MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGF Technical - SRS warning light was on... for the first time!

Hi my SRS warning light was on for the first time!

It was on until I turned the car off. But after that I haven't seen it since.

I am not sure if this can be the reason, but today for the first time, I didn't give my F time to initialise at all. Woke up in the morning, and just booted it up straight from stage 0 to stage 3. I think this is why I had that warning light on.

Since then I haven't seen it. Is this something that I can just ignore or that i have to worry about?

please let me know! Thanks..

(I have read through the archieve)
Hanah Kim

Hi,
I bet it won't be the last time you saw it! The same happened to me last year. At first it disappeared when I turned the car off and restarted it but then it reappeared sooner and sooner, in the end it was on all the time. The reason? There is a "contact ring" in the steering wheel for the airbag, which was worn out. Wait till the light starts appearing regularly then bring it to the dealer he'll probably find out what I just told you.
Nikolaj
Nikolaj

>bring it to the dealer

Harrr, haaaar, only LOL, cause of Nikolajs instruction. :)
Gues he didn't follow the Cross Meber Bar thread :)

My godness, not again problems.
Anyway, dummo wether Nikolaj is right with his first input.

Possible failure in any way, cause the steering wheel was off under your repair job. Probabbly the workshop 'disassembled' it while the remove of the indicator switch group.

Guess I need to join again the garage and take photos of the related part.

Notice for all: It isn't a contakt ring but a long winded thin PC bord strip with crimp connections at each end. It winds in and out like a snake around the steering axle.

Arrghh, sh*t writing, I go to take pictures.
;-)

Dieter

Dieter Koennecke

All and Hanah,

I'm just busy working out the webside and pictures of that turn thing Part No YRC100170.

So can somebody else please lead Hanah to all the other possible connections of the SRS which can cause the SRS light ?
I mean the connections under and beside the seat, the connection special to the passenger airbag etc and also to the SRS ECU itself under the dash.

http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/seat/index.htm
as first impression and
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/sales/Dcp_2608.jpg
to see the yellow system.

Hanah, bookmark this one for the steeringwheel remove and just taken photos of the 'turn connection strip'.
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/steeringwheel/index.htm
Will be ready enhenced in one or two hours.

:)
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

Thanks Dieter!

I actually asked the dealer to remove my steering wheel and refit everything yesterday, because the indicator release (you know when you turn with the indicator on, it releases itself / turns off itself when steering wheel is centered) was in a funny position, I asked them to look at it again.

I haven't seen the SRS since yesterday, and just keeping my fingers crossed. But if there is a problem, I guess I can get a free service on this as they have stuffed it up.
=p

Already bookmarked your page! Thanks!

Also Thanks to Nikolaj!
Hanah Kim

Ahh, Nikolaj may be right on the location.

I took photos, but several other changes need to be still made to the documents.

If you take the above link to the 'seat' page, then you will find on top another link to 'srs system'. (Also back to the other on top of that.

I didn't open the electric transmission box.
Anyway, more 'understandable' and good english descriptions are required. Takes to much time with my flat english skills. Miss also to much special vocabulary.

See the pictures. Explain a lot more then words.
But take care and instruct your dealer on the box and the long winded thin strip.
(Its a picture there where I pull the cover back a little).
You must not turn the center plate and upper connector useless, cause it spans the strip to much.

>indicator release
I know what you mean. See pictures on under construction site. You'll also find the small grey coloured lever at the switch mechanism. inside the deep hole.

Good night
Dieter
PS new links are also available in the right frame of http://www.mgf-net.de

Dieter Koennecke

Unfortunately Nikolaj is right.

I started her up 1 hour ago, and SRS light was on...

I couldn't get it off.

Damn it.

I will get it sorted out tomorrow.

Thanks Dieter, I will look into your site more thoroughly..

:)

and again, your english is fine!
:)

(I only spoke the language for last 6 years!)
Hanah Kim

Dieter~

'I'm just busy working out the webside and pictures of that turn thing Part No YRC100170.'

Is this the sling ring / or the contact ring that others have mentioned?

Please let me know.

Thanks

:)

Hanah Kim

yes it is a a 'sling ring'.

A very long 'cable' is winded inside. I would translate is as strip. Common also from printers i.e. the moving print head is connected to the main PC-board by such a multi-connection strip.

Again my advice NOT to turn the centerplate with the yellow label useless and only for fun !!!

Why ?
I didn't open mine currently. But there is also a small switch on the right hand side. (at outer diameter.
Dunno what its good for !!

Also dunno, wether you should go on there. At first check the other SRS connections, did you ??

................
Urgent exploration for you and all at that wind connection box !!!

Tegarding the small switch at the outer diameter.

Looks like a cross >> +
A metal blade is at one end of this cross
On the opposit side of the assy (so left) is a blue shift blade. Obviously a transportation secure part.
I suppose this is required to prevent the center from useless turns before the box is mounted under the steering wheel.

Hanah, try to pull this blue pin in your direction. Guess you need a small bended tool (2.5mm dia) and push it from rear to your direction. If the blue pin is out, then you can secure handle the box, cause useless turns are blocked.

