its a clio - the computer is under the cupholders - is there anything been spilt in there? it drips down onto the connector and messes it up - the clip and the computer can be cleaned with contact cleaner and a brush. If its cooked, then replacement computers can be had off ebay for a score.

 

Hi Big Ears and Welcome
Battery activity or lack of is temperature dependent. My first guess would be that the battery is getting old and in cold weather is not supplying enough to keep marginal wiring and or sensors happy or that there is an earth wire issue somewhere ? A Clio of that age probably needs it's main earth strap looking at.
Under seat connectors are subject to repeated flexing and the odd stab from a vacuum cleaner and yes they are frequently responsible for airbag or pretensioner issues.
I don't recognise those codes. Has the scanner the option to speak Renault?

 

Agree with Brendan.
Electrical connections under the passenger seat are a common problem.
Big issue on Mk2 Clio's

 

you can check that its the drivers seat by "bypassing" the airbag with a resistor (3.3 ohms, nothing near 5.5 like you have been told). If the code goes away (clear codes, then rescan) you know the fault is there in the clip under the seat. dont go chopping and soldering cables if you dont have to. do more testing first.

this is a method to TEST where the fault is. people use this method to "delete" the airbags when they fit aftermarket seats, again, in the way that I´m talking about it it is a method used for fault finding, and it is not meant to be a permanent fix. The website has nothing to do with the advice that I am giving.

 

Finally, does anyone know why this trouble code would appear in winter and go away in summer? (I am sure the drivers seat has remained unmoved long enough for me to think its weather/heat related)

... does the clio have underseat vents ? hot blower making the cables more flexible?

 

Brendan
Has the scanner the option to speak Renault? No is does not, it simply refers me a google search results page with an error because the device is out of wifi range.

James
Does the clio have underseat vents? It has blowers that blow onto my feet and the pedals, I do not think they are close enough.
Airbag bypass, I think we are talking about different parts of the Driver Side SRS system. I read on another discussion that the Side Impact Sensor should be 5.5Khz I got wildly different readings with two Digital Multimeters, so I swapped them over and the scanner reports the same fault. You seem to be referring to the airbag itself, I shall see if I or a relative (DAD) has a 3.3ohm resistor and test that out.

I think the battery sounds a better culprit because the light never changes its state from when I turn the car on. It is either warning lights or no warning lights for the whole journey. That said the battery was new around 2017.

Thanks, Brendan, Andy and James.

 

I think the battery sounds a better culprit because the light never changes its state from when I turn the car on. It is either warning lights or no warning lights for the whole journey. That said the battery was new around 2017.

If the battery voltage seen by the system drops too low on cranking the car will flag false alarms. The sensors are voltage sensitive. This could be due to low battery charge, high internal battery resistance or a bad earth cable back to the battery. Battery output is temperature dependent but a healthy one shouldn't feel the cold. I'd have it checked out if only to eliminate it.

 

Excellent, thanks Brendan. I have a few ideas now and will investigate the wiring, earth strap and battery.

 

I have returned...bearing some good news.

I have broken this message down into the elements that were previously highlighted.

LAUNCH Diagnostic Tool:
I reported that my tool displayed the following errors
11g Computer Locked On Request
6g Driver Side Airbag Circuit Resistance, Short Circuit
This was because I selected Diagnose > Renault > Clio II, instead of Diagnose > Renault > Clio II PH2. When scanning with this setting I get:
DF001 Computer,Internal Electronic Fault (Active)
DF060 Multiplexed Network,Apply Multiplexed Network Fault Finding Procedure (Memory)

Under the Seats:
I have removed the connectors from the driver's seat and soldered them, using heat shrink and electrical tape. The resistance of the SRS lines is the same before and after this operation, so the job was done right, Lucky because I forgot to label the car side and had two blacks and two browns.
Anyone reading this, the drivers side has 9 wires divided into four bigger flexes, so label them correctly!

(Resistance DC = Impedance AC)
Driver Seat Sensor Impedance 0ohm
Impact Detected Inactive
Line 1 Impedance 3.01ohm
Line 10 Impedance 2.57ohm
Line 11 Impedance -0.10ohm
Line 12 Impedance -0.10ohm
Line 2 Impedance 2.94ohm
Line 3 Impedance 2.22ohm
Line 4 Impedance 2.22ohm
Line 5 Impedance 2.57ohm
Line 6 Impedance 2.50ohm
Line 7 Impedance 7.87ohm
Line 8 Impedance 7.87ohm
Line 9 Impedance 2.57ohm

Side Impact Sensors:
I swear the first time I did this the results from two DMMs were sporadic. Now that held them in the same orientation as when they were installed I am getting 6.0 Kohms for both Passenger and Driver side sensors.
Makes me think they operate similiar to mercury tilt switches.

