Hi all,

Ford Focus Mk1 (V Reg, 1999/2000). Drove over a bump which caught underside of the car or something, steering wheel and passenger side dash airbags went off. No other damage to car (apart from cracked screen due to dash hitting it).

So, airbag warning light is on.

MOT is due 5th Aug. Anyone know the deal with MOTs and airbags? Someones said that the MOT doesnt actually check if the airbags are present (which they arent)/working, but just whether the light is on? And therefore if you disconnect the light its fine? If so, how hard is it to disconnect the airbag light?

Ford want just under £1k to replace both airbags (each bag is £430 + labour), which I cant really afford. Whats the deal with getting bags from a scrappy/ebay, and getting a garage to fit them? Dodgy (due to explosives etc)? I understand the module needs replacing or something too, is that something only a Ford garage can do?

e.g. Could I get one of these (even though I dont need the pretensioners) and get a garage to fit it/set it up?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MK1-FORD-FOCUS-AIRBAG-MODULE-TENSIONERS-AIRBAGS-KIT-/250399895458?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3a4cff2fa2#ht_2177wt_992

Anyone else has similar experience/problem?

Ta, Duane 🙂

I think the airbag light being on will just earn you an advisory, same as if your tyres were under inflated. Don't think its a fail. Note the 'think' bit, so do a Google to check.

If the interior of the car is sharp or insecure from the airbags then that might be an issue.

In the workshop manual for my van it says that if activated, the whole system including airbag, module and airbag wiring loom should be replaced.

I'm pretty sure the fact that your airbags have been deployed and the airbag light does not function as it should if everything was functioning correctly means your car will fail its MOT. AFAIK the airbag light forms the same part of the test as the ABS light, there used to be a large chart on the wall which would detail the correct procedure for airbag and abs light functions when ignition is switched on. Now it prints out when you print the first part of the MOT. Depending on the sizeof the crack in the screen it will also fail the MOT on this. Of the top of my head I think the crack needs to be smaller than 40mm within the swept area of the wipers and smaller than 10mm if it within the extreme edges of the steering wheel measured straight up to the screen.

Possibly not he news you were hoping for but hope it helps a little

Cheers, screen was majorly bust so was replaced straight away.

So sounds like the light will get me a fail. Any thoughts on getting second hand bags/module and having it fitted by a garage?

My airbag sensor light has been on through several MOT's, can't be part of their remit. Mine on due to a faulty sensor.

My airbag light has been on since I brought the car, no worries at MOT time

I would just try and get some airbags from a scrappy, the procedure for removing normally just involves disconnecting the battery and waiting 30 minutes. Plug them in, clip them into place, then cough up to your garage to reset the light. If anything is wrong the light will just come back on again, along with a fault message for the garage.

Take the bulb out the airbag light?

Try the link below. Saved me a fortune on parts when I needed a new gearbox!

http://www.partsgateway.co.uk/

I had a similar problem with my van, though the airbags hadn't been deployed- it was a known wiring problem.

When I researched the problem, I found that apparently at MOT time, the tester should check that the light comes on when the ignition is switched on, then goes out.
You might be able to just remove the light and get away with it, but you can fit a resistor across the pretensioner terminals or the terminals which plug into the airbag or something? (google airbag resistor focus). This sort of thing seems to be fairly common on cars where people replace the steering wheel with one without an airbag, or change the seats.

I don't think that there's any MOT requirement to have functioning airbags, even if fitted as original equipment, but the light should behave itself. I could be wrong however- I'm sure somebody will be along to correct me if so.

Drove over a bump which caught underside of the car or something, steering wheel and passenger side dash airbags went off

You mean you've had a crash.

MOT check list

http://www.motester.co.uk/CarOwnersGuidetoTheMOT/WhatIsTested.aspx

This sounds a little scary. The thought that you could be 'just driving along', go over a bump and have a pyrotechnic go off in your face whilst in control of a car is enough to make me want the airbags out of my focus……

Seriously; what sort of 'bump' causes airbag deployment?

airbag sensors in all cars *can* go off unexpectedly. They're basic accelerometers, and if they get an impact very out of the ordinary (potholes and curbs are known) it can make the sensor think there's a smash happening. it is, thankfully, rare

replacing a bag with one out of a scrappy shouldn't be as hard as you think. I swapped a steering wheel over on my similar vintage mondeo (inc airbag) and the light went off, appears to work fine. Not crashed it yet though. The explosives are really safe as long as you disconnect the battery whist you're messing around with them – the trigger is a signal, rather than just +5v going down a certain wire. if you're worried get a backstreet garage to do it for you

what they ^ said about going to a scrapyard. For example – had to replace the seatbelt buckle on our Honda in order to have it pass it's MOT. The Honda price was nearly £300 (it has a pre-tensioner attached at the stem), the scrapyard price a third of that. The full airbag kit for the Honda is north of £1500 new, you can usually pick them up for £500…

Air bags are not tested in the UK MOT.

Might get an advisory if the light is on but thats it.

I know people who take the bulb out before the MOT but you want to get it sorted for insurance purposes as the ROM will record the date the bags went off and if you have a heavy smash and your airbags don't work knowingly can void your insurance.

P.S.

I will not buy a ford focus or any car without a vehicle inspection now… 😯

ABS light on is a MOT fail, as is non-lighting of it during ign on test.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_340.htm

The above link (with the clicky pictures, posted by uplink) is wrong. Go through the VOSA site and find it yourself:
http://www.transportoffice.gov.uk/crt/doitonline/bl/mottestingmanualsandguides/mottestingmanualsandguides.htm
Section 3.4.

Updated 2010.

He's talking about airbags, not ABS!

I had an airbag go off when the loom 'went' on a car, no issue for the MOT (had it another 2 years), nor that it was obvious that the air bag wasn't there.

The loom problem was caused by the mobile phone fitting company that had put back the centre console incorrectly, cause a wire to rub and eventually short.

He's talking about airbags, not ABS!

Wow, now wasn't that just about the biggest foolish cockup I could have made today!

Cheers for all the replies.

Popped down to local garage today and they confirmed that airbags/airbag light dont come under the MOT, infact they had another Focus with the light on which had just been through MOT.

If theres not too much to fix for the MOT I think Ill get the garage to replace the bags.

Airbags went off after I tried to straddle a bump at about 25mph, which was a tiny bit too tall (doh!) and caught the underside.