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My airbag warning light is on. But only for the first couple of miles after which it starts flickering and then goes off
This is worse when it is colder. Once the car is warm, it behaves normally. I had fault codes read, but there were non, so the controller is suspect
The light has to go off, so this is potentially an MOT failure for me.
Can somebody tell me where the Airbag control unit is located
many thanks
_________________ Gareth
2000 A4 Avant 1.9 TDI SE
rippo4u Camped on the site
Joined: Dec 15, 2005
Posts: 392
Location: Prestatyn, North Wales
Posted:
Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:19 pm
Hi Gareth
Just trawled A3 Forum. One mentions Airbag light on all the time.
The suggestion : Could be the sensors under the seats. They can come loose and thus the connection is faulty.
Hope this is the answer for you.
My old Avant was sold in 3 days !
Best
_________________ 2008 A4 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi SE Exec
29000 Miles 47.1 mpg combined
2005 Avant 2.0 (140) Tdi GONE 48.9 mpg
2000 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi GONE 55.0 mpg
1996 Saloon 1.8 Petrol GONE
rippo4u Camped on the site
Joined: Dec 15, 2005
Posts: 392
Location: Prestatyn, North Wales
Posted:
Sat Jan 21, 2012 1:57 pm
It also says you may have to reset the warning light by VagCom
_________________ 2008 A4 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi SE Exec
29000 Miles 47.1 mpg combined
2005 Avant 2.0 (140) Tdi GONE 48.9 mpg
2000 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi GONE 55.0 mpg
1996 Saloon 1.8 Petrol GONE
Locomotion UltraUser
Joined: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 4228
Posted:
Sat Jan 21, 2012 8:34 pm
If its anything like the B5 the airbag ecu is located under the stereo/climate control. Couldn't find any mention of the airbag light on that link, what section is it.
GJR Camped on the site
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 343
Location: Bristol
Posted:
Sun Jan 22, 2012 5:12 pm
Locomotion wrote:
If its anything like the B5 the airbag ecu is located under the stereo/climate control.
Many thanks found it there. Not easy to get at. You have to remove the rear centre console trim (the bit that covers the handbrake lever), then remove the centre console trim (real pita) and then you have access. I unbolted the thing, disconected the connector and reconnected it in the hope it would be a "loose" contact, but no luck.
The suggestion : Could be the sensors under the seats. They can come loose and thus the connection is faulty.
Cheers John
I had the "seat connection" problem a couple of years ago. If this is the case then the airbag ECU stores this as a fault which can then be re-set with VAGcom. However, I had the fault codes read and no fault codes were stored with regards to the airbags. The garage was as miffed as I am and suggested the ECU must be the problem
rippo4u wrote:
My old Avant was sold in 3 days !
It is a good car, however tracing problems can be very time consuming and ultimately expensive
Cheers
_________________ Gareth
2000 A4 Avant 1.9 TDI SE
rippo4u Camped on the site
Joined: Dec 15, 2005
Posts: 392
Location: Prestatyn, North Wales
Posted:
Sat Jan 28, 2012 1:27 pm
Gareth
Have you managed to sort out the airbag lights problem
_________________ 2008 A4 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi SE Exec
29000 Miles 47.1 mpg combined
2005 Avant 2.0 (140) Tdi GONE 48.9 mpg
2000 Avant 1.9 (115) Tdi GONE 55.0 mpg
1996 Saloon 1.8 Petrol GONE
GJR Camped on the site
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 343
Location: Bristol
Posted:
Sat Jan 28, 2012 8:54 pm
Not yet sorted
The problem is persistent and as far as I can tell it is temperature dependent: The airbag light does not go off after start-up, it then takes anything up to 10 minutes before it starts flickering for approx a minute after which it goes out
Various searches on internet have resulted in only very few people describing the exact same issue but no solutions on the various forums.
One mentioned low battery, which I checked and yes it was low (just over 12 v). As the battery was well over 5 years old, I have now replaced it (partly as pre-caution for the upcomming cold snap) however it made no difference to the airbag light issue.
I have not yet put the centreconsole trim back in and I did use a hair dryer to warm up the Airbag ECU. This does seem to be the problem, because when it is nice and warm, the airbag light behaves normally.
Still got some months to the next MOT and hopefully the higher ambient temperatures will then mean that the light behaves normally and hence will not fail the MOT. Otherwise it looks like a new airbag ECU which will cost ££££££ at the dealer - the airbag ECUs need to be programmed to each car individually.
so you know the airbag doesnt come into the mot, if the lights on theres nothing they can say or do about it, had a car that went thru about 6 mots with the airbag light on
_________________ 1994 Audi 80 1.9TDI Avant Auto
Lambretta's a way of life
sorry didnt see the link, how about just taking the air bag light out
_________________ 1994 Audi 80 1.9TDI Avant Auto
Lambretta's a way of life
GJR Camped on the site
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 343
Location: Bristol
Posted:
Sat Jan 28, 2012 9:51 pm
daz-the-dogg wrote:
how about just taking the air bag light out
That will not work. The car will fail if the airbag light does not come on during the "start up check cycle"
section 5.4:
Method of Inspection
Turn on the ignition and check the presence and operation of any Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) malfunction indictor
lamp(s) (MIL).
Reason for Rejection
A Supplementary Restraint System (SRS) malfunction indicator lamp:
• inoperative
• indicating a system malfunction.
there is no escape anymore with airbag lights on.......
_________________ Gareth
2000 A4 Avant 1.9 TDI SE
GJR Camped on the site
Joined: May 12, 2007
Posts: 343
Location: Bristol
Posted:
Fri Feb 03, 2012 11:44 pm
Sorted
I sourced another airbag ECU (fleabay) for a tenner. I made sure it was the exact same partnumber (including the all important last letter (mine was 8d0 959 655 J ).
Reading VAGCOM guidelines, it stated to write down the old ECU Soft.Coding number. I did this and then replaced the ECU with the new one, reconnected the battery and checked with VAGCOM. The Soft. coding was the same number so no need for re-coding and no fault codes
This evening it was working perfectly at minus 6. I'll leave the centre console trim off for another week or so to make sure it reliable before putting that back.
I have to do mine too, actually same part number £20 from the bay of fleas, will not be taking console out though as it can be done with just the stereo and aircon unit and ashtray removed.
Removing the stereo is my biggest problem.
Locomotion UltraUser
Joined: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 4228
Posted:
Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:25 pm
Well managed to change it and I too am light free, only took 10 mins to put it all back together which was much less than getting it out. Audi wanted £341 plus vat
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found it there. Not easy to get at. You have to remove the rear centre console trim (the bit that covers the handbrake lever), then remove the centre console trim (real pita) and then you have access. I unbolted the thing, disconected the connector and reconnected it in the hope it would be a "loose" contact, but no luck. 
Gareth
