Air bag light fix question.

gkf9

gkf9

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Ok had the light for a few months now, so going to disconnect the yellow plugs under the seats and clean up the connection

Am I ok to just leave the key out of the ignition to attempt this, or will I have to disconnect the battery? Read on here but get conflicting advice?

TIA
 
It's usually best to take the battery off and leave it for 5-10 mins or so when working with the airbags and what not. just in case... ;)

I had the battery off when i had the steering wheel off last night. left keys out of the ignition and whatnot. i put the sidelights on before connecting the battery (i've seen this recommended in lots of threads, just in case of a surge) then connect it, pop the key in and start her up. there will more than likely be a ESP warning light on the dash. turn the weel lock to lock then drive forward in as straight a line as possible below 20km/h and it will eventually go out. :)

HTH
 
TwedA4 said:
It's usually best to take the battery off and leave it for 5-10 mins or so when working with the airbags and what not. just in case... ;)

I had the battery off when i had the steering wheel off last night. left keys out of the ignition and whatnot. i put the sidelights on before connecting the battery (i've seen this recommended in lots of threads, just in case of a surge) then connect it, pop the key in and start her up. there will more than likely be a ESP warning light on the dash. turn the weel lock to lock then drive forward in as straight a line as possible below 20km/h and it will eventually go out. :)

HTH
Click to expand...

Ok thank you, will take your advise.
 
Unless your MOT's coming you should be fine leaving it, had the airbag light on mine for months then one day it suddenly disappeared and never came back :icon_thumright:
 
I don't think it's going to disappear any time soon, been to long. At the moment I've got some black insulation tape stuck over it on the dash because it's annoying as hell.

Not to confident on soldering the wires together like some people have done.

It flashers on and off all the time at different times, will try spray some wd40 on the connections if I get time this weekend.
 
Get some contact cleaner and/or a knife, screw driver or something to clean any crap away from the contact.

Personally I would not worry about the battery. Leave it connected and just keep the ignition off.
Keeping the battery on and having the air bag blow up in your face is a bit of a internet scar mongering I feel.

Unless you got something massively wrong with your air bag system that at that exact moment 12 volts is going to shot down the cables and detonate it I can't see what's going to happen.
Unless you're working on the air bag and some other 12v constant live power supply while leaving live cables hanging around near the air bag plugs you'll be fine.


I got to do the same thing on mine as well, the air bag will go off for a day or two and then it will come back.
I've cleaned all the connections up but its not helped.
I think I got some spare single pin plugs in my bag of cables, so I'll just replace it with that.

You don't have to but its a bit of a tight squeeze.
I'd remove it to make life easier for you.
 
ScottB5 said:
Get some contact cleaner and/or a knife, screw driver or something to clean any crap away from the contact.

Personally I would not worry about the battery. Leave it connected and just keep the ignition off.
Keeping the battery on and having the air bag blow up in your face is a bit of a internet scar mongering I feel.

Unless you got something massively wrong with your air bag system that at that exact moment 12 volts is going to shot down the cables and detonate it I can't see what's going to happen.
Unless you're working on the air bag and some other 12v constant live power supply while leaving live cables hanging around near the air bag plugs you'll be fine.


I got to do the same thing on mine as well, the air bag will go off for a day or two and then it will come back.
I've cleaned all the connections up but its not helped.
I think I got some spare single pin plugs in my bag of cables, so I'll just replace it with that.

You don't have to but its a bit of a tight squeeze.
I'd remove it to make life easier for you.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply, If I cut the connecter out, would it be ok to replace it with one of them block connecter things with the screw in?
 
gkf9 said:
Thanks for the reply, If I cut the connecter out, would it be ok to replace it with one of them block connecter things with the screw in?
Click to expand...

No.


Go to Audi and get a repair wire and a new block or go to Halfords (other supplies of automotive bits are available) and pick up a basic plug.
 
What's a repair wire? just nipped to garage next door to work, they will charge me £45 just to put it on diagnostics machine ( I could do with knowing for sure that the connecter is at fault ) before I attempt the fix, don't want to pay that tho If I can help it.
 
gkf9 said:
What's a repair wire? just nipped to garage next door to work, they will charge me £45 just to put it on diagnostics machine ( I could do with knowing for sure that the connecter is at fault ) before I attempt the fix, don't want to pay that tho If I can help it.
Click to expand...

Check the VCDS map in the VCDS section and see if anyone is local that can scan it for you.

a repair wire is a length of cable with the correct connection on the end to fit in to the plug socket.
 
Get it sorted soon as if the light remains the whole system usually deactivates itself for safety due to a fault until the error is cleared/fixed..........as it is safer to have no airbags go off than some come on while the system was expecting the faulty one to go but then it does not.
 
ScottB5 said:
Check the VCDS map in the VCDS section and see if anyone is local that can scan it for you.

a repair wire is a length of cable with the correct connection on the end to fit in to the plug socket.
Click to expand...
sorry to sound thick, so with the repair wire I solder one end onto the existing wire and then that plugs into the other end with like a bullet connecter?
 
the air bag system does not deactivate with the error

you ned a repair wire to rejoin the wires
cut plug off resolder new repair wires on
use shrink tube aswell
then get it reset very common
but scan first so you get the right seat could be pass seat aswell

try to clean the plugs up first.
 
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bez101 said:
the air bag system does not deactivate with the error

you ned a repair wire to rejoin the wires
cut plug off resolder new repair wires on
use shrink tube aswell
then get it reset very common
but scan first so you get the right seat could be pass seat aswell

try to clean the plugs up first.
Click to expand...

Can I not just solder the existing wires, why do I need repair wire, is it because there's not enough slack?
 
you do know what plug your going to be cutting off dont you ?

its the plug under the seat not into the floor

but it could be the plug at the fllor thats at fault aswell
 
thats the way i always do it

but iv known ppl cut the floor plugs off and join them that way
 
ScottB5 said:
You can solder it together if you want.
The point of the repair is that it will slot correctly in to the plug.
Click to expand...

Can you link me to what I need, getting confused now, I'll take it I'm cutting the plug out completely? Then replacing with another plug?
 
bez101 said:
you do know what plug your going to be cutting off dont you ?

its the plug under the seat not into the floor

but it could be the plug at the fllor thats at fault aswell
Click to expand...

Yeah plug underneath seat, need to it the fault scanned first.
 
gkf9 said:
Can you link me to what I need, getting confused now, I'll take it I'm cutting the plug out completely? Then replacing with another plug?
Click to expand...


Get it scanned, find out what seat or plug it is that's causing the fault.
Then pop in to Audi and explain the situation and say you want a new air bag plug and matching repair wires.
They should be able to sort it out for you.
 
ScottB5 said:
Get it scanned, find out what seat or plug it is that's causing the fault.
Then pop in to Audi and explain the situation and say you want a new air bag plug and matching repair wires.
They should be able to sort it out for you.
Click to expand...

Ok will do, I'll see if anyone can scan it for me in my area, thanks for your help and everyone else's.
 
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