Gordini Seat Plug - Help!

[Eyes]

Hi all, so I rescued a 70k mile Gordini from being scrapped nearly two years ago... Bottom end had gone...

Since had a long and painful engine rebuild, finally got the car back and now airbag light and ESP lights on

I have removed the drivers seat for inspection and one of the plugs is not attached, it has some blue on the plug itself? Some initial homework suggests it has something to do with the seat lifting bar to slide seat forward and backwards - but absolutely no idea how it is meant to fit! Nothing obvious to see.

Any help would be massively appreciated.

 

[turkie172]

If your car has standard seats then there is a switch under the drivers left slide rail that tells the car if the seat is not clicked into place after being tipped forward so the airbag does not go off. But I have a feeling that if the steering rack was disconnected then you might have broken the steering angle clock spring which will bring on airbag and ESP especially after the car has driven forward which normally turns off the ESP when the battery has been disconected at some time. If the Renault diagnostic is used you can tell which airbag circuit is the cause and if the angle sensor is centered.

 

[Eyes]

That’s a massive help thank you. I just couldn’t see how the metal spring part made any connection - but it makes sense / contact when seat runner slides back and forward.

Presumably the the steering rack would have been disconnected when the engine was removed? The mechanic said it would take 2-3 weeks to rebuild - it took 34 weeks in the end, so masses of time with the car in pieces / disconnected from battery... sounds like the damage has been done, as the light wasn't on before it went in. He did plug in diagnostics and said the steering angle sensor wasn't showing, then it did so hence suspected fault. He said airbag was linked to drivers seat.

As you might imagine, I lost all faith in the mechanic and after many sleepless nights wondering if I would ever actually see my car again, I just took it back as it was and I will have to pick up the pieces. Chances are, he knew exactly what the issue is, and how it was caused, but wasn't willing to resolve it. Frustrating, particularly for a so called Renault specialist / engine builder / thousands spent on the engine.

Thanks again

 

[turkie172]

The clock spring is replaceable it's not as expensive as you think, the new one I bought was £25 or so I'll have a look it was a 200 style car from Japan I was swapping the steering wheel back to standard from one of those stupid deep dished MOMO race ones. It's very easy to break them if it's one turn out then when you go full lock that direction the ribbon cable will snap and the airbag light will come on and moving forward the rotation of each front wheel will not match what the computer expects at that angle of steering hence the ESP warning.

 

[turkie172]

Here is the one I bought on eBay there are some things to look out for:
1. How to remove the airbag from the steering wheel a very difficult thing without a reliable modified tool.
2. Removing the left and right wiper and indicator controls mainly the red link cable between them and how it was rooted.
3. Unplug and root the airbag, horn and speed limiter controls inside the steering wheel hub.

Clio Mk3 197 - 200 clock spring

 

[Eyes]

That's a massive help thank you. Looks fiddly but hoping I have the skills to do it!

 

[Eyes]

I couldn't get that ebay part link to work - is a used part better than a new non Renault part?

 

[turkie172]

I used the eBay one and was fine you need to stay aware of the steering wheel position that the wheels are straight and the wheel is the right way up when you remove it so when it all goes back together everything is in the zero position when you pull the locking tab. The airbag tool was a 6mm screwdriver with the tip cut off and a slot cut in it in order that it catches the wire better you could see how many problems the guy had in the video.

search eBay for "Airbag Clock Spring Sensor Spiral Cable For Clio 05-12 Kangoo 08- Modus 04-12" the company should be RTG

 

[Eyes]

Excellent idea. Can’t thank you enough for all the help