Now for the serious stuff

[RichardSEL]

Some may know of my trials and tribulations purchasing a QP5 '08MY with 84k up, one owner, ZF box, immac, one year MOT, new Pirelli Pzero's all round from a Sheffield dealer.

After sorting NS diff oil seal, thru rust to front sub frame, torn lower control arm torsion bushes, failed headlight auto height adjustment, crushed power steering pipe, dumping useless CD changer for a Loudlink unit (that pairs with my BT 'phone but doesn't seem to answer or make calls), failing to fix the onboard 'phone, not to mention having the cam variators done to fix start up clatter, having to have the tracking done twice, you'd think that'd be enough to get it put right...

Dealer's insurance coughed for roughly half of the repairs' costs -- some saving grace I suppose. At least ended up with a rather nice and now rather valuable QP5.

But no... Just after the dust had settled from the loss assessor's agreement to pay up: intermittant drivers' airbag fault coming up on dash. Tracked down (via TXA3 diagnostic) to clock spring the component that connects horn and drivers' airbag/igniter in steering column to
the airbag sensors' ECU system.

Removed and found clock spring unit had been shorted by two off 220Ω resistors. So, in the event of a prang the drivers' airbag wouldn't go off anyway. Even the resistors were'nt connected properly -- just twisted together by the wires and stuffed back into their socket holes.




The point of this post is: were there to have been a prang involving life threatening or life changing for the hapless driver, then whomsoever had done this dangerous kludge would be up on a criminal charge. If the prang had resulted in death that could otherwise been avoided then that charge could be manslaughter.

Fair warning: anyone involving themselves knowingly with dangerous repairs such as this will be dealt with.

 

[Simon1963]

That’s bad. How would you ever know before you needed the air bag that it had been done?

 

[Oishi]

The really scary part of this is that in order to bodge it up, one must have a knowledge of how the system works in the first place. Then, knowing that you have rendered the system inop. you let it go. Not a case of ignorance.

 

[RobinL]

You wouldn't would you. IMHO tampering with and knowingly disabling such a key safety system could well be an illegal act.
I'd be inclined to take the evidence along to your local nick and get their view?

Sent from my ONEPLUS A5010 using Tapatalk

 

[Scaf]

That is worse than terrible - someone needs be taken to task.

 

[Simon1963]

That is worse than terrible - someone needs be taken to task.

I agree with that.

 

[CatmanV2]

Bloody ****

C

 

[RichardSEL]

I'm ex-Traffic & Transport Branch myself -- got transferred (despite my protests) at 61 years old into the control room for my last four years. Retired in 2011. So probably all my old contacts have also retired, left the service or taken voluntary redundancy. But nowadays using one's contacts to further personal claims is a no, no. So will have to go the old fashioned route that joe public takes.

On 20th September used the online MOT complaints' service since I bought in January with the MOT dated December.
It was quite clear that the diff oil seal was leaking, the headlights were askew to nearside, the front sub-frame was rusted through (just in one place though) and the control arm bush was torn. I saw those items when the workshop came to examine. If I could see them, the MOT shop could see them too.
But the MOT had "no advisories".

MOT complaints have not replied. So on 20th October downloaded their form and sent it in Recorded Delivery. Still no reply.

What chance anyone will investigate the Airbag Fault kludge?
Not a lot IMO...
Today's wet behind the ears kids will just try to input match it to a "known" crime category on either CRIS or CRIMINT (Met computer crime input programs) and finding none that match will just mark the record "no crime PS/CM"

But I will write to the relevent Minister at the DfT to see whether I do get a reply.
Adding my experience with the airbag fault
He or she should at least know that the MOT complaints' system is being ignored.

 

[Simon1963]

I’ve been sat here thinking about this and I’m absolutely shocked. Like it’s been said it was done by somebody who clearly knows what they are doing. I assume that the airbag light came on with the ignition switch, self checked and went out as normal. Obviously until it threw a fault. How many cars out there with this sort of thing done? You might as well set the brake system to disintegrate on emergency braking. I’d be over at the dealer to start tracing the ownership history.

 

[2b1ask1]

Holly £uck!!! that is just woeful and I'd full support you intention to pursue the bodge artist. Was there still power to the airbag? If so surely it was like driving with a primed mortar that could have gone off at any random moment!

 

[RichardSEL]

That’s bad. How would you ever know before you needed the air bag that it had been done?

I didn't. The only reason the airbag fault was being shown on the nacelle was that the twisted-together wires had naturally corroded and so were intermittent contact in the socket they were pushed into.
When it was dry and hot the connection was bad. But when rains came connection was made again and so didn't show a fault

 

[RichardSEL]

The really scary part of this is that in order to bodge it up, one must have a knowledge of how the system works in the first place. Then, knowing that you have rendered the system inop. you let it go. Not a case of ignorance.

Yes, someone was paid well to do this. An autoelectrician with the knowledge and experience. Shouldn't be too hard to find, as there's only one previous keeper. But the Police resources needed wouldn't ever be allocated. "Nah, no one was hurt... victimless crime... stamp it for the records then put it away... and onto the next..."

For us petrol heads it's unforgivable, I still "enjoy" my driving. But one day I or someone else could overdo it. And need that vital safety component.

 

[RichardSEL]

I’ve been sat here thinking about this and I’m absolutely shocked. Like it’s been said it was done by somebody who clearly knows what they are doing. I assume that the airbag light came on with the ignition switch, self checked and went out as normal. Obviously until it threw a fault. How many cars out there with this sort of thing done? You might as well set the brake system to disintegrate on emergency braking. I’d be over at the dealer to start tracing the ownership history.

The systems' check would come on then flash OK. Then go out. I'm told that if the systems' check doesn't find a fault when IGN is switched on three times in a row then the stored fault is deleted and so not displayed until the next time the fault occurs. Which could be when I turned the wheel full lock or went over a bumpy bump. This coupled with the fault not showing when I collected the car from said Sheffield dealer and drove back to London (and for some weeks after the works had been done) to me shows that the kludge was recent to just before my purchase.

 

[RichardSEL]

Holly £uck!!! that is just woeful and I'd full support you intention to pursue the bodge artist. Was there still power to the airbag? If so surely it was like driving with a primed mortar that could have gone off at any random moment!

Will post again if I do get a reply from Minister. Will probably get a reply from a minion creep blaming Covid-19...

 

[CatmanV2]

Yes, someone was paid well to do this. An autoelectrician with the knowledge and experience

I'd challenge that. It's hardly rocket science to google airbag bypass, and are freely listed on ebay. I'd hope a decent autoelectrician wouldn't do it, but if they did, at least do it well!

C

If so surely it was like driving with a primed mortar that could have gone off at any random moment!

I'd have not thought so, but I guess 'It depends'

C

 

[Simon1963]

I take it the dealer is aware?

 

[lifes2short]

on the positive side at least it was still in the steering wheel

 

[Scaf]

I am not sure what I would do, but with only one previous keeper I think I would be very tempted to make contact and ask them if the car had faults when they sold it, chances are it did and the dealer is to blame.
Can’t imagine anyone who buys a QP new, would be the one doing this dangerous bodge and given the other faults that the dealer had been responsible for it makes sense to me that they are to blame.
I think I would be knocking on their door.

 

[lifes2short]

this will pan out in to a blame game game and/or ignorance, whilst shocking i think it would be difficult to prove who was actually responsible, just thank your lucky stars it came to light

 

[2b1ask1]

Remember the Wheeler Dealer 3200 clocks all bridged across the bulbs on the dash!