Air bag warning light after steering wheel removal

**shoved** · 26-01-2011,05:32 PM

Hi.

This probably applies to many other VW/Audi cars, but it happened to me with my Golf Mk III Gti.

I had to remove the steering wheel (to replace the wiper switch), so I diligently disconnected the battery before taking the air bag out.

I did the job, replaced the air bag and now the warning light stays on (to be exact, it comes on for 3secs, goes out for about 1sec, then comes on again and stays on).

I THINK this is because I re-connected the battery while the air bag was disconnected (I wanted to check that the new switch worked, and I popped the steering wheel back on for a couple of minutes to drive the car back in to its garage). I disconnected the battery again before I put the air bag back - I assumed that the dark warnings (in the Haynes book) about having to do this were for safety, in case the air bag decided to inflate itself while being re-fitted.

Actually, it seems that as well as being for that (safety) reason, it's also to stop the control unit getting upset becausei t can't "see" the air bag and so it thinks there's a wiring fault.

The bottom line is, not only must one disconnect the battery before removing the air bag, but THE BATTERY MUST STAY DISCONNECTED the whole time that the air bag is not connected (sorry about the shouting).

I assume that my only way out of this now is either to get a dealer to reset the control unit, or to buy VCDS (which I might anyway for other reasons) and do it myself.

Thanks,
David.

**manclad** · 26-01-2011,09:38 PM

I know that this is of no consolation, but it was not the actually reconnecting the battery that caused the "fault" but turning on the ignition.

Yes it needs the airbag fault clearing, though any garage with diagnostics should do it for £10 to £15

**Ignacious** · 06-02-2011,10:53 AM

sorry youre not nearer..ive got a VAG code reader..any one near you got one or access to one??

**shoved** · 06-02-2011,10:58 AM

Many thanks - I managed to get hold of a laptop with VCDS-Lite and the necessary cable - reading and clearing the fault then took about a minute. Very straightforward.

Thanks for your help.

**Ignacious** · 06-02-2011,11:12 AM

great news,,i bought a VAG cheapy reader off egay..45 quid..does all the VAG stuff..plus EOBD embodied vehicles..saves a fortune!!and time!!

**PDL** · 06-02-2011,11:43 AM

Hi guys got a similar problem wondered if you could help . Took my seats out of car to clean I did this one at a time. Drivers came out no problem installed again switch car on for min no warning faults lights etc. Took passenger car seat out and then phone rang come back and for some silly reason put my key in ignition and pressed it in for all the lights to come on but didn't start it as realised what I was doing took the key straight out. Reinstated the passenger seat and "air bag light stayed on and it said in mfd display airbag fault! Please could you tell me what to do now as I am stuck? Thanks pdl.

**Ignacious** · 06-02-2011,11:53 AM

When you took the seats out,did you disturb any wiring under the seat??also has the car got seat belt pre tensioners fitted as these sometimes flag up faults..once again,you may need to read and delete any faults..