-1996 and from a closer inspect of my documentation I see the sign-off certificate in my Mercedes wallet is dated 03.11.94, although it can't hurt to phone the dealer tomorrow.

This puts me back to square one and when I had a look under the driver's seat I couldn't see the electrical occupancy connections you refer to - although to be honest I probably wouldn't have recognised them anyway! Do I have to lift the carpet to check this out, and can you point me in the direction of a picture?

Cheers

jamesie

 

[KillerHERTZ]

W202:

1 Airbag: Big enough for 2 gloves and a Mercedes Wallet.

2 Airbags: Big enough for 1 glove

 

[Jamesie]

W202:

1 Airbag: Big enough for 2 gloves and a Mercedes Wallet.

2 Airbags: Big enough for 1 glove

That will be the one airbag then, given my Mercedes wallet lives in the glovebox - ta!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Here you go:

1 Airbag:

2 Airbags:

Its a pity yours doesnt have the passenger airbag as the most common cause of the fault is a loose sensor under the passenger seat...

Id very much doubt its the recall issue, surely MB and the DVLA would make sure all were recalled for sure an important issue?

 

[Jamesie]

Here you go:
Its a pity yours doesnt have the passenger airbag as the most common cause of the fault is a loose sensor under the passenger seat...

Is there a sensor under the driver's seat for the driver side bag as well? Had a good look tonight but could see nothing.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Is there a sensor under the driver's seat for the driver side bag as well? Had a good look tonight but could see nothing.

As far as I know, there isnt.
Afterall the car doesnt need to know if theres a driver sat there - if the cars moving then it will have a driver!

Dont worry about the Airbag going off, all cars have a system which deactivates the bag should any fault occur.

 

[Jamesie]

As far as I know, there isnt.
Afterall the car doesnt need to know if theres a driver sat there - if the cars moving then it will have a driver!

Dont worry about the Airbag going off, all cars have a system which deactivates the bag should any fault occur.

Cheers - thats my main priority, just to ensure that bag doesn't go off in my face!

Just out of interest, how much would it likely cost to get the car connected to a STAR machine and get the light switched off?

 

[grober]

It may be you don't have "occupancy sensors" as Killerhertz has said but what you will have are seatbelt buckle sensors/switches which sense that the seatbelt is fastened. I don't know if there was a malfunction there whether you would get an SRS WARNING or merely a seatbelt unfastened warning? . The other part of the SRS system are the front seat belt tensioners which are located behind the trim at the base of the B pillar. A malfunction there would definitely cause a SRS warning light. Best to get the SRS SYSTEM codes read to track down exactly where the problem lies. With safety systems you don't want to take chances.
There is also this post which has a link detailing the SRS fault codes for a W124 of 1994 vintage and how to make a fault code reader. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/29373-1994-e320-w124-diagnostics.html The fault codes for a W202 will be similar but not necessarily EXACTLY the same as these. One simple thing to try is to disconnect the battery for 1/2 an hour to see if that resets the light. make sure you have the radio code!!!

 

[Jamesie]

Cheers. I know it sounds daft and I'm probably just being thick, but I can't find the socket where I would put that maplin reader anywhere in the car!! Can't see it in the Haynes manual or the Merc manual either.

I was slightly reluctant to disconnect the battery just in case that causes any other bother (not that I'm paranoid or anything!) but I removed the fuse for the light; sadly when I put it back in the light came back on. If the fuse was not to be in place could the bag still go off?

Again, I'm not too bothered if I need to disconnect the bag entirely, its just the possibility of getting it in the face at some random point that concerns me.

 

[Jamesie]

Bit the bullet this morning and visited the stealership. They did a star and reset my computer - following reset the error had disappeared thankfully.

Although now I apparently need a new water pump as the one I have "looks like its about to go". Really - interesting the indie didn't spot that a fortnight ago on my service

Although the stealership actually charged less for the STAR than they had quoted me initially, that will be a first!!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Chances are the indy did spot it, but it has 10k miles left on it, anything that looks slightly worn and the stealers normally say its on the way out...

How much did they charge you in the end?

 

[Jamesie]

How much did they charge you in the end?

Was quoted £37.90 + VAT on phone, then when I sought to reconfirm that at the stealership they said £47.40 + VAT but were willing to do it for the prices I was quoted on the phone, in the end I was charged £32.76 inc VAT. Cheaper than I expected!