SRS Light - Turned on by water!!!!

[rawill]

My SRS light issue was related to the Aquarium!! (I think)

I did 600km to find a Tech II, it cost me $70.00 to get it turned off. The fault codes indicated dash had been out and an open circuit, related to my turning the key on with the dash out!

BUT - 10 minutes later when I parked on a street with the left side of the car on a low side the light came on again!!

Anyway long story short, the SRS module was full of water. You could see the tide mark which was just underneath the circuit board, and you could see some sign of electrical activity!!

The tech guy thought water had come from the aquarium. I am not sure, the floor has never been damp there.

I am wondering if it is possible the water is the result of condensation from the aircon. But that does not make sense either, as lots of people would have reported that fault.

Anyway the solution was simple, dry the unit out spray it the unit with protectant, put it back in clear the code, so far so good.

But long term. I am seriously thinking of drilling a drain hold in the base, and getting a spare one as a backup.

Second charge was $170.00 but I am kind of happy, the agents were good, and I learnt something new.
Now a 600km trip home.

[90000006]

water in srs unit is most likely coming from a leaking heater core, very common on 9k's. Loosing any coolant? Sweet smell in car with heating turned on?

[Jim Mesthene]

I think there was a Safety Recall for that in the US.
Safety Recalls are forever; bring in your car (regardless of age) and they either do the recall or they have to buy the car from you.
I don't know what the laws are where you are.

[rawill]

Originally Posted by 90000006

water in srs unit is most likely coming from a leaking heater core, very common on 9k's. Loosing any coolant? Sweet smell in car with heating turned on?

It was not coolant, the water inside the unit was clear. and no I am not loosing coolant, at least there has been no drop in the level for 3000km since I bought the car.

And as I said above there is no dampness on the floor or anywhere else I can find. I have had all the dash out in this car to check the acc for faults
/R

[rawill]

Thank you Jim

Originally Posted by Jim Mesthene

I think there was a Safety Recall for that in the US.

Safety Recalls are forever; bring in your car (regardless of age) and they either do the recall or they have to buy the car from you.
I don't know what the laws are where you are.

I think would have trouble, the car was imported used from Japan. It is a 93 9000griffin.
I think any safety recall would not apply here.
But this is interesting. If you could tell me more about what they did to stop it happening again that would be great.

I think I said above I was thinking of taking the unit out and drilling a hole in the base so any condensation could seep out.
I am assuming it is condensation as the water was clean and clear. The base is aluminum with a steel top cover.

I also wondered about insulation to stop it getting hot/cold

/R
/R

[rawill]

Totally right re the safety recall


1993 SAAB 9000 Recall - Recall ID 7298 for SAAB 9000 AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

Less than 5 minutes on the web brings it up.

I will try to get my money refunded and get the agents to supply me the cover for the unit that was part of the safety recall fix.

Many thanks

You must know everything, I would never have thought of it.

/.Robin


NHTSA Campaign Number: 99V109000
Vehicle/Equipment Make: SAAB
Vehicle/Eqipment Model: 9000
Model Year: 1993
Mfg Campaign Number:
Mfg Component Desc: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
Mfg Involved in Recall: SAAB CARS USA, INC.
Manufacture Dates: 06-20-91 through 07-06-94
Type of Report: (V) Vehicle
Potential # of Units Affected: 26,116
Date Owner Notified by Mfg: 07-05-99
Recall Initiated By: MFR
Mfg Responsible for Recall: SAAB CARS USA, INC.
Report Recieved Date: 05-06-99
Record Creation Date: 05-12-99
Regulation Part Number:
FMVSS Number:
Defect Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. MOISTURE CAN ENTER THE AIR BAG INFLATABLE RESTRAINT ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE (ECM) AND CAUSE CORROSION ON PORTIONS OF THE ECM PRINTER CIRCUIT BOARDS.
Consequence Summary: THIS CORROSION CAN POSSIBLY CREATE OPEN CONNECTIONS IN CIRCUITS WHICH CONTROL THE RESTRAINT DEPLOYMENT, POSSIBLY CAUSING INADVERTENT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT.
Corrective Summary: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE EXTERIOR OF THE ECM. IF THERE IS NO INDICATION OF MOISTURE, A COVER WILL BE INSTALLED OVER THE ECM. IF THERE IS INDICATION OF MOISTURE, THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE ECM AND INSTALL A COVER OVER THE NEW ECM.
Key

[Jim Mesthene]

Originally Posted by rawill

If you could tell me more about what they did to stop it happening again that would be great.

I just remembered it. At the time, I was a Shop Foreman at a Dealer. It was part of my job to keep track of that stuff.
I have a very good memory, but it was 17 years ago and I don't recall any more details...

[Cuba]

People even used to drill some holes in the bottom of the unit.

[rawill]

Originally Posted by cuba

People even used to drill some holes in the bottom of the unit.

I was thinking that could/would be a plan, and also some insulation above to save the unit getting, hot/cold.

On a trip for Christchurch to Riverton today (600km) it was damp on top of the unit when I got to Dunedin (350km) I dried it and when we got home (250km) it was still dry.

I think after using it for a while I will take the unit out and check inside it, and drill holes in it. I will see if I can get the Saab cover, which I assume is to keep hot cold air from getting to it.

Should this thread, with the recall notice, be cut and pasted into a topic for us poor 93 9000 owners!

/R

[c900]

I'm curious to know how a safety recall issued some 10+ years ago can still be valid or honoured now, particularly when the car model in question is no longer in production. It's the sort of thing which should have been sorted out at the time the recall was issued but I suppose it's not always possible to track down the current owner of every affected vehicle.

Craig.

[Jim Mesthene]

Originally Posted by c900

I'm curious to know how a safety recall issued some 10+ years ago can still be valid or honoured now, particularly when the car model in question is no longer in production.

The short answer is that it's US law (applicable only in the US, your country may vary).
There are several levels of Recall under US DOT regulations. The bottom rung is a Service Campaign, in which cars that happen to come in for service are updated (these Campaigns are often derided as "hidden warranties"). The next level notifies customers of the Campaign. Campaigns expire. The next category is Recall.
Recalls that don't rise to the level of a Safety hazard (defective paint for example) give you certain rights, but they expire at some point.
Safety Recalls are the highest level (Emissions Recalls are just short of this level), have mandatory notification requirements and never expire. If the Manufacturer claims that the car is too old, and cannot be repaired, they're required to buy back the car, rather than make you drive their fire-waiting-to-happen. Without that level of mandated compliance, the Manufacturers come up with one excuse after another as to why it's too hard for them to fix the dangerous, defective product they've already collected the profit from.

[rawill]

I am suspecting we do not have the same laws on this as you have in the US.

However, an experienced Saab Technician told me he had done hundreds of these in the 90s. The worst was when a car travelling over the Auckland harbour bridge 'went off' and tightened the belt pretensioners!

I guess lucky it wasn't the airbag.

Apparently Saab Austalasia are not interested in any car that was not sold new in their countries (NZ and Aust).

So I do not hold out much hope that they will be helpful.