This car is clearly going to keep me busy, the airbag lamp started flashing today, 5 fashes then 1, tested with my Autoenginuity cabe on confirmed with a B2434 trouble code with report "Restraint Control Module ISO B2434 Driver's Safety Belt Circuit - Short To Ground"

Anyone had this and fixed it before? Is there a proceedure to remove the seatbelt buckle/switch without removing the seat?


I also fond this doc on line "TECHNICAL BULLETIN Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) –Flash Codes & PID Code Definitions –Diagnostics", it says;

51 B2434

Fault Description

Driver Safety Belt Buckle
Switch Front - Short to Ground

Possible Causes

Connectors: FC009, SD001,
SD020. Driver Safety Belt
Buckle Switch. Harnesses:
Instrument Panel. Driver Seat

 

The JTIS procedure is remove the seat first but, as we've seen with many other procedures, the Jaguar recommendation can often be shortcut.

JTIS - 2002 Front Safety Belt Buckle - 76 73 49.pdf

However, having had the seats out to fix seat module issues, I'd say there's no room to access the seatbelt buckle fixing with the seat in place. In any event, the harness connection is under the seat.

You've answered a question I asked weeks ago but received no response. This was whether the ST-06 AE with Jaguar expansion could read AirBag 'B' Codes. I've got the older version which won't run the expansion and wanted to know this before spending £400+ to replace it. Can it also clear 'B' Codes?

Graham

 

Well, before I pull the seat out I will try to clear the code and see if it comes back, Ill give it a go tonight.

I used the cable for the first time last night, it was far from straight forward to get it working compared to the VAG tools (VCDS) which I have used in the past. I am not actually sure that I have the Jag extension working yet.

I bought a "reconditioned" cable from AE-ebay and the Jag extension from AE, a bit cheaper that way.

PS "teaser"

The main reason I bought the AE cable was to try to reverse engineer the Jag diagnostics protocol so I could put one of these in place of the clock.
liquidA3 (8P Chassis) test run - YouTube

 

Neat device but not in place of the clock - it's the only gauge that works! Use one of the others.

Graham

 

Ok, had a try tonight, the cable was able to clear the B code, momentarily for me anyway, the light came back on shortly afterwards, looks like it was not a momentary problem that caused the code.

Do you know if it is a common switch in the buckle that feeds the airbag system as well as the seatbelt light in the dash, it is odd that the seatbelt light is operating properly but not the airbag system.

Here is the print out from the AE software.

 

Good news that AE enhanced can clear the 'B' codes. Bad news that you've got a constant fault.

I've gone through the Supplemental Restraint System information and it's a complex, constantly monitored setup on the 4.2 to determine which airbags will be deployed, at what rate and how the seatbelt pretensioners will act.

The safety belt buckle sensor is a 'hall effect' type which outputs a signal in response to the belt tongue being inserted into the buckle. Can't find anything to suggest there's a separate second sensor in the buckle to control the instrument panel warning light. These 'hall effect' sensors are troublesome - there's another on the driver's seat slide to determine whether the driver is far enough away from the steering wheel to prevent the airbag being deployed if the driver is sitting too close. They work by creating a magnetic field as a sensor blade passes over a switch.

The code indicates a fault to ground so the 'hall effect' sensor may be dirty / physically damaged or the harness from it which passes across the seat runner may be shorting.

According to the Parts Manual, the seat belt buckle is not handed. To check for sensor or harness damage, you could swap the driver and passenger buckles over......?

Graham

 

also, try cleaning the buckle latch really good with electronics cleaner as well as exercising the connector for it, itsa perfect receptacle for a spilled beverage from those supreme cup holders when taking a right turn...found that out my first week of ownership.