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Resistors fix for airbag light

70K views 26 replies 6 participants last post by  Prittr32  
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
MkIV with airbag light on. Fault explain it to be "driver seat airbag failure". Have ordered sortiment of different 1/2 watt 5% carbon film resistors now.

Many threads about this, included the Vortex link. A specific R32 guide with pictures if anyone have would be great, otherwise consider this thread a guide if I get it to work! :flute:

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#8 ·
I had the same problem with my Passenger side seat airbag...was told its a common problem on the Mk4 (4Motions & r32's) that the connections under the seats cause problems over time and this shows up as a fault in Vag-Com. G-Werks told me the VW fix (and i checked this with a friend who is a VW tech as well) was to cut off the connectors and use those heat shrink type thru connectors instead. The problem is that this them leaves you with a permanent connection under your seat should you wish to remove the seats later say, but its another option.
HTH Alex
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Mine was sorted out by one of the tuning shops i use (G-Werks)...i just asked a friend of mine who happens to work as a VW tech at a main dealer whether it sounded like a sensible course of action.

It was on my 4Motion...but she's fitted out with a complete r32 interior (seats, cards etc) and the loom is the same as the 4Motion's that came with leather recaros (they also have air-bags in the side of the seats). My friend also had the same issue on his r32's drivers seat though.

I'll try and grab a pic when i get time...but tbh i can never work out how to up-load them onto the forum so bear with me!

Sabaselfsit said:
Interesting. So is this like a warranty issue then, did VW charge anything for doing it?

Was it on your R32, or some other 4motion? Would be great if you stick your phone/camera under there and take a picture of which cables it is sometime.

:)
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
Work of previous owner=
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Now I hope that he mixed the colors...because this is supposed to be a picture of the same airbag plug (found on another forum)=
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So did it all over in the same order as above=
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And put a yellow stocking over them in the end=
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So now I can't wait to clear the faults hopefully tomorrow to see if the light will be gone without any more trix. :idea:
 
#13 ·
Cleared the fault...and was happy for 45 minuttes before the light was back. :( So next step is like mentioned in the start of this thread; cut the connection to the driver seat airbag and try to make the ecu believe it's working by using a resistor.
 
#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ok. If you remove your seats, put a 2,2 ohm resistor between the green & white cable on drivers side, and blue & white on passanger seat; and your airbag light will be gone.
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For me, it is not the seat airbags that's the reason for the light at all. It is a bad connection somewhere else between the airbag unit and any airbag. Will go hunting...
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
Took the airbag brain out (it is behind a plastic cover right next to the gas pedal on top of the tunnel) and filled the plug for it with electro cleaner...plugged them together and out again and let it dry for 10 mins. Then juiced the plug up with electro contact spray and installed it again.
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Cleared the faul...and have not gotten the airbag light back now one day after.

This airbag brain is placed on 3 bolts and held by 3 nuts directly to the chassis...so I can imagine a few years on bad roads will leave a tiny play in this plug...and with those thin pins there is room for bad connection even if I didn't see any corrosion anywhere.
 
#22 · (Edited by Moderator)
Finally nailed this it seems=

Got the airbag light back with same fault code "powertrain data bus fault intermittent"...went over my plug once more and felt with the end leg of a resistor which is much thinner than the pins in the brain; and ALL the connectors gripped well - so it couldn't be the plug.

Took the brain out and took it apart (4 screws on the back) of aluminum housing and found at least one bad soldering on the print visible just with naked eye. Took it to my friend who has background in tv repair; he found 5 bad soldering point on it (where the pins you see above are attached to the print) which he made good again with his soldering iron. Put it all together and been good for a few weeks now= so it was bad soldering quality in the brain all along!

So if you get the fult code above, and have checked your plugs under seats. Have felt if the plug to airbag brain squeeze like it should around something like a thin needle similar to the pins in brain; it can be worth taking the brain apart and bringing it to a tv/radio repair place and ask them to have a quick look in their magnifying glass to check this area in red below for dried out soldering points= (will be cheaper compared to a new device)

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#27 ·
Ok. If you remove your seats, put a 2,2 ohm resistor between the green & white cable on drivers side, and blue & white on passanger seat; and your airbag light will be gone.
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For me, it is not the seat airbags that's the reason for the light at all. It is a bad connection somewhere else between the airbag unit and any airbag. Will go hunting...
Ok if you put the resister between the green and white what do u do about the brown (leave it not connected at all?)