Airbag light

[44mod]

2002 Boxster S, 40000 miles: Found my drivers side carpet wet because the drain line was plugged with a plastic cap. Don't know where the cap came from but looks like a Porsche part. Removed the seat and most of the carpet, dried it out and reassembled yesterday. Now my airbag light is on. Anyone have an idea what I did wrong? It didn't look like any connectors or components were wet, just the carpet and floor. Any help would be appreciated, I am over 200 miles from the nearest dealer.

[0586slb]

Did you disconnect the battery before removing the seat? If not, the Airbag circuits remain powered and may have detected a disturbance. Did you have the key in the ignition lock at all too? (It does not have to be turned, just in)

Water may have 'wicked' by capliliary action to some other part of the wiring harness, causing problems. A few years ago, some Audis had leaky Engine Coolant Temperature sensors, they were leaking and coolant was migrating all throughout the wiring harness, mainly turning up in the ECU but sometimes in lamp clusters!

If your fault lamp was caused just by a removal of the seat (i.e. a sporadic code) it should clear of its own accord within 50 start cycles. If not, you'll somehow have to arrange for the Airbag Control Unit to have its memory checked.

[44mod]

Did you disconnect the battery before removing the seat? If not, the Airbag circuits remain powered and may have detected a disturbance. Did you have the key in the ignition lock at all too? (It does not have to be turned, just in)

Water may have 'wicked' by capliliary action to some other part of the wiring harness, causing problems. A few years ago, some Audis had leaky Engine Coolant Temperature sensors, they were leaking and coolant was migrating all throughout the wiring harness, mainly turning up in the ECU but sometimes in lamp clusters!

If your fault lamp was caused just by a removal of the seat (i.e. a sporadic code) it should clear of its own accord within 50 start cycles. If not, you'll somehow have to arrange for the Airbag Control Unit to have its memory checked.

Thanks for the info. Not sure if I am replying correctly, but I'm now hoping it will clear on it's own. I did NOT disconnect the battery, would this have prevented this problem? I really don't think any connectors, wiring or components got wet but I guess it's possible. Still under warranty for another few months so maybe I can get some help from Porsche if needed.

[Tool Pants]

The light will not go out by itself.

Does the plastic cap look like this?

[44mod]

The light will not go out by itself.

Does the plastic cap look like this?

Yes, that's the cap alright, sure caused me a lot of trouble. What is it? So, sounds like I will have to get a dealer to reset this light?

[Loren]

So, sounds like I will have to get a dealer to reset this light?

Yes a dealer or an independent shop with a PST2 or PIWIS tester can reset the air bag light.

If the light comes back on then you likely have corrosion on the seat belt connectors - and that's a much bigger job.

[44mod]

So, sounds like I will have to get a dealer to reset this light?

Yes a dealer or an independent shop with a PST2 or PIWIS tester can reset the air bag light.

If the light comes back on then you likely have corrosion on the seat belt connectors - and that's a much bigger job.

Thanks for the info. I will try to find a local shop with a PST2. Any idea what the plug is (picture in tool pants response)?

[Tool Pants]

Lucky guess.

[44mod]

Lucky guess.

Your lucky guess was right on the money. Good picture but I can't tell what the plug is for or what area of the car I'm looking at. Can you enlighten me? I wonder if the drain was plugged from the factory, the previous owner said it had never been in the rain and I guess he was right. Still you would think he would have noticed a problem just from washing the car. I've only had the car a month, sure is nice to have some of you guys to talk to on this forum.

[0586slb]

The plug covers the spinlocks (or spinlock holes) that are the attachment points for the Hardtop.

[Tool Pants]

If you want to have a grin. http://www.dietersmotorsports.com/tech/200...r_bath04-03.htm

For some strange reason that plug is able to jump out of the socket for the spinlock hole. The plug is then either lost in space, or finds it's way under the top near or in a rain water drain hole. If a drain hole becomes blocked then water can enter the cockpit.

When I meet a new owner and one of the plugs is missing I look under the top for it, and 1/2 of the time there it is. Under the top, next to a drain hole. The other 1/2 half of the time I cannot find it because it is lost in space and flew out of the car.

The plug is not an "umbrella" for the drain hole and it does not belong under the top.