Battery:
My scan tool reports the battery is putting out fractionally more than 12Volts.
I cleaned both positive and negative terminals then covered them in vaseline.
The battery is BOSCH S4, 420CCA, 44Ah. Purchased on 28.06.2017.
It has been lose in the hold down most likely all that time, so it would have wobbled when the car is in motion.

Earth Strap:
This looks to have been going to the battery negative. Mine is about 15 inches long, I have removed the corrosion from the end of the strap and the place it mounts to.

Electrical contact cleaning:
If it matters, I cleaned the Squib connector just behind the steering wheel. The terminals for the back lights, and the Airbag ECU.

Steering Wheel airbag:
I have been unable to unclip the steering wheel airbag to test the resistance of the clock spring.
I am told to NOT check the resistance of the airbag with a DMM in case it goes off ?
I also think I do not need to check the airbag or the clock spring because the line resistance listed is within tolerance ?
I think this tolerance is around 2ohms ?


After all that I am left with a single DF code:
DF001 Computer, Internal Electronic Fault

Is this looking like a new battery, Airbag ECU or both? Or something else?

Any help much appreciated. David

 

UPDATE:
I have installed a new battery in my car today.
The old one was Bosch S4, 44Ah
The new one is Varta C6, 52Ah

The Airbag and SERV lights come on, go off then come back again. So the same problem remains.

Any help appreciated. David

 

So you have NOW unlocked the computer ?

 

Ours2012 --- So you have NOW unlocked the computer ?
Not sure what you mean. I have not unlocked a computer, I have note cleared any DTCs from the SRS system, post new battery.

James --- its a clio - the computer is under the cupholders - is there anything been spilt in there? If its cooked, then replacement computers can be had off ebay for a score.
Nothing has been spilt on the Airbag ECU. I have used both WD-40 and electricasl contact cleaner to clean both socket and plug.
I have been googling my 8200 part number for the Airbag ECU, 8200277317/-- BOSCH, nothing came up on Ebay last week, looks like there are a few auctions for what I need right now
I have been looking at airbag reset services online, although they state this is not a repair of the ECU.

Going to clear the trouble codes now.

 

Ours2012 --- So you have NOW unlocked the computer ?
Not sure what you mean. I have not unlocked a computer, I have note cleared any DTCs from the SRS system, post new battery.

normally the "locked on request" is done by garages (well its supposed to be), so that no matter what you do to the sensors or cables, the airbags wont go off, now that you dont see that "fault" Ours2012 assumed that you are able to turn it off with your tool.

James --- its a clio - the computer is under the cupholders - is there anything been spilt in there? If its cooked, then replacement computers can be had off ebay for a score.

Nothing has been spilt on the Airbag ECU. I have used both WD-40 and electricasl contact cleaner to clean both socket and plug.
I have been googling my 8200 part number for the Airbag ECU, 8200277317/-- BOSCH, nothing came up on Ebay last week, looks like there are a few auctions for what I need right now

Ahh ok, you´ve already tried that, to be fair, it sounds like the airbag ecu is goosed, for 20 quid and a bit of torx screw wiggling, its a cheapish easy option, if you can find one from the same style of car 2 door / 4 door etc. (if its the wrong style the ecu will be looking for airbags or it´ll have too many etc, this can be changed, but only by renault stealers and their magic clips.

I have been looking at airbag reset services online, although they state this is not a repair of the ECU.

I think you´ll find there is no such thing - you can do what they will do - turn off the airbag light, but it will come one as soon as you turn the key the second time - the airbag system in these cars is self testing, every time you start the car - if theres a fault the light stays on. if theres not, it goes off.

 

Going to clear the trouble codes now
I still get DF001 Computer, Internal Electronic Fault

Looking for a new ECU now

 

I have replaced the Airbag ECU with a one from a popular web-base auction website.
The Airbag and SERV lights went out.
I attached the Diagnostic tool and got two error codes.
I cleared these codes and they no longer return.

The car has passed her MOT!
Big thanks to James, Ours, Andrew and Brendan for their support. I hope the detail in this thread helps you if your reading this.