This silly switch on the opposit of the blue pin works like a intermitted counter.
This switch is a tricky thing. A plastic cross with a metal blade.
On each turn of the center plate a small bolt gets to this switch and turns it once for 90 degrees.

I try to explain the sequence.
1. steering wheel in straight ahead direction = metal blade invisible.

2. turn the steering right = metal blade shows to the rear after 180 degrees steering wheel turn.

3. after another 360 degree it shows upwards

all inverted if you turn the steering wheel left.

Can't someone else explain ?
For what in heaven is a pulse sequence signal from the steering wheel required ????

Is it for the EPAS ECU ???

Dirkiiieee urgent call !!!

HTH
Dieter
PS pictures of this crazy switch to follow tonight (new thread)
Dieter Koennecke

Hanah,
as already mentioned to the other thread, I was totally wrong with the switch theory.
Forget my last message.
Here again:

yes it is a a 'sling ring'.

A very long 'cable' is winded inside. I would translate is as strip. Common also from printers i.e. the moving print head is connected to the main PC-board by such a multi-connection strip.

Again my advice NOT to turn the centerplate with the yellow label useless and only for fun !!!

Why ?
It could get spanned to much and the crimp connections at the end of the multi strip cable.

Also dunno, wether you should go on there. At first check the other SRS connections, did you ??

................
crap written to the other message
...............

HTH
Dieter
PS pictures of to follow tonight
Dieter Koennecke

Damn it!

I just went to the dealer to get it sorted, they hooked it on the computer and told me that they cleaned all the contact points behind the steering wheel etc. It was fine when I booted her up from the dealer, then when I got home and re-put it into stage 2, I see the bloody SRS light on again.

If they have damaged the rotary coupler, should they pay for it?

I didn't have a problem at all before it went in for the cross-member repair. After that I am seeing this warning light..

Sh*t, I feel pissed off at the moment.

Dieter, that bloody rotary coupler was around $500NZ as well! I spent $1000 on the cross-member, and because they stuffed up my momo gear knob (thread), I had to get a new one at my expense for $130NZ.

And extra $500NZ? no way, whether I will live without airbags or Rover should pay for it.

My car is 1997 registered car.
Hanah Kim

What a SH*T day I am having.

Now my mom is giving me crap, because I am feeling grumpy. (*sigh*)

Hate being young.

Anyway,

I went back to the dealer again just now. And the top service manager guy, and he was saying that the mechanic didn't open the steering wheel at all. (Thus not touching the rotary coupler) Is this true? When he explained it sounded fair enough. (but who knows?)

There is a new version out for $277+GST NZ which is a good news for me. The car is going in the service again on Wednesday (NZ time) morning to get the resistance checked, and if there is a problem with the rotary coupler, Roverland says that they will provide the labour as free of charge and 15% disccont on the rotary.

I was going like 50/50 on the rotary coupler (or sling contact) and they were going 'the services we have provided for the cross member was about 17 hour labour, due to your alarm systems (cuz I have 2 extra), and all other cabling, etc), etc. And we only charged for 6 hours and extra check up on these testbook and other services were provided free sir'

Damn..

I am in a grumpy mood today.

Dieter, enlighten me pleaaaase!

(and thanks for the info, and your site!)

I probably seem so knowledgeable to them muhahhaa (Dieter's laugh) :)

Oh also, he told me that there were 7 faults on my car through the testbook, but he said there is really only one problem which is the SRS, and others are just crazy small niggles that computer is misunderstanding. Hope he is right :(

I have gone to the dealers numerous times since I got my MGF. (Good that I only live 5 mins away from them)

* Window leak (sorted)
* Tiny oil drops (cam seals, only needed tighetning since the nuts were loose)
* Ride height
* Cross-member
* Exhaust brackets
* SRS


I guess the only major problem was the cross-member and this SRS thing.

But I still love my F to the bits..

Funny that.


Hanah Kim

Hanah,

thanks for the 'rotary coupler' ;-) guess this is the best description.
$500NZ ?? how much is it in EURO or GBP ??
Thinking about my second hand one :) But... I disassembled it already once and dunno wether it is OK.

Anyway, no need to panic. Never beleave all what a dealer says (mostly)

Please state what was disassembled from the interior.
Dash is clear. Seats also ? and also the tunnel at the gear lever I suppose ?

If so then the intermitted interuption or intermitted shortcut can be everywhere at each connection. Also any of the other wiring can be clamped between anything.

Time to analyse before let them damadge anything else.

Any thoughts from other chaps ?

Can the ground connection of the SRS ECU be a reason ?
I recall that I forgot once myself to rebolt it to the metal case when I disassembled the case at my gear linkage repair job. But I've really no idea on wether it is related to failures.

FYI, I added more pictures of the rotary coupler to the document. Special on the confusing cross indicator, which led me to wrong ideas. It isn't a switch but only a indicator.
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/srs_system/index.htm

Sorry, thats all I can help this week. Now back at my second home.

