Air bag light on due to replacement glovebox

[RichieD]

Hey everyone, need a bit of technical advice. my B6 A4 broken glovebox has been replaced with one from a breakers. The only trouble is that the replacement glovebox has a switch in it for turning the passengers airbag on and off. My original one didnt. I connected the harness and screwed everything back. Now the airbag light is on all the time in the instrument cluster. Tried cycling the ignition three times but the light is still on. Can anyone tell me why the light is on, and what to do to turn it off. Will the airbag still operate in the event of a crash?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

Richard

 

[desertstorm]

Did you have the ignition turned on at any point whilst the airbag was disconnected ? . If so then that puts the airbag light on, Even if the fault is no longer present the light stops on. It can only be turned off by the dealer or somebody with VAG-COM / VCDS.
I don't think the airbags deploy if there is a problem with the system.

Karl.

 

[desertstorm]

You can get a VCDS / VAG-COM lead for your car for £6 off Fleabay.

Karl.

 

[sumo]

So you have fitted a switch when the old one didn't have one? Will need coding in to say it has one now if the ECU will let you.

 

[RichieD]

Hi Karl, thanks for the info. To answer your question, the ignition was off the whole time.

Hi Sumo, you are correct, now I have a switch where I didnt have one before. I'm guessing I have a choice of either going to Audi to have the switch coded in, or put my old glovebox back in but swap the doors over so I have the good door on the original glovebox.

 

[pauldazzle]

If you disconnect or reconnect any of the air bag components without disconnecting the battery first it will cause a code & the airbag light will come on, regardless of the ignition being on or off.
You need to get the code cleared for the airbag light to go out. The airbags will not work if the airbag warning light is on.

 

[sumo]

From memory when l retrofitted the switches I think some extra wires needed to be run to the airbag ECU,you would need to check on this. Unless you have a rear facing baby seat that must go in the front I would put it back to as Audi intended.

 

[sumo]

If you disconnect or reconnect any of the air bag components without disconnecting the battery first it will cause a code & the airbag light will come on, regardless of the ignition being on or off.
You need to get the code cleared for the airbag light to go out. The airbags will not work if the airbag warning light is on.

The airbag light on only shows there is a fault in the system,the ECU will look at this fault and then decide whether to shut the triggering of the bags off. So even if the light is on the Air bags may still go off if needed.

 

[VagCabby]

I thought this switch was standard fit in all cars.
I'm assuming your have to fit the yellow 'passenger airbag off' light into the car aswell.

 

[mattyboyc]

I thought this switch was standard fit in all cars.

No mine doesn't have one.

If you disconnect or reconnect any of the air bag components without disconnecting the battery first it will cause a code & the airbag light will come on, regardless of the ignition being on or off.
You need to get the code cleared for the airbag light to go out. The airbags will not work if the airbag warning light is on.

This obviously doesn't applly to steering wheel, seats or indeed curtain air bags as I have had all of the above disconnected for various different reasons and never disconnected the battery, never had any warning lights whatsoever.

 

[desertstorm]

Looking at the wiring diagrams on ELSA WIN the actual airbag deactivation switch is not in the airbag circuit, it is just wired to the airbag module. Thus I would have thought that it's just a case of clearing the airbag fault code and you should be good.

Karl.

 

[RichieD]

Great information, thanks very much everyone. Much appreciated

 

[Gazthesparky]

Hey everyone, need a bit of technical advice. my B6 A4 broken glovebox has been replaced with one from a breakers. The only trouble is that the replacement glovebox has a switch in it for turning the passengers airbag on and off. My original one didnt. I connected the harness and screwed everything back. Now the airbag light is on all the time in the instrument cluster. Tried cycling the ignition three times but the light is still on. Can anyone tell me why the light is on, and what to do to turn it off. Will the airbag still operate in the event of a crash?

Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

Richard

Probably just needs a reset with vcds where about do you live I'm sure there would be a member who would happily clear the faults for you for beer tokens

 

[RichieD]

Isle of Man! Come on over!