Bavauto SRS tool results...

[BadAss95-530i]

I have lived with an SRS light for 4 years. The way ive dealt with it are numerous and im not proud of them. But now i want to get it squared away properly. I got an eval/reset tool and this is what it threw at me.

02 - Firing circuit driver's airbag
18 - Seat belt buckle driver

Anyone familiar with these? Best bet to replace the seatbult assembly? The whole seat??? Is there a chance 18 is causing 02? Or or they independant problems?

Any info would be appreciated (If someone has seen this question on the "other" forum no need to respong to both, im just trying to get as much info as i can before i start pulling things apart). Thanks for any help.

[Tiger]

Seat belt buckle is the common fault on E34... fix the buckle and problem goes away.

[Jehu]

Mine was the Slip Ring on the Steering wheeol. that's in the firing circuit isn't it? I replaced it and the fault was gone.

[BadAss95-530i]

Seat belt buckle is the common fault on E34... fix the buckle and problem goes away.


By 'fix' do you mean 'replace'? Or is there something i can physically do to the latch assembly? Looks to be sealed up pretty tight, so accessing the potentially bad sensor (if it its where i think it is...) could be rough. Am i missing something?

thanks

[bsell]

Well, the easy answer is check the connections from the buckle to the harness. Is it possible something got under the seat and messed up the wiring?

I had the steering wheel springy connection replaced to get rid of my problems...but I heard her pop and could hear the loose ends behind the wheel. If you think of how many times this contraption has moved in your car's lifetime, its no wonder it breaks.

[BadAss95-530i]

Well, the easy answer is check the connections from the buckle to the harness. Is it possible something got under the seat and messed up the wiring?


Got the seat out last night, and everything looks pretty clear up until the wires go into the seat belt tensioner (or so thats what i assume it is).

It, as well as the buckle, look locked up tight. No visible screws, not obvious clips. Should i just replace it by cutting the whole thing loose and resoldering the wires with a replacement or is there a proper way to open those things up?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

Sometimes its a few starbucks or supber gulps been pourd down the latch that kills the switch.

Try cleaning the latch with an electrical spray like electra-motive and see it that helps.


itf not...Find a good working one, or buy an new one.

Slipring/clockspring wire is a common problem to all airbag cars.


Go M Tech Evo II and free yourself from the SRS!

[BadAss95-530i]

Sometimes its a few starbucks or supber gulps been pourd down the latch that kills the switch.

Try cleaning the latch with an electrical spray like electra-motive and see it that helps.


itf not...Find a good working one, or buy an new one.

Slipring/clockspring wire is a common problem to all airbag cars.


Go M Tech Evo II and free yourself from the SRS!


well, ive got a trip to the salvage yard already penciled in to get a new one. Which is why id like to know how to get it apart enough to replace it! The belt recepticle (and wires) for that matter are firmly planted in the tensioner and short of quite literally cracking it open im unsure how to proceed. Are their tabs? I am aware of the green switch for "safe and unsafe" status, but im faced a roadblock in opening it up.

but def gonna spray the heck out of it tonight with electrical cleaner just in case. thanks

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

Just get the whole assembly, tensioner and all...

[Tiger]

Suggest you replace the firing ring before you replace the seat belt buckle assembly. Three or four people said they replaced the firing ring... so you should do it if you have not done so yet.

[BadAss95-530i]

in case anyone ever searches this thread in the future, figured id close it out.
Hopefully my "fix" will last a while, although in my experiance the quick fix seldom does... but hey, i baught this darn $130 reset tool and it aint going anywhere. So if it pops up again ill at least be ready to tackle it again...


RE: Seatbelt code - i dont know that i actualy did anything, but when i had the seatbelt tensioner out (except for the wires) i found a 'safe' tab that i turned with a screwdriver. cant remember if it went from verticle to horizontal or vice versa. But know i changed it. Then i thoroughly sprayed everthing down with electrical parts cleaner. I doussed the belt buckle while operating the release lever hoping to clean out what is possibly indeed 15 years of spilled coffees. I then sprayed the harness connection as well. About three sessions later, i let it dry, hooked it back up, and ran the reset code. SUCCESS. no seatbelt buckle code.

RE: Firing circuit - cleaned the ring with the same electrical parts cleaner. It was pretty corroded. It cleaned up easy though with the spray. (I know i should have replaced, but the closest dealership was 30 mins away and i already had 3 beers in me by then) so i reinstalled. Ran the clearing tool and BINGO. Success again.

For the first time sinse ive owned the car, the SRS is fully functional and running smoothly. Hopefully this lasts a while (and if not, its not that hard to open it all back up anyways, oh well). But for now, on to state inspection!