Passenger Airbag Light Allways On

[Kepilla]

Hi,

I've got a new iQ (1.0), and the light for the passenger airbag is allways turned on:


if the airbag is off, it will turn the off light ON permanently, and

if the airbag is on, it will turn the on light ON permanently

It's not horrible, but I do not like to drive with an orange light -that usually means ' warning ' turned on,

Please, do yo know how to turn it off?

Thanks

[Raistlin]

Please get it checked immediately airbags are explosive devices and warning lights should not to be ignored....

[Kepilla]

I did, that was what I thought... and the answer from the dealer was that 'this is the standard configuration for the airbag lights'!!!

Please, how can I chek

(thanks for your answer)

Regards

[FROSTYBALLS]

It is possible the airbag system in your country is different to the UK.

What does your Owners Manual say?

[surfcitylocal]

Here in the states we have a different set up for the air bag lights, the driver side is shown close to the speedometer and the one by the stereo only applies to the passenger side. Our only light up if there is a passenger in the seat otherwise it's off.

Maybe it's different on the Toyota model but I don't understand the purpose of a light to indicate it's off when the seat is vacant.

[dash]

Pedro

I'm afraid this is driven by legislation. If you disable it you would fail the UK MOT. The light is to remind you that the passenger airbag is active and that you should turn the airbag circuit off before strapping a child seat into the passenger seat.

Similarly, the "off" light illuminates to remind you to switch the airbag on when there is no child seat in the passenger seat.

The airbag warning light in all iQ's behaves as you describe. This is normal.

Ultimately, it's because the bureaucrats in Europe think we're all stupid...

Taz

We also have the seatbelt warning lights as you describe. The one Pedro is concerned about is specific to the status of the passenger airbag circuit.

Dave

[surfcitylocal]

Pedro

I'm afraid this is driven by legislation. If you disable it you would fail the UK MOT. The light is to remind you that the passenger airbag is active and that you should turn the airbag circuit off before strapping a child seat into the passenger seat.

Similarly, the "off" light illuminates to remind you to switch the airbag on when there is no child seat in the passenger seat.

The airbag warning light in all iQ's behaves as you describe. This is normal.

Ultimately, it's because the bureaucrats in Europe think we're all stupid...

Taz

We also have the seatbelt warning lights as you describe. The one Pedro is concerned about is specific to the status of the passenger airbag circuit.

Dave

Thank you Dave. That does seem a little annoying to have the light on in both positions.

[vox]

I have a light switch like that in the house, it has a light
built in to tell you the lights are on?! My IQ also has the "airbag
is on" light, I must admit, it's a little annoying at night. A little sticker
over it helps. Just remember to remove it before the MOT. All we really need is
a light to tell you it's off. like my wife's two year old smart. Lamp failure
could scupper all this Brussels born rubbish, I wonder if they are LEDs

[Kepilla]

Thanks for your comments

1) "If you disable it you would fail the UK MOT."

That may ne truth in UK, but not in Spain. And it's the 1st car I've ever seen with this light 'always on'

(So maybe it's a UK regulation, and they implement it on every european car)

2) The user manual says:

"passenger airbag ON indicator: this indicator will light when the passenger airbag is ON'

(what sourprises me is that it does not tur off in ¿20? seconds: it disturbs me having an orange ligth permanently on)

Have you seen this light in your iQ? and in any other car?

Thanks again. Regards

[tarquin]

You see mine has been made blue so it looks nice. Whereas the Amber light nags you like its a warning.

David

[Kepilla]

I agree, green or blue means info. Read means stop, and orange means warning

It's not confortable to see an orange light permanently on with no reason....

[craggle]

But it is a warning isn't it?

It's to warn you that the passenger airbag is on. A warning that would be very useful to someone who fitted a child seat and forgot to turn the airbag off?

Craig.

[tarquin]

Craig, does it go out when you turn the airbag switch? Haven't looked

David

[Kepilla]

No, it's allways on:

If the airbag is OFF, the aribag off-ligth is ON

If the airbag is ON, the aribag on-ligth is ON

(there are two airbag.lights: one for on, and one for off)

(I still think it should be that way, but only for X seconds/minutes)

[tarquin]

Then i think like Craig its a status light ,letting you know what mode its in and to prompt you when you decide to have an adult/child in the passenger seat or a baby in a car seat. If they both timed out, after 20sec or so,then you would have to turn the ignition off and on to display the status of the airbag or go and have a look which position the switch was in..Its for your glancing convenience really. Maybe the law has changed requiring you to have a illuminated status indicator. My 1998 Peugeot 406 had the key to turn it off and on but no visual indication other than checking the switch position.

David

[tarquin]

Just been experimenting with the passenger airbag switch located on the panel near your Knee's along with an airbag panel, the OBDII socket and bonnet release. For those that don't know its a momentary switch actuated by your car key. If you have smart entry and press the start button twice, the dash lights up along with the airbag lights either on your TNS510 or on your standard radio/CD unit if you turn the key you will see the airbag display change to Off and when the key is released the switch springs back and the display returns to On. If the passenger seat is occupied with a baby seat or passenger, then operating the switch keeps the airbag off until either the passenger gets out or the baby seat is removed which makes the system revert to on. So there is no way to obviously turn it off permanently which i believe to be right

David .

[Raistlin]

So it's not a fault, It's a feature... ;)

[tarquin]

Yes afraid so. The fact that it resets to On when the passenger gets out or the baby seat removed is a safety requirement

David

[noodles007]

Hi i got my IQ in December and i have had passengers in the front before and no airbag light on but only today the light has come on as my teenage daughter in the front passenger seat was ok driving to supermarket but on the way back the light came on the dash AIRBAG ON?  and i cant see any on/off switch for the airbags just not sure what to do? Why would it appear now

[tarquin]

This usually happans if people put shopping on the seat ot other objects that makes the seat sensor think someone is sitting in it. In my opinuion i think its set too light as i have had it trigger with just too books. 

Start the car with no passengers and see what happens. If it still lights up, give the seat a few "thumps" in case tve sensor is stuck

David

[noodles007]

Ok thankyou David i will try this in the morning and let you know

[tarquin]

Quite often people report placing a laptop or groceries etc on the passenger seat and the seatbelt flashes as they go over bumps  but due to the hysteresis of the light to seat timings, its not obvious the road bump caused the the light to come on momentary.

David 

[noodles007]

Morning all so i did what you told me i started the car with no passengers thumped the passenger seat moved it back and foward and the light gone OFF on the main dash but still on above the radio/CD so now what should i do?

Btw....i cant find the airbag switch watever this is?

[tarquin]

Hi 

Have checked the operation of the Key Switch associated with tbe passenger seat. Its on tbe sloping part of the Dash. Its for turning. The ignition key is used to operate it

David

[tarquin]

This is associated to the Airbag being muted with a child seat present but may have a knock on effect. Will check mine now

David