Z3 2002 1.9 - airbag light on

[Bobbybiscuit]

Hi _ i am new to this club and to the Z3 which I picked up yesterday. Everything fine until mid afternoon today when air bag light came on. I understand that this is an issue with this type of car.

Can you please tell me what caused it and how do I get rid of the air bag light.

Thanks

Bob (bobbyniscuit)

I have tried to find it on here but I cant find an article relating to it.

 

[colb]

Initial check of the wiring under the seats to make sure they are fully connected and clean, then get yourself a code reader that will read the airbag module using the 20pin round diagnostic socket in the engine bay. I use a B800 code reader on my Z3 they are cheap and on ebay. Once you know the code it will point you in the right direction to trace the fault and repair, it will also allow you to clear the codes. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/B800-Air...607285?hash=item548ced2f75:g:uuMAAOSwqttfh60x

You might want to add your location in your account details so it appears in the left hand side of your posts and the model you have. You might have a member nearby with the diagnostics to plug into your car that could assist you.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Great info and will update profile - thank you for your advice.

I just went out to move my car and the air bag light did not come on this time. I did pick up my granddaughter and it was then that my air bag light came on.

This suggests that its the passenger area and could well be the fact that yesterday she moved the seat.

I have now order the gadget as suggested.

 

[colb]

Sounds like the passenger seat may well have been the cause, if the wires are not clipped out of the way they can cause faults to set when the seat is moved. Check the wiring is clean and plugged in ok. The code will remain in memory even if the warning light has gone off so when you get the B800 plug it in and see what codesw were set, delete the codes and see if they come back.
Add the engine version to your Model 1.9, 2.2 etc, that also helps us see what you have when you ask questions as there are differences between the models. Instructions for the B800 attached so you can bone up whilst waiting for delivery.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Ok thank you - where do I find the engine version? Sorry to be a pain! I put in the engine size.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Z3 1.9

M43 4 cylinder

118 HP

197 km/h

2001 - 2003

 

[colb]

Use this link to access your car details by using your cars Vin Number, it will give you a full listing of what your car left the factory with. http://bimmer.work/
In your user details just add the 1.9 after the Z3 in the Model of Z field.
Since you are new to the car you might want to access the Realoem site to look for part numbers and part diagrams for your car. The site will require the last 7 letters and digits of your Vin number to display what is applicable to your car.

RealOEM.com - Select Your BMW Model

RealOEM.com BMW Parts website. This site can be used to look up BMW part numbers and approximate part prices. The Parts are grouped into diagrams and diagrams are grouped into categories and subcategories

www.realoem.com

You have a M43 engined car by your last post, same as mine but mine is a 1999 built car first registered in 2000 on a W plate very happy with mine.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Can I ask how many miles you get to the gallon locally and on a run please? Mine did not seem that good yesterday when driving. I am going to get a new set of tyres all round as existing tyres are old and solid! I mean the rubber is solid. Also get the tracking done at same time. Steering is heavy and I think thats the cause.

 

[colb]

Can't say I ever checked mpg on the Z3, easier on my Z4 as its displayed on the dash. Like all cars a lot will depend how its driven, heavy right foot and you pay the price at the petrol pump, steady cruising and it will be much better.
As to your tyres you can determin the age of them from the codes on them, detils here

Tyre age and tyre dot code | Help Centre | Blackcircles.com

Does the age of a tyre affect its performance? Find out how to tell the age of a tyre and whether age affects performance.

www.blackcircles.com

Well worth having the tracking checked when you renew them.
Do you have any service history with the car, front suspension and roll bar bushes are worth checking although any issues should have been found at MOT time. Whats the mileage on your car?
If your mpg is low might be worth checking the spark plugs and giving it an oil service so you know whats in it to start with. A common problem on all Z's are air leaks in the intake rubbers and vaccum pipes/hoses across the engine. Air leaks will make the engine think its running lean and make it add more fuel at the injectors to richen it up. Its unmetered air that is being seen by the exhaust sensors that dosn't match what is reported as having passed through the Maf sensor. In diagnostics looking at live fuel trim data will indicate if they are high and suggest that it has air leak(s). Usual suspect is the intake rubber bellows after the Maf having a split in it, easy to replace if it is split. As to diagnostics there are threads on here with reccomendations, personally I use a Laptop with BMW INPA and BMW Scanner 1.4 and Gendan Engine Check Pro. I find BMW Scanner 1.4 the easiest to use but like Genden Engine Check Pro for live data viewing. BMW INPA is ok but clunky and can be a pain to install on a laptop without a lot of faffing around. Check out previous threads on the handheld scanner options others use.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Can't say I ever checked mpg on the Z3, easier on my Z4 as its displayed on the dash. Like all cars a lot will depend how its driven, heavy right foot and you pay the price at the petrol pump, steady cruising and it will be much better.
As to your tyres you can determin the age of them from the codes on them, detils here

