60 replies to this topic

[SportspackWeb]

Hiyah. I am aware of the new regulations which apply to airbag cars - enforced from March of this year. I just wondered what the experience of members who have had the MOT airbag experience, so far. 

• Do the testers realise that the car is airbag enabled - as it's a 1959 design?
• Has anyone had a car fail as a result of the airbag light?
• Has anyone been advised to "bypass the SRS light" with a loop that just makes the light perform on and off - irrespective of the airbag. ( In reality, I'm not too sure how effective the bag may be).

The reason I ask is that I am waking my 2000 example up after being SORN'd and I wondered what the future holds, in case it fails. I intend to keep the car well into my retirement. (fingers crossed  ). Should I start stockpiling airbag bits "just in case" ? Cheers, David.

[minidaves]

srs light on fail srs light off pass

[L400RAS]

srs light on fail srs light off pass

 

Wrong.  The srs light has to light up, then extinguish, to show the startup checks have been performed, and the system is active.  The time interval is different per manufacturer / model.  If the srs does not illuminate at all on the ignition switch, this will also be a fail.  If the bulb stays on, there is a srs fault, and this is also a fail.

 

Reason for rejection:

A Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) malfunction indicator lamp:
. inoperative
. indicating a system malfunction.

Edited by L400RAS, 14 November 2013 - 06:25 PM.

[glyn]

I believe the light has to illuminate then go off, so this rules out removing the bulb. You can get creative by linking it to your oil pressure light but I don't see why the airbag should fail. If it does you could always remove it and replace your instrument panel with one that doesn't have an air bag light.

[cal844]

the light MUST illuminate then go OFF after 1-5 seconds, if it stays on or doesnt illuminate, it is a fail. (you can get round it by swapping for an earlier speedo and fuel/ temp guage

[Guess-Works.com]

Bottom line, if you remove the srs indication and the airbag then they are not testable.

[L400RAS]

 You can get creative by linking it to your oil pressure light but I don't see why the airbag should fail.

Sorry, but this still will fail.  The airbag light should go through its test procedure with the engine off or on.  Your method of wiring to oil pressure light would only work when the engine was struck up.

[samsfern]

Everyone on this thread is incorrect, truth is the Srs light can only be failed if the light is on. If it doesn't work at all then it's an advisory.

Edited by samsfern, 14 November 2013 - 08:11 PM.

[SportspackWeb]

Yes - thanks for your swift replies to this one - there seems to be a bit of a discussion here. My point is this:- I have an immaculate Sportspack with 6k miles, which presumably has a reasonable value with no problems currently. But in the future, if the SRS light showing was a certain fail and I couldn't either "get round" the problem or source the spare parts then it would render the car worthless and uninsurable. I think around 99% of the spare parts I might get hold of relatively easily for the Min - but not the SRS parts.  In summary:- SRS system not working, no spare parts to fix it - therefore car must be scrapped.

[jaydee]

No, just bin the air bag and its connections them connect an extra ingition light from the alternator to the SRS light.

Not fair, and air-bags can save lifes, but at the end of the day minis have been produced for 37 without air-bags, and only for 4-5 years with the  tiny driver air-bag.

[samsfern]

Or just take the bulb out for the srs light, like a few people do on older cars.

[corrado vr6]

Scrapped!!! A bit OTT

[SportspackWeb]

No, just bin the air bag and its connections them connect an extra ingition light from the alternator to the SRS light.

Not fair, and air-bags can save lifes, but at the end of the day minis have been produced for 37 without air-bags, and only for 4-5 years with the  tiny driver air-bag.

I agree - I am unconvinced that the size and angle of the bag will be of any use in a crash - but sadly it is a standard fitment.

 

Scrapped!!! A bit OTT

I think your 3 exclamation marks echo my feelings on the matter!!! However - most of the comments here are from Mini enthusiasts who know much about the marque - and it seems there isn't a consensus of opinion. No one seems to have the definitive answer. By next march every road going MPI will have been through an MOT. and therefore I'm surprised that some members haven't commented on their actual experience on this one. Perhaps the SRS system is more reliable than I think  . Onnyroadup thanks for your thoughts - lets watch this space (at the far left of my instrument binnacle....)

[Guess-Works.com]

You may be ignoring the point that not many people change the steering wheel in an MPi Mini.

[Tamworthbay]

Read the last couple of months of practical classics. They have been doing some in depth research on exactly this problem. The outcome was that all the major manufacturers (who responded) considered the SRS parts to be safe to last the 'lifetime' of the car, even when that contradicts an expiry date on said parts. They also considered the problem of using parts from scrappers and found no problem as long as the parts weren't from crashed cars. Perhaps time to buy a few spares from some rusty cars?