I don’t really know much about replacing airbags after a crash, my drivers, passenger and seat belt tensioners need replacing. I’ve bought a kit from a donor vehicle second hand that had rear end damage. I’ve got all airbags and seat belts plus airbag control module. Does anyone know what you need to do? Does the module need replacing? Can you replace it with a second hand unit? Is there an order things need to be done in. I just don’t want to mess things up without knowing how to do it. Thanks
Replacing airbags after crash
- Thread starter deanshaw24
- Start date
You can get a hold off Ash via his site ( https://audi-retrofits.co.uk ) have a look and drop him a mail via his site mate , i got a reply from him yesterday , only way i know off getting @NHN is through here but he might be on his hols
id be interested in hearing more about what happened and the details of the car.
drivers airbag is easy, couple screws from behind. seatbelt pretensioners a bit longer bit straightforward enough. the passenger airbag is the kicker though. when that fires it effectively ruins the dash. did you get a replacement dashboard? they are cheap enough to buy, but the labour to change them out....
cant see any reference in elsawin to having to replace the module when replacing discharged airbags. would clear them with vcds after replacing the blown airbags.
mate of mine had a cat d rover with a blown drivers airbag, and the light on the dash, was fine until the mot rules changed. so we changed the bag, and had to change the module with a 'clean' module as there wasnt a way to clear the fault that we knew of. another friend's astra had curtain and seat bags blow on drivers side, we replaced the drivers seat and curtain airbag and wiped the fault with opcom, so id go with the vcds method rather than changing the module. elsawin mentions having to recode a replacement airbag control unit fwiw.
depending on the cars spec, age, mileage, id either attempt to repair it myself if i were you, or simply sell as is. the cost of getting outside help to repair it might make it financially unviable. any accident repair garage would be able to do the work though, no need to rely on retrofitters.
drivers airbag is easy, couple screws from behind. seatbelt pretensioners a bit longer bit straightforward enough. the passenger airbag is the kicker though. when that fires it effectively ruins the dash. did you get a replacement dashboard? they are cheap enough to buy, but the labour to change them out....
cant see any reference in elsawin to having to replace the module when replacing discharged airbags. would clear them with vcds after replacing the blown airbags.
mate of mine had a cat d rover with a blown drivers airbag, and the light on the dash, was fine until the mot rules changed. so we changed the bag, and had to change the module with a 'clean' module as there wasnt a way to clear the fault that we knew of. another friend's astra had curtain and seat bags blow on drivers side, we replaced the drivers seat and curtain airbag and wiped the fault with opcom, so id go with the vcds method rather than changing the module. elsawin mentions having to recode a replacement airbag control unit fwiw.
depending on the cars spec, age, mileage, id either attempt to repair it myself if i were you, or simply sell as is. the cost of getting outside help to repair it might make it financially unviable. any accident repair garage would be able to do the work though, no need to rely on retrofitters.
Hi mate thanks for the reply, I bought the car damaged cheap from an auction. Plan is to repair it myself. I’m an ex Audi technician so no problem carrying out the repairs I’m just unsure if there’s a procedure for replacing the airbag. It’s a 2010 a3 sportback, I bought and airbag kit off eBay, so drivers and passenger airbag, both front seatbelts, a dashboard and a module, all of these were removed from a rear ended s3. I have vagcom so hopefully any coding can be done with that. I’ve already repaired the bodywork, the main impact was right where the drivers crash sensor sits, so the damage isn’t that bad but the sensor took the brunt of it (it’s not damaged) so set the bags off.
ah in that case itll be a cakewalk for you.
the only thing mentioned about changing out the seatbelt pretensioners and 2 airbags (other than the obvious way to remove/install them) is this warning
the only thing mentioned about changing out the seatbelt pretensioners and 2 airbags (other than the obvious way to remove/install them) is this warning
I am sure if you ask any the lads with a 2010 spoetback they would be able to give you a module number to compare with the one you have just got, to see if compatible , if you can do the jobs yourself it will be pointless getting in contact with Ash or Nhn as i was pointing you in there direction as i was in the understanding you where maybe wanting them to fit for you
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We can sort it out but as an ex Audi tech im sure you wont find it too hard.
replace all airbags and belts, make sure its all plugged in properly. scan the car and clear errors and see what comes back.
replace all airbags and belts, make sure its all plugged in properly. scan the car and clear errors and see what comes back.
Nice one cheers mate, yeah all those years of being an Audi tech we never got involved with accident repairs so never really touched airbags that much. I’ll do all that with the current air bag module in place, if it clears the light then happy days if not I will have to swap it out for the other one I’ve got.
Just a heads up for anyone that replaces the airbags, you don’t need to replace the airbag control module, (well I didn’t anyway) I replaced drivers, passenger and both front seat belts, cleared the codes, no codes present in airbag and no warning light.
