Clearing airbag light

thecremeegg · Post by **thecremeegg** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 12:36 pm

So I took my wheel off to change it for my recovered one from Royal Steering Wheels and now the airbag light is on.
Now I loaded up the INPA software, went to the E85 section and then checked the safety system etc for errors. It found 2 so I cleared them, light still on.
Checked the instrument cluster section and there's an error in there for airbag but no option to clear....I presume this is the problem, however what do I do?

Thanks!

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 12:58 pm

I'd pull the airbag back off (with the battery having been disconnected for 15 minutes)
Check both the connectors are correctly fitted to the airbag and at the slip ring
Reconnect battery
Check codes and try again

After that accept that your software is not clearing the airbag light (which many don't) and have a local indy do it

ben g · Post by **ben g** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 1:27 pm

If you have the cable and software from Bmcables.com then you can definitely clear the airbag light. I did it myself with no knowledge of the software or the German language

Still fine a year later.

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 1:37 pm

That's good to know.
Meaning it's likely that the physical cable or connection is damaged or not connected.

thecremeegg · Post by **thecremeegg** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 6:28 pm

So I took the airbag back off - the two cables are connected fine that I can see/feel. You mention a slip-ring - which bit is that?
The software came from the BMcables as suggested. I've also tried Carly and that again found it but won't reset it! Light doesn't even go out and then come back on

cj10jeeper · Post by **cj10jeeper** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 6:44 pm

All the connectors on the steering wheel (airbag, horn, radio, etc. plug into the top of the slip ring. That's the unit that allows then wheel to turn left and right without ripping the loom out of the column where it's fixed.

mac27040 · Post by **mac27040** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 8:45 pm

Use DIS v57 to clear fault

thecremeegg · Post by **thecremeegg** » Sat Apr 02, 2016 9:52 pm

Cheers Mac, I'll give that a go...if I can work it!

mac27040 · Post by **mac27040** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 8:51 am

If you get if to work do "diagnostic" the choose e85 / e86
List should appear, select "quick test" bottom right. Once software has tested all your modules if there's a fault it will put a X against it.
Once test is complete click bottom right button to go to modules, now left list is the modules, go through each one and read memory them clear memory, airbag is in one of three SBSR, SBSL and safety module.
If you have a fault it will tell you when reading memory in the right box. If you haven't any faults it will clear the airbag light when you clear the memory.
Hope that helps

thecremeegg · Post by **thecremeegg** » Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:34 am

Brilliant thanks Mac, helpful as ever! Going to give it a whirl in a bit!

ScoobyR1 · Post by **ScoobyR1** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:04 am

thecremeegg wrote: ↑Sun Apr 03, 2016 10:34 amBrilliant thanks Mac, helpful as ever! Going to give it a whirl in a bit!

Hi cremeegg
I know it's resurrection of an old, possibly closed thread, but very interested in how you got on with this. I have had exactly the same problem you described.
I've had to conclude that the only way I can clear the fault was to replace the slip ring. Is this what you ended up having to do?

Magicarcher · Post by **Magicarcher** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:09 am

As described the original problem suggests that thecremeegg had an airbag warning light come on after replacing the steering wheel. He cleared the two airbag fault codes in the SRS module using INPA, but a fault code still existed in the instrument cluster which he was unable to clear using INPA.

I had exactly the same problem with a different airbag fault code. I had an airbag low voltage fault code. I too successfully cleared the code from the SRS but a fault code remained in the instrument cluster and the airbag warning light stayed on. I was using the BMW scanner 1.4 tool rather than INPA like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Scanner-1 ... SwGXtXglib.

It was a while ago now since I researched it, but when I did I discovered then when an airbag fault occurs the instrument cluster also logs the error, you need to be able to clear the instrument cluster error as well as any SRS errors else the warning light stays on. For some reason the BMW scanner tool flatly refused to get rid of the instrument cluster error.

I solved it by purchasing ISTA D which cleared the instrument cluster error and my airbag warning went away. Not sure if this will work for you (ScoobyR1) but that's is what worked for me. I have had to do it twice more for other intermittent (and different) airbag warning lights, each time the SRS warning and the cluster warning have been cleared thankfully.

ScoobyR1 · Post by **ScoobyR1** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:28 am

Magicarcher wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:09 amAs described the original problem suggests that thecremeegg had an airbag warning light come on after replacing the steering wheel. He cleared the two airbag fault codes in the SRS module using INPA, but a fault code still existed in the instrument cluster which he was unable to clear using INPA.