Tyre age and tyre dot code | Help Centre | Blackcircles.com

Does the age of a tyre affect its performance? Find out how to tell the age of a tyre and whether age affects performance.

www.blackcircles.com

Well worth having the tracking checked when you renew them.
Do you have any service history with the car, front suspension and roll bar bushes are worth checking although any issues should have been found at MOT time. Whats the mileage on your car?
If your mpg is low might be worth checking the spark plugs and giving it an oil service so you know whats in it to start with. A common problem on all Z's are air leaks in the intake rubbers and vaccum pipes/hoses across the engine. Air leaks will make the engine think its running lean and make it add more fuel at the injectors to richen it up. Its unmetered air that is being seen by the exhaust sensors that dosn't match what is reported as having passed through the Maf sensor. In diagnostics looking at live fuel trim data will indicate if they are high and suggest that it has air leak(s). Usual suspect is the intake rubber bellows after the Maf having a split in it, easy to replace if it is split. As to diagnostics there are threads on here with reccomendations, personally I use a Laptop with BMW INPA and BMW Scanner 1.4 and Gendan Engine Check Pro. I find BMW Scanner 1.4 the easiest to use but like Genden Engine Check Pro for live data viewing. BMW INPA is ok but clunky and can be a pain to install on a laptop without a lot of faffing around. Check out previous threads on the handheld scanner options others use.

There is some service history and on the MOT there is reference to about corrison of some suspension parts but it did not fail. Mileage is just coming up to 100,000 miles which is pretty good for a 2002 car.

I dont have any tuning software and I am rubbish at that sort of thing. I am ok with a pc and I dont have a laptop. I would not know where to start! lol

I have a light foot but its hilly around Plymouth so fuel consumption does vary quite a lot.

 

[Bampz]

Before I had my 2.8 I had a 1.9 m44 140 bhp , and driven sensibly I was returning 40/45 mpg, driven like I stole it I'd still get 35ish , found the m44 very economical ,

 

[colb]

Sooner or later you will be needing a code reader, with no laptop you will be wanting a handheld reader together with a 20pin diagnostic to 16pin OBD2 cable to plug into the underbonnet socket. You may have a 16pin obd socket under the steering wheel as well but that only reads the engine and gearbox modules. The 20pin socket in the engine bay reads all modules the car has.
Best option for you will be one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/C310-Cod...092103?hash=item281f603b07:g:xk4AAOSwZ4dZKzHd
There are cheaper options using an Bluetooth or Wifi ELM327 emulator with the 20pin cable and an Android phone with a diagnostic App such as Torque which can be downloaded from the usual App stores.
Far better reading your own codes than paying garages to do it. Once you have codes post the problem on here for advice.

 

[Bobbybiscuit]

Sooner or later you will be needing a code reader, with no laptop you will be wanting a handheld reader together with a 20pin diagnostic to 16pin OBD2 cable to plug into the underbonnet socket. You may have a 16pin obd socket under the steering wheel as well but that only reads the engine and gearbox modules. The 20pin socket in the engine bay reads all modules the car has.
Best option for you will be one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/C310-Cod...092103?hash=item281f603b07:g:xk4AAOSwZ4dZKzHd
There are cheaper options using an Bluetooth or Wifi ELM327 emulator with the 20pin cable and an Android phone with a diagnostic App such as Torque which can be downloaded from the usual App stores.
Far better reading your own codes than paying garages to do it. Once you have codes post the problem on here for advice.

Have you got shares in these people selling equipment lol ?? I have a code reader for obd socket which I read when a problem arises on granddaughter's car. So where is the engine bay connector for the one above? I had a cheaper option once and could not fathom what I was looking at and it rarely connected to the car.

 

[colb]

The 20 pin Pacman diagnostic socket on the M43 engined car is in the engine bay on the right side of the engine, twist off the round cover to reveal the socket that the 20pin to 16pin OBD cable changer plugs into. Known as a Pacman socket because of the shape of the centre locating pin. You will be able to access all modules on your car using this connection, if you have a 16pin OBD2 socket under the steering wheel that will only read the engine and gearbox modules. Airbag needs to be read from the 20pin round socket. No shares in any of the suppliers just a geek for using the diagnostics on my cars and prefer doing things myself rather than pay anyone else especially code reading for faults. Once you get the 20pin to 16pin cable changer try your code reader on the Z3 and see if it communicates, you don't say what make model the code reader is so if it works that will save you getting a specific BMW reader.