Custom steering wheel & Airbag light...

jbw

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I've got a small problem with my airbag light being permanently on. I've spoken to the previous owner, who assures me that the airbag system is intact and working. He sent me an email explaining how to turn the light off.

The steering wheel is a newer one than the car (3 spoke not 4) and the connectors don't match with the T-reg ones. If you lift the back seat and look at the drivers side bulkhead you will see an L shape cut in the panel under the speaker grill. There are two wires which can be crimped back together for the light to be switched off. The heads of the connectors were cut off because they were incompatible

Whilst I kinda trust the guy I don't know enough about cars to understand what I'm doing. Does anyone know what these wires are exactly? And what happens when I crimp them to turn the light off. I spoke to a guy at my local Audi dealers who said due to legal reasons they wouldn't touch it. Only thing they would do would be happy to replace the entire steering wheel with the standard. Obviously this would cost a friggin' fortune.

If anyone can offer any advice, I'm all ears.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/noidea.gif

ta,
jbw

P.S. If you know where I can get an a3 parcel shelf please let me know. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
What airbag has the problem? The side airbags or the steering wheel? I cant see why the wires would be cut in the side of the car if it was anything to do with the steering wheel. Crimping them together wont turn off the light even if it cures the actually problem. You would then need to reset the controller to clear the fault with either VAGCOM or by taking it to Audi unless the email he sent you works.
 
I'm unsure which airbag it is. In fact the more I thnk about it the more worried I am about it. If my Audi dealer won't go near it how am I going to know for sure that the airbag is gonna work. I think I need to go back to the previous owner and ask him what the wires do.
Even if I crimp the wires are Audi gonna reset it for me? My sales rep said that there were a whole load of legal complications - so why would they reset it? If I had an accident and they had reset it but the airbags didn't go off I presume it'd give me leverage to take them to court?
It's hardly something someone goes f***in around with anyway. I certainly don't understand why the original owner had the steering wheel changed? What bugs me most is if I came to sell my car I can't provide reassurance to the buyer that the airbags work.
ta,
jbw
 
As far as I know, the A3 steering wheel connectors are the same (anybody?). The differerence is in the side airbags when people replace the A3 seats with S3 seats and the electrical connectors are then different. Once the power is switched on in a car with an airbag disconnected the light will stay on until the error is cleared. If you could find comebody nearby with VAGCOM to check for an error you could find out if it is the steering wheel at fault or as is more likely the unconnected wiring. If you want to download the PDF from my hompage it will show you how to remover the drivers airbag to see if it is connected. Just pay heed to the safety warnings.

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/macnee/
 
I take it VAGCOM is the onboard computer system, or interface? How do I find someone with it? Would my local Audi specialist happen to have it?
My main concern, besides my safety, is a lack of interest when I come to sell it (I'm up for an A3 1.8T and keepin' my eyes peeled).
Who is gonna want a car if I can't verify the airbag system is working. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I'm not experienced or confident enough around cars to remove the drivers airbag myself. I will however download all those PDFs and have a look through them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I don't think they are S3 seats. They're blue and black checkered (the car is blue). I thought S3 seats were better quality with leather n stuff.
 
Thanks guys. I've found a local audi technician who is fitting me new brakes (discs and pads) next Friday.
He is willing to run it through a diagnostic for me so I can see what the problem is. If I've no joy there, I live near Bristol. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

ta,
jbw
 
Hmmmmm... had my new brakes fitted. I got the specialist to run diagnostics on the car. It's not the steering wheel at all. According to this guy, it's the seat belt pillar. There is an electronically controlled device that locks the seat belt on impact. He said he'd tried a few things to clear the fault but it wasn't having any of it. I mentioned the wires that needed crimping when I took it in but he didn't remember. He offered to fix it for £120.
Can anyone confirm for me that said selt belt device exists and if the wiring mentioned above could be the cause.
Is there anywhere on the web I could get a wiring diagram for an audi a3 99 model? It'd be useful to see what these wires are for!

I could possibly get pics of my car interior with trim off, if needed.

ta,
jbw
 
Sounds like he is talking about the Seatbelt pre tensioner, most or all newer cars have these and i would say u wanna get it fixed, not sure about the wires though sorry.