I had exactly the same problem with a different airbag fault code. I had an airbag low voltage fault code. I too successfully cleared the code from the SRS but a fault code remained in the instrument cluster and the airbag warning light stayed on. I was using the BMW scanner 1.4 tool rather than INPA like this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Scanner-1 ... SwGXtXglib.

It was a while ago now since I researched it, but when I did I discovered then when an airbag fault occurs the instrument cluster also logs the error, you need to be able to clear the instrument cluster error as well as any SRS errors else the warning light stays on. For some reason the BMW scanner tool flatly refused to get rid of the instrument cluster error.

I solved it by purchasing ISTA D which cleared the instrument cluster error and my airbag warning went away. Not sure if this will work for you (ScoobyR1) but that's is what worked for me. I have had to do it twice more for other intermittent (and different) airbag warning lights, each time the SRS warning and the cluster warning have been cleared thankfully.

Thanks for that response Magicarcher

I can only surmise that you are an insomniac like me or you're at work on the Nightshift

I have had a scanner on the OBD and it came up with a fault code which showed ABS no Comms channel 1, channel 2. The guy doing the check, BMW specialist M3 near Bathgate Scotland, confirmed that the issue was the slip ring having been damaged on refitting

D'oh!

I've since bought a replacement slip ring, which I've yet to fit.

I was just interested to see if Cremeegg had to resolve the issue in the same way.

Interested in the software you mentioned though, is that the one available through BMCables ? I'm thinking I may invest in something like this to save calling on favours to use other people's

Cheers

ScoobyR1 · Post by **ScoobyR1** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:43 am

Interested in the software you mentioned though, is that the one available through BMCables ? I'm thinking I may invest in something like this to save calling on favours to use other people's

Cheers

[/quote]

Sorry re read that and it looked like I'd completely ignored your link to the scanner

What I meant was in regards to the ISTA D,, is that a completely different thing or is it a programme within the scanner software?

Hope that's cleared that up

Magicarcher · Post by **Magicarcher** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 12:21 pm

ScoobyR1 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:43 amInterested in the software you mentioned though, is that the one available through BMCables ? I'm thinking I may invest in something like this to save calling on favours to use other people's
Cheers

Sorry re read that and it looked like I'd completely ignored your link to the scanner
What I meant was in regards to the ISTA D,, is that a completely different thing or is it a programme within the scanner software?

Hope that's cleared that up

Regarding ISTA-D it is totally different to the BMW Scanner 1.4 which is its own software and OBD2 dongle, it is similar to INPA in terms of what it can do, but much easier to use, it resembles windows software rather than DOS software, in runs in a native Windows 7/8/10 environment (so can ISTA apparently but it takes a bit of specialist knowledge to get it working) it is all in English (a lot of ISTA is in German) and has direct access to trouble shooting and workshop repair manuals to help with diagnostics. From what I understand it is the basis of what the dealers use, whereas ISTA was written for vehicle developers and end of line testing.

I purchased mine from an American company called Rheingold USA, it was around £70 but as I have 3 minis and a Z4 in the household which I maintain myself, I figured this was a good investment. There are cheaper alternatives on ebay, it can be picked up for as little as £20 in places, but I am a little dubious. I first bought a copy that came with cables from ebay from a guy in Romania, it was massively hacked, for example once installing it was necessary to request an unlock code from the guy by email, and if you changed PC you had to do it all over again. The guy had configured the installer so that to get the copy to run at all, it was necessary to install INPA first and get it running and I never manages that step successfully. Hence I decided to pay more and get the Rhiengold USA version. This was a very straightforward install and it ran first time.

I noticed recently that there is a company on ebay called BC cables, they are selling the cable, with INPA/SSS etc. + copies of ISTA-D and ISTA-P downloaded on request without any warranty, but they state the ISTA-D will not co-exist with their INPA software, it costs around £30 + postage from memory. Personally though I would get the copy from Rhiengold USA.

ScoobyR1 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 31, 2017 5:28 am
I can only surmise that you are an insomniac like me or you're at work on the Nightshift

Insomniac like you at the moment, averaging 3 hours sleep a night.

The only consolation is I know what has caused it, I have allowed my sugar intake to go up over xmas and sugar plays havoc with my sleep. So I have decided to leave the stash of fudge, chocolate and biscuits I got for Xmas in my cupboard until further notice.

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