2001 v70 air bag light on

122kombiJack · Post by **122kombiJack** » 17 Jan 2025, 09:23

I have a 2001 v70 with 125,000 mIles in excellent condition.

Air bag light came on a few weeks ago. Dealer discovered broken air bag harness under driver’s seat (orange sheathing with 3wires inside). One end of the 3wire harness goes up into seat air bag and other end to a box bolted to floor. It broke at where it’s attached (with zip tie) to bottom of seat. Apparently whenever the seat is adjusted all the way back, the harness is stretched and after 23+ years it finally severed.

Seems to me that when the car was built, they didn’t leave enough slack between the box and zip tie.

Dealer wants $1400 to install a new air bag/harness. I understand these wires shouldn’t be simply soldered back together (changing resistance?) and I’m having no luck finding a used seat locally. Aftermarket air bags are available but I don’t think I trust them.
I also don’t know if this means all the air bags are now disabled or if it’s just the seat air bag ?

Has anyone had this happen ? Any suggestions ?
Thanks,Mike

Post by **vtl** » 17 Jan 2025, 09:47

Side impact airbag in your seat is disabled. Replace the harness.

I'm surprised you can't find a junk yard donor in New England.

122kombiJack · Post by **122kombiJack** » 17 Jan 2025, 10:39

Thanks for your reply.
Most junk yards around here no longer have cars that old. I’ve looked.
Im told the harness is hard wired to the air bag so it’s one unit ?
So are you saying the rest of the air bags will still function ? Dealer didn’t think so.

Post by **jonesg** » 17 Jan 2025, 12:45

Solder it and see if the code clears. If not it only cost you 50 cents of solder.

Be careful with the airbag controller, theres a video where the tech flipped it over to look at a label and all the bags went off, the car thought the driver had rolled the car over. Expensive mistake.

Hollands salvage in Billerica MA usually has tons of volvo , close to I-93, 10 miles west of Boston.

Post by **vtl** » 17 Jan 2025, 12:51

Dealer can't fix it the easy way, it has legal obligations. Also it does what Volvo says to do. Volvo says airbag has to be replaced after 10 years (IIRC 10).

I would be extremely cautious with the repair, taking the seat out, directing airbag away from me, impact-grade glasses on, using good expensive crimping connectors, not soldering.

122kombiJack · Post by **122kombiJack** » 17 Jan 2025, 14:09

Thanks for the info.
I don’t plan on doing this myself.
There are several indie Volvo repair shops around here. One said he would solder it and another said should never solder it.
All the opposing opinions and repair ideas have my head spinning.

Post by **scot850** » 17 Jan 2025, 15:48

Sometimes it comes down to the experiences of the repair shops on how they tackle repairs. Like the guys said, you could either have the shop that will solder it and try that, or go the junkyard route. You may be able to find a whole matching seat in the right color.

Neil.

122kombiJack · Post by **122kombiJack** » 17 Jan 2025, 16:31

Yes agreed. I have two more shops to talk to. Meanwhile I’ll keep an eye out for a matching seat.
Thanks !

Post by **vtl** » 17 Jan 2025, 16:35

Can solder, with many extra steps:

- cut wires at different length, so they don't interfere when electric tape or shrink tubing compromises
- twist them good before soldering
- use lead solder. Tin eco-solder cracks over time. Regular solder is lead-free

Price-wise good crimping connectors like Bosch will be cheaper and perhaps more reliable at the end.

122kombiJack · Post by **122kombiJack** » 17 Jan 2025, 17:47

Thanks for that information. Soldering would certainly be the easiest and cheap. Volvo dealer claims soldering could change the resistance in the wiring and possibly compromise the operation of the air bags.