Rgds
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

To Dieter,

I think the whole dash was removed (and as the gear knob was removed as well), not sure about the tunnel, but the hand brake was a little loose afterwards, so I had to go back to get it adjusted. I don't think seats were removed, as my cd case which I keep below the seat was in the same position.

and some wirings inside I guess.

Since, sometimes the SRS light is on, and sometimes off, I guess it might be the rotary coupler. The dealer is going to measure the resistance on Wednesday.

If they made an error in the circuit, wouldn't the SRS light be on every time? (rather then sometimes on and sometimes off)

My car, if it was off when starting, then it's off until I turn the car off and restart. (it doesn't turn on in the middle of the ride)

Funny that, Dieter, any more thoughts? and Thanks!! just as usual!

Help me~

Hanah Kim

>I don't think seats were removed

Hanah think the opposit. Without seat remove no access to the tunnel, not to the gearstick, handbrake etc. also the rear plastic area including the T-Bar was off.
The SRS ECU is tightened under the gear lever assembly. So the wiring to the ECU can be also related. (Big multi connector, secured with a strong clamp, remove not required, but who knows).
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/gear_select/dcp_2291.jpg
The ground cable I mentioned is connected probabbly to the drivers side of the SRS ECU with a bolt.

See pictures of my wreck disassembly and the gear linkage repair job to get an impression.
The handbrake needs to be unbolted for an easy remove of the tunnel.
http://www.lame-delegation.de/mgf-net.de/kaputt/index.htm

I'm sorry, but have no idea about how the SRS works. A constant shortcut or interupt will be easy to find, but I don't know wether the light remains on or only flashes once.

Cheers
Dieter
Dieter Koennecke

Hi guys

By strange coincidence I had the steering wheel and rotary coupler off my F yesterday to fix it. The ribbon cable had come away from the connector and so my SRS light was on and the horn wouldn't work.

Took it to pieces and soldered up the connections. Very fiddly job, had to seperate them with insulating material. Checked ciruits for shorts of course before replacing unit! Didn't want to be replacing an airbag too!

The whole unit seemed very fragile. I had enquired about the cost of a new one and it is currently 77.87GBP+VAT. Money for nothing. It was very easy fo refit though.

Julian

Julian

I had also exactly same problem with same effects.

Rotary coupler was faulty... another great hi quality product inside your MGF! ;)

Rover paid the parts (around 130 GBP), I paid the labour (about 30 GBP).

Reason of Rover why it broke down:
"Euh...no no, it's not your fault...never mind, we pay anyway." Despite fact car was 3 years old (long gone guarantee) Rover didn't oppose to anything, they immediately refunded me.

So Hanah, don't get screwed by Rover, things like that can't break down due to the user, it's just the quality of the part. DON'T PAY FOR THE PART!

Nuff said...
Dirk

Dirk, wish I can do that..

Rover here ain't that strong, and they will probably go blah blah blah that blah this. :(

I didn't buy my car there either, so my words can't be really strong. But whenever I go into the shop, the mechanics get scared. :)

So they don't treat me bad.

They said 'labour = for analysing which part is wrong' for free 'part = 15% discount'.

Hope that fixes it.

Dirk, I don't blame you for anything. I would (will do)have done the same, if my F behaves like yours.

But not too bad so far... :)
Hanah Kim

Dieter and others,

My dealer has replaced the rotary coupler, and called me and said 'your car is ready to go sir, the rotary coupler was no good'.

So when I was about to leave the house, he called me again 'ah Mr. Kim, your car, SRS has come on again, you will have leave it overnight at our shop, we will get back to you tomorrow'.

Obviously, now I won't pay for the new rotary coupler if they try to charge me tomorrow. Maybe the problem is underneath the seats I don't know.

Where else do I need to look? Dieter, you mentioned about the side tunnel, any where else?

Remember my dash was fully off once. Still not sure about the seats. (Hope they didn't damage DCT or something the main unit)

I mean, the service person admitted that the rotary coupler was the problem, and after replacing it, same problem. So there was obviously no problem with the coupler. But if they damaged the previous one thinking that the older one was dud (when replacing with the new one), what am I supposed to do? Surely it's their fault right? (so I get the new part for free?)

Let me know what you think.


Regards,
Hanah
(partly happy, cuz I have a reason to not to pay for) :)
Hanah Kim

Hi Hanah

After mending my rotary coupler, my SRS light is still on and apparently will remain so until it is reset in the memory of the ECU, at the dealer.

Have they forgotten to do this?

Julian
Julian

Hey Julian, I will pass that on to my dealer.
Thanks.

Hanah Kim

Got my car back just now.

No lights on and I paid for the new rotary coupler.

Hope this has solved the problem permanently.

It costed me 80 pounds including GST (or VAT). That was 15% off discount on the parts + free labour.

Now, dent master is coming to my house tomorrow morning, to pop out that door ding on the side of my front panel.

Now it will be perfect again!
:)
Hanah Kim

This thread was discussed between 20/01/2001 and 25/01/2001

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.