I removed the passenger seat when installing the NAVTV module and hooked everything back up . I tested the system without the seat hooked up and maybe set a code somehow. Now with everything together the little airbag icon light stays on . I have disconnectred the battery ,maybe that reset the car ,any other sugestions?

 

I'm fairly certain the airbag light has to be reset by the dealer. OBD scanners won't reset the light, since the airbag light isn't part of the OBD system.

Turning the ignition on while the seat was disconnected was probably what tripped the light - I doubt there's actually anything wrong with the system.

 

Yes: once the "bad connection" code is triggered, the trouble light will stay on until reset by the dealer

 

OMG!!! Your screwed! Just kidding With our cars you should always disconnect the battery before disconnecting an electrical connection and then reconnect it before turning the key on. There ARE airbag reset tools out there but they are expensive. Not to say that going to the dealer and them charging you a 1/2 ($60) or full hour ($120) isn't a complete rip off for a 5 minute reset job. Take your pick.

 

Great, a 3 hour drive for a 3 minute fix !! Black eletrical tape to the rescue(over the icon!)

 

not the best way to go about resetting lights, but disconnect your battery overnight. after the air bag module draws off its stored reserve power, stored codes are cleared, lost, forgotten, how ever you feel to look at it. you'll just have to reset your radio stations and clock.

worth a try before making a 3 hour drive just to have them clear the code.

 

Thanks for the help, I'll try it tonight and let you know if it works Monday morning I hope, I hope its so much trouble going to the dealer so far away

 

Disconnecting the battery over night does not work I called Patrick Mini and talked to Eric , he said a local garage with a scan tool should be able to reset the code, otherwise I have to live with the stupid airbag light until I can take a day off and drive to Chicago

 

As you just learned, ABS and Airbag lights will not clear themselves. What if you had a wire to an airbag that sometimes shorted out or opened and sometimes was OK. Once it messes up and sets a code (light), then you really want to find the cause, correct it and then reset the light with one of the 'advanced module' scan tools.

Unfortunately, you and I both have made the mistake of turning on the ignition key while a seat airbag was disconnected and are now paying the price.... my option is just to wait till my first service and let MINI turn it off when they do the normal scan.

YD

 

the dealer will ask questions. you will have to lie and tell them that it just came on by itself. Which is believable as I'm on my 3rd warrentied air bag sensor. AFAIK they actually track (may possibly be required to do so) and report all airbag problems to mini-usa.

 

I think that is a mandated law to report any airbag malfunctions. I don't know if that is fact or not...I just heard it around the water cooler. BTW, I need to get rid of my airbag light since emissions looks at ALL lights on the dash and will fail you if one is on. Unfortunately, I have NO airbags. So, I need to have the dealership disable the system.....

 

I believe you can add resistors to fake out the system making it think the airbags are there. I know that you can at least do this for the seat airbags. Not sure about the steering wheel one.

i'll fish around for that info.

 

I'm going to have to do what youre doing; the local private BMW and Merc garage can't fix it. This is bull

 

Driving to Patrick Mini in Schaumburg Sat, If anybody's around we could get together.

 

Friday I'm going to bring the car to Kimberly BMW ,much closer than Chicago, where we bought the car , they said they have the technology , to fix the code, I hope

 

I bought my MINI last year from John Monk in Nashville. I bought the car from John because I liked him and trusted him.

(trusting a car salesman, what am I saying?)

I will tell them the truth about having the seat out and turning on the key so they don't waste time trying to figure out why the airbag light is on. They have to connect the scanner anyway when I take it back for my first checkup, so I'm 'expecting' they will just turn the light off and that will be that.

They won't be changing my oil and I won't let anyone wash it so we'll call it an even trade, hehe.

I'm trusting John to take care of me. I'm not at all worried about it.

YD

 

Me too ,I nothing to hide except my ignorance

 

The non MINI, BMW dealer reset the code Costly mistake @$70 but at least I didn't have to drive to Chicago.

 

Now my wife is saying the code(air bag light is on) came back???
What could that be ?

 

An independant BMW shop can also reset the code, doesn't have to be a dealer.

 

Not the independant I went to first