Peugeot Partner

[Pit Creature]

I bought a 2nd hand Pergeot Partner van a year ago. It's helped me work much faster and get more done per day and earn more money which has been great.

Until now.

MOT has failed, the main issue being the airbag warning fault light. This has been caused by water leaking in to the bottom of the van and damaging the electrics. I've just been told by a Pergeot garage that the problem will cost at least £2500 to fix and it will take weeks to sort out. All because of the airbag fault light!

Sorry, I know this is a van problem more than anything but I basically can't work without a van so I'm screwed right now and I'm panicking because I don't know what to do!

Any ideas? Or suggestions about which van to get in the future to avoid this problem?

 

[Part Timer]

You can easily get warning lights removed

 

[Pit Creature]

You can easily get warning lights removed

How?? If I can get around it somehow then I'd love to. I can't afford to pay that much at the moment. I can't afford to be off work either!

 

[Part Timer]

Auto electrician or someone with diagnostic equipment can I believe. Don't know how legal it is though, have a quick Google

 

[ched999uk]

Don't go to a main dealer as they will replace everything the computer tells them too and charge £80 a hour!!!

I would start googling for air bag fault with your model of van, you may find the fix alternatively as others have said is ring a few auto electricians and ask them, you might find one of them has experience of this fault.
While you can have fault lights reset I think the air bag one might be one that is checked each time ignition is switched on.

OK so this option compromises your safety so it might be a last resort and you need to check if it's legal and passes the MoT or your insurance could be invalid!!
You might be able to find a steering wheel from another model that doesn't have an airbag then you could remove the airbag light!

 

[Pit Creature]

Don't go to a main dealer as they will replace everything the computer tells them too and charge £80 a hour!!!

I would start googling for air bag fault with your model of van, you may find the fix alternatively as others have said is ring a few auto electricians and ask them, you might find one of them has experience of this fault.
While you can have fault lights reset I think the air bag one might be one that is checked each time ignition is switched on.

OK so this option compromises your safety so it might be a last resort and you need to check if it's legal and passes the MoT or your insurance could be invalid!!
You might be able to find a steering wheel from another model that doesn't have an airbag then you could remove the airbag light!

Yeah, the fault comes up on the clock when I start the van. They charge £95 per hour plus VAT. They're saying it could be 15+ hours work because the harnesses need to be replaced, which would cost £1000+ for the part alone. Then the ECU too which would be £350 or something.

Mental!

It's basically a write off.

 

[ched999uk]

By the sound of it a decent auto electrician could get you back on the road for a lot less. A second hand loom and a repaired ecu might sort it. The problem with the loom is probably corrosion of the connectors which could be cut off a second hand loom and soldered to your loom. There are a fair few companies who test and repair ecu's. Don't write it off yet, ring round a few auto electricians and ask their opinions.

 

[spruce]

In the early days PSA airbag warning lights were caused by movement of the drivers seat at the connection plug @Pit Creature . This connection plug is under the drivers seat.
So the first thing I would look at is the cable and connector under the seat. This is the electrical connector to the seat belt pretensioners which are part of the airbag system.

The connector is on the floor and damp carpets could also well have caused corrosion at the connector. The other issue is that if the cable has come loose then it could have be caught in the seat travel guides and cut the cable.

This has been the issue with my son's original Peugeot Partner, his current Citroen Berlingo and my wife's Citroen Xsara.

There was a factory repair bulletin in the early 2000's from Citroen identifying and repairing the fault.

If you are going to do any work on the van then it's a good idea to power the van down and disconnect the earth cable to the battery. You may need to recode your radio.

 

[spruce]

I'm afraid that as your van gets older @Pit Creature the parts from PSA are that expensive that most jobs you need doing will be more than the van is worth.

4 years ago my wife's Citroen Xsara needed a new catalytic converter. The part from Citroen was £1300 + Vat and an additional 2 hours labour @ £75 an hour + Vat to fit. Back then the car was valued at around £750.
I paid £95 for the correct part (type approved to car registration number) from our local motor factors and fitted it myself. I can see why Citroen wanted 2 hours for the job. It took me the best part of 3 hours. I estimated 1/2 an hour tops. ?

