Hi,

Thanks for the replies, thinking back to any significant events. No crashes, thumps, hard stops etc, just normal uneventful driving this year.

On the maintenance front we had a major electrical issues a year ago where all the electrics died, fixed with replacing the alternator. The odd one about this - all electricals died no power from the original alternator, after a tow back to base the alternator started pumping a charge - somewhat intermittent - total fixed since changing though.

No issues since on the electrical front. I am 99% sure that the airbag light was not on around this alternator change, I am going to look up some video i may have shot in the cabin to check, I only use the car on the weekends and seem to have not been paying attention the exact time this came on.

I brought an OBD2 bluetooth module (not for airbag) connected, this pulled all the engine data etc. All my readings on the web seem to indicate that the same port with the correct scanner and software would indicate an error code - i.e. master unit, or sensor, bag etc. the scenario at the moment with the dealer, they have connected up and their initial diagnostics is getting 'intermittent' signal - no fault codes, they cannot communicate with the airbag system compnents. the next stage is to lift the centre console, on enquiring if the usual end systems - passenger seat sensor etc has been checked first. dealer advised that from the scanner side they are not seeing the signals, looks like they are going to solve this from the port end. I just hope at the end of all this costly journey its not an end component that is disconnected - but i guess does not explain no error codes - so assume they are approaching this efficiently. Once they lift the centre console and reach the MRS module - is there a test that can be applied to this unit to ensure it is indeed faulty, if its faulty will it simply cause intermittent or no Comms data through to OBD port - strange how i can find not one report of this type of fault on the web, everyone seems to get meaningful data from OBD included ECU code error.

thanks Again
x5 e53 Aril 2004 4.8is