Airbag light still on after removing and reinstalling airbag

[306Puggy]

Well this is annoying. To explain the situation, I did a heater matrix change back in november so I had to remove the airbag and I also broke the rotary coupling whilst doing so which meant that I had to buy a new one, turns out that there are 3 different types so the first two I bought were wrong, the 3rd one which I have now fitted is right so I've been able to put the airbag back in. Annoyingly now the airbag light refuses to go off even though everything is present and correct. I've checked that the airbag is still plugged in and it is.

The Haynes Manual gives a procedure of closing all the doors, connecting the battery with the ignition already turned on, switching the ignition off, waiting 10 seconds and then switching the ignition back on again which sounds like bullshit to me. I've tried it anyway but it hasn't made a difference.

I have replaced seat belt tensioners before but they had actually gone off so I had to replace the airbag module anyway but in this case the airbag hasn't gone off so I don't see why I would need to replace the module.

The only thing I can think is that the coupling is faulty which is very unlikely but possible I guess. Which leaves me with the option to replace that with a different one (ontop of the £40 I've wasted on the other two) or replace the airbag controller which would be about another £30 pounds.

[C.A.R.]

So you don't have side air bags and it definitely can't be related to the passenger airbag?

[devils_fuel]

i have the same issue, changed all items but still the light is on, will try the door thing though

[Parksy87]

What phase/engine is it? Does it have passenger side airbag?? (mine doesn't)When i done mine the was a wire that ran under the top glove box with and orange connection which looked like it was to do with the airbag system

[Niall]

Is the light flashing or solid?

[puglove]

Id also like to know the frickin answer to this. 3 306's and 3 flashing airbag lights lol

[devils_fuel]

Niall, mine is either solid or flashing and everything's been replaced

Gallon of petrol and match time lol

Puggy - is yours a dt or hdi?

[306Puggy]

What phase/engine is it? Does it have passenger side airbag?? (mine doesn't)When i done mine the was a wire that ran under the top glove box with and orange connection which looked like it was to do with the airbag system

I ought to check this, it sounds familiar. I will get the glovebox out tommorrow and have a look.

Niall, mine is either solid or flashing and everything's been replaced

Gallon of petrol and match time lol

Puggy - is yours a dt or hdi?

dt bud, driver airbag and seatbelt pretensioners, that's all.

Is the light flashing or solid?

Solid, when the pretensioners went it was flashing so I guess solid=airbag disconnected.

Edit: Right, update time. Parksy87 you were right. I have a picture of the socket here:



But I can't find the plug anywhere:




It's just nowhere to be found.

[Parksy87]

Its gotta be there somewhere dude if i can ill whipe my glove box out and try and see where the wire runs but looks like youv found your problem

[306Puggy]

Just been out again today, looked up underneath the dash with a torch, still can't see anything, really strange. I might have to rip the dash out again at this rate

[devils_fuel]

will have a look under my top glove box just in case

[306Puggy]

Thanks bud

[Parksy87]

Just been out again today, looked up underneath the dash with a torch, still can't see anything, really strange. I might have to rip the dash out again at this rate

Its gotta be there somewhere dude, check the wiring that goes to the heater box incase it spurs off that loom ill see if i can see where it comes off

[Eeyore]

my light is on solid after changing the steering wheel airbag. Wont go off!

Is this legit?

The Haynes Manual gives a procedure of closing all the doors, connecting the battery with the ignition already turned on, switching the ignition off, waiting 10 seconds and then switching the ignition back on again

[Niall]

It's just a safety procedure so you don't end up with a face full of
Airbag.

[londondan86]

Not sure of there is a connection with solid vs flashing light. My steering wheel airbag isn't connected at all as there is no ring in there and the light is flashing. (ph3 hdi)

[306Puggy]

Right, been out today and pulled the passenger side of the dash out a bit just so that I could check that there wasn't a wire trapped anywhere:

There wasn't (viewed from underneath the dash):

That is the passenger's side of behind-the-dash completely clear of anything.

Although, one thing is curious, this connector seems to be intended to just act as a "bridge" between two plugs (again, from underneath the dash):


I'm wondering if phase 1's were originally meant to have passenger airbags and that this plug was intended for that and is therefore just a red herring and all I need to do is unplug and replug the airbag controller unit.

If that is not the case I will have no choice but to take the airbag light out and install a 205 GTi wheel and try to blag the MOT ppl that it came with a GTi wheel as an optional extra

[Niall]

also, have you taken the lower centre console out and had a look at the air bag control unit to make sure all the plugs are plugged in?

[devils_fuel]

Is the bridge cable connected?

[306Puggy]

Right, been out today again trying to solve this mystery. The plug comes off the loom running off the airbag module:

The plug comes off the loom and then the rest of the wires go into a hole in the dash presumably onto the driver's side.

Edit: Right, as it turns out, the passenger's side plug was a red herring. I can only assume it was put there on phase 1's incase a passenger's side airbag was origionally gonna be an optional extra on phase 1's.

It was necessary to unplug and replug the airbag module to reset it and therefore stop the airbag light from staying on, I'm guessing disconnecting the battery isn't enough. Now all I need to do is get the steering wheel on straight before I put everything back again, any tips?

[3gan]

did you disconnect the battery when doing the passenger airbag plug?
as I have exactly the same problem since changing to a steering wheel that was not so battered!

[3gan]

sorry by module you mean the ecu?

[306Puggy]

Yes, always disconnect the battery when working on the airbag system! And no, by airbag module I mean the ACU, the ECU controls the engine

[3gan]

thank you I will remove battery and remove the acu tomorrow and refit
I hope this brings back my side airbags :-(

[3gan]

tried unplugging the acu with battery disconnected today and it made no difference
gutted peeps!

[3gan]

I believe my airbag on and off switch is faulty
even tho I bought one from eBay it still gives the same error codes
can I ask your views please
if I run test through the switches with my multi check the light illuminates whether the switches are on or off
do you know if the switch should not give the same result if in the off position?
many thanks
lee
the guy with the air bag problem :-(

---

my fault codes were
p1862
of the passengers airbag deactivation not defined
and
p106f
passenger airbag deactivation undefined

[3gan]

ok I have spoken to three independent mechanics today
and I know what is wrong
I will post up once fixed and when I am totally sure
but from how they have explained things then it all
makes sense :-)

[devils_fuel]

Oooh tell us now...

[3gan]

once airbag ecu has logged a fault and it stays on constant
it means it has had a live feed trigger
ecu can be cleared by some companies who specialise
or you can buy a second hand one
but you need to make sure the numbers line up
on the ecu's or it will require setting up to your
particular car
anyone who has a solid airbag light and manage to
get this to disappear have had a different fault or were
extremely lucky with it resetting