 

[Pit Creature]

I'm afraid that as your van gets older @Pit Creature the parts from PSA are that expensive that most jobs you need doing will be more than the van is worth.

4 years ago my wife's Citroen Xsara needed a new catalytic converter. The part from Citroen was £1300 + Vat and an additional 2 hours labour @ £75 an hour + Vat to fit. Back then the car was valued at around £750.
I paid £95 for the correct part (type approved to car registration number) from our local motor factors and fitted it myself. I can see why Citroen wanted 2 hours for the job. It took me the best part of 3 hours. I estimated 1/2 an hour tops. ?

Pergeot were talking about replacing the harnesses which would be £1000+ for the parts and 20 hours labour at £95 per hour + vat. I'm hoping just the airbag ECU and the connectors will need replacing. It's booked in to a different garage on Monday for a 2nd opinion. I've had to hire a van in the meantime so I can get some work done. It's been a nightmare. Would rather have no airbags!

 

[spruce]

Pergeot were talking about replacing the harnesses which would be £1000+ for the parts and 20 hours labour at £95 per hour + vat. I'm hoping just the airbag ECU and the connectors will need replacing. It's booked in to a different garage on Monday for a 2nd opinion. I've had to hire a van in the meantime so I can get some work done. It's been a nightmare. Would rather have no airbags!

Unless you are in an accident and they save your life.

 

[Pit Creature]

Unless you are in an accident and they save your life.

I'd rather take my chances. I wouldn't have much of a life left if I couldn't work. I'd be on the street.

 

[ched999uk]

Have you contacted any auto electricians as a standard garage might not be the best place to get a good idea of the issue, most are very good at mechanical stuff but the electronics side of things is not their speciality?

 

[Crystalalan]

yes definately get a second opinion. That sounds massively excessive to me

 

[ched999uk]

If you are looking at an ecu repair AC Tronics are very good ECU, ABS, TCU, Cluster Testing & Repairs | ACtronics LTD - ACtronics LTD

 

[Pit Creature]

I managed to a place to fix the problem and get it through the MOT for about £650 in the end. That's a lot better than the £3000-4000 Pergeot where talking about. Turns out the harnesses didn't need changing at all. Pergeot were just taking the ****.

Such a relief. I'd never felt so stressed!

 

[ched999uk]

I managed to a place to fix the problem and get it through the MOT for about £650 in the end. That's a lot better than the £3000-4000 Pergeot where talking about. Turns out the harnesses didn't need changing at all. Pergeot were just taking the ****.

Such a relief. I'd never felt so stressed!

That's great news. Do you know what they needed to do in the end?
As for peugeot replacing the loom, a manufacturer wont normally repair parts they replace, I don't even think they would solder a broken wire they would only replace the loom. That's why it's expensive.

 

[Deleted member 84]

How?? If I can get around it somehow then I'd love to. I can't afford to pay that much at the moment. I can't afford to be off work either!

Take dials out and put black silicone where the light is on. Not ideal and not recommending it but it can be done

 

[ched999uk]

Take dials out and put black silicone where the light is on. Not ideal and not recommending it but it can be done

Does that still fool the tester these days? I thought they had to see the light illuminate when ignition was on then see it go off after engine start?

 

[Deleted member 84]

Does that still fool the tester these days? I thought they had to see the light illuminate when ignition was on then see it go off after engine start?

Yes your right but most mot testers aren't that bothered where I am. But my I say i would rather have stuff right but I have seen people do stuff like that and see it passed.

 

[Pit Creature]

That's great news. Do you know what they needed to do in the end?
As for peugeot replacing the loom, a manufacturer wont normally repair parts they replace, I don't even think they would solder a broken wire they would only replace the loom. That's why it's expensive.

They just needed to replace the airbag ECU and program it in again. A technician at the garage told me he used to work at Pergeot and couldn't believe how many times he had to change the full loom when he was there, and how many people were willing to pay for it.