airbag

**dar** · 26th February 2010, 20:18

does anyone now where the airbag control unit is on my 52plate vectra sxi i had it plugged in today and this fault is coming up thanks

**plasma** · 26th February 2010, 20:27

its underneath the coin holder/cupholder just infront of the handbrake but before the gearstick, there not much the 'average' person can do to it, unless you have proper diagnostic equipment. would recommend that its not 'played' with. What fault is coming up exactly?

**dar** · 26th February 2010, 20:37

it coming up with control unit fault i was going to see if i could change it

**plasma** · 26th February 2010, 21:22

you could change it with a 'pre-used' one if its exactly the same part number and configured with exactly the same amount of airbags.. I bought one on ebay exactly the same year/part number as my car, but only to find out it had 2 rear seat belt pretensioners set up for it... So I could use it on my car as it didnt...

I ended up sending mine back to be reset/repaired...

**James24** · 27th February 2010, 13:02

Do you know the fault code? There's quite a few relating to the airbag system - ECU, sensors, seatbelt pretensioners, and the airbags themselves so you want to replace the right thing.

If the code is B1000 (most likely on an earlier car) then it's definitely new airbag ECU time - either from a dealer (about £550 fitted and programmed), get your old one repaired, or find an identical unit that is programmed identically to yours. There is more than one airbag ECU for the Vectra C depending (I think) on the age of your car.

**dar** · 27th February 2010, 17:11

hi james yeah the code is b1000

**James24** · 27th February 2010, 17:47

Originally Posted by dar

hi james yeah the code is b1000

Bad luck! My Vectra and another I know of (both early cars - mid-2002 and early 2003) have both had this now - there's a weak component in the airbag ECU and it has a tendancy to fail.

How old is your car?

Note that your airbag and seatbelt pretensions won't work until the ECU is repaired/replaced and the airbag light goes out.

Your options are as already posted above. Which one you go for will probably depend on how much money you've got, your DIY skills (if removing and replacing the console and ECU yourself to get it repaired), and how long you want to be without the airbags.

If you phone your local dealer's parts department and give them your car registration number, then can tell you the part number of the ECU that is fitted to your car (you can buy a new one as a part but it has to be Tech2'd into the car). Otherwise, you can strip down the centre console yourself so you can read the part number off the top of the ECU.

Let us know how you get on... If you post your ECU part number on here - and do a search for it on here as well - I'm sure people will advise on that the options are for that particular one.

**dar** · 27th February 2010, 20:56

thanks james my car is a 52plate been looking on ebay there are a couple on there between £25-£150. i could change it my self i got to email vauxhall shop on ebay my chasiss number for the right one. and my mate could delete the fault.

**James24** · 28th February 2010, 17:44

If your car is a 52 plate, then it may well have the same one as mine as it's the same age. The airbag ECU fitted to my car (part number 13142540) cannot be reset via Tech2 by a dealer if the airbags are triggered and the car is repaired, they can only replace it with a new one. Also dealers cannot re-program them into a new car - once it's been programmed into one car, that's it.

What tools does your mate have that can reset and program the ECU you are looking to buy? There may be tools out there that can do what dealers can't, but I think it's worth checking your mate can definitely do what will need to be done to the model of airbag ECU fitted to your car before you buy one.

**sharper** · 13th December 2010, 16:41

right all I need some advise , Ive had my airbag light on for about 2 weeks , took it to my mates garage and finaly after 4 code readers managed to read the code b1000 , then he called in a favour for me at the local vauxhall dealer , mechanic put tech 2 on it and says change ecu , £430 for the part , asked if a second hand one could be used he says no , has anyone had any experience of this ?, and any advise they could give me , I ve seen a place on ebay that does resets if this is the case will it have to be tech 2d back after repair , any help greatly appreciated