I went to see a ford fiesta 2010 today, when the car was put into ignition the "airbag malfunction service now" message came up onto the radio screen, but when I started the car or even in ignition the airbag light wouldn't come on.. has the owner done something to hide the airbag light or? any ideas? 

3 minutes ago, ayvo said:

when I started the car or even in ignition the airbag light wouldn't come on.. has the owner done something to hide the airbag light or? any ideas? 

Almost certainly, it may have had a bump and there are no airbags in the car now.

Just now, Tizer said:

Almost certainly, it may have had a bump and there are no airbags in the car now.

I know that the car was a Cat N write off, the damage has been repaired, but the mot failed a few weeks ago because of srs warning light on, but now somehow he's managed to make it pass now, like I said the instrument cluster doesn't show the airbag light at all but it pops up on the screen while in ignition.. find it weird no? 

16 minutes ago, ayvo said:

I know that the car was a Cat N write off, the damage has been repaired, but the mot failed a few weeks ago because of srs warning light on, but now somehow he's managed to make it pass now, like I said the instrument cluster doesn't show the airbag light at all but it pops up on the screen while in ignition.. find it weird no? 

They have probably put a bit of black tape over the light, that is not unusual to hide airbag and check engine warning lights. I would not touch the car with a bargepole.

8 minutes ago, Tizer said:

They have probably put a bit of black tape over the light, that is not unusual to hide airbag and check engine warning lights. I would not touch the car with a bargepole.

I'm guessing that would require opening up the entire speedometer? in direct sunlight I could still see the outline of the airbag light so it wasn't a case of tape on the top 

2 minutes ago, ayvo said:

I'm guessing that would require opening up the entire speedometer? in direct sunlight I could still see the outline of the airbag light so it wasn't a case of tape on the top 

That depends on where they have put the tape or maybe they have removed the LED.

It's not worth giving it any more thought.

Year 2010 Cat N write off with MOT fail and airbag problems. Walk away  - fast - and don't look back!

It should not have passed the MOT with the airbag light (SRS) not working when the ignition is first turned on.

The rules on checking the warning light for an MOT are now very specific and states that the light must illuminate when the ignition is first turned on. If it does not come on and then go out to prove the self check is complete and working the MOT tester must fail the vehicle.

The trick with the black tape over the LED is a quick and easy one. To take the instrument cluster out, open it up and put some tape over the LED will take 10 minutes. Hence the change in the MOT testing rules making the tester check that the light does come on and then go out.

 

37 minutes ago, unofix said:

It should not have passed the MOT with the airbag light (SRS) not working when the ignition is first turned on.

The rules on checking the warning light for an MOT are now very specific and states that the light must illuminate when the ignition is first turned on. If it does not come on and then go out to prove the self check is complete and working the MOT tester must fail the vehicle.

The trick with the black tape over the LED is a quick and easy one. To take the instrument cluster out, open it up and put some tape over the LED will take 10 minutes. Hence the change in the MOT testing rules making the tester check that the light does come on and then go out.

no clue at all how he managed to pass the mot then, like I said i turned the ignition on and off a total of around 15 times and even started the car about 4 times and not once did the airbag light illuminate even though the airbag malfunction service now message was on the infotainment screen, maybe he took it to some guy he knows that he knew would pass the mot regardless so he could get the car sold? no clue.. 

3 minutes ago, ayvo said:

maybe he took it to some guy he knows that he knew would pass the mot regardless

very likely 😧

Not all MOT's are carried out equally.  I've had several issues with testers not understanding the regs and failing things that shouldn't fail...or occasionally not failing things that should.  Even had one tell me he can't remember the rules so just finds something broken and looks for an RFR to match it!  

Either way, there are loads of Fiesta's about, really not worth the bother of a write off with obvious faults.  

(My own car is a cat N, they're virtually impossible to sell, so only buy if you intend to keep until it's scrapped.)