Air bag light 01588 - Igniter for Head-Airbag; Drivers Side (N251)

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
As listed my brother got a air bag light code. 01588 - Igniter for Head-Airbag; Drivers Side (N251). I tried to search this but it would seem a lot of the results are from people that have had an accident or something else. He was just driving one day to work and the light came on. He didn't hit anything. Which air bag is this and how do we solve the problem. My brother just bought a VAG COM for this so he wouldn't have to go to the dealer unless needed. He attempted to clear the code but it came back on right away. Any help they would really appreciate. He isn't the one posting this as he isn't as computer savvy and doesn't watch this like I do. Car is a 2005 Jetta wagon With ESP. Is this a cut wire? I will get exactly what they had (code wise) but they said this was the only code. Thanks for the help. I will post what solves this when that happens.
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
05188-Igniter for Head-Airbag; Drivers side (N251)
32-00-Resistance too high
Part No: ICO 909 605 F
This was the whole thing. I will forward the info. Thanks.
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
Ok, he attempted to take the air bag off. Is it the front A pillar one? The manual doesn't have much on airbags and he attempted to take it apart but couldn't find any plugs. If someone has a how to on it let me know so I can forward it on. Since he is 750 miles away and not good on a computer I can only interpret for him.
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
Bump, since we are both new to working on airbags we need to find out which one the head airbag is and where the connections are for it.
 

jcrews

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 28, 2007
Location
Round Rock, TX - VCDS
TDI
All gone
Huh, I thought I replied to your last. Sorry.

The airbag basically runs overhead from the A to D pillars. The connector is near the top of the D pillar.

This will give you an idea of what this thing looks like, and this illustrates the connections.
 
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gigi123

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Location
Dallas
TDI
2002 Jetta
I just thought about posting a possible fix with this, since I had this problem and found the post... It's pretty easy to get to the connector on top, by removing the middle and one side (depending which side you need) trim pieces, and then look for the typical yellow airbag connector about 4 inches from the rear of the headliner. But in my case, cleaning the connector did not solve the problem, so I did a little mre investigation and found another connector, at the base of the D Pillar, right behing the tail light (again, look for the typical yellow airbag connector). That one solved the problem. Just unpluging, spraying some cleaner and plugging it back in solve the problem. FWIW, on all cars with "resistance too high" for different airbags, cleaning the connector always solved the problem for me, but sometimes is tricky to find the connector. The New Jetta and Passat for example have a separate connector under the seat, besides the big connector that plugs into the floor. Of course, I am not talking about cars that had problems with the airbags, those might not work just by cleaning the connector : ) ...
 
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lbirunner

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2010
Location
North Dallas
TDI
04 Jetta Wagon
I know this is an old thread but I just wanted to add that I solved the same issue as OP by spraying the yellow connector contacts (air bag) at the base of the D Pillar, right behind the tail light. I have a wagon so I just had to remove the access panel behind the tail light to get to it. Thanks to gigi123 for finding that.
 

VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
I'm going to try the same fix on my wagon. My factory tail lights would always get soaked in the rain. This was even with the foam "gasket" from VW. When you remove the wagon tail lights, you'll see what I mean it is a dumb, dumb design.

I had to replace failed tail light sockets (from water damage causing all sorts of problems, new tail lights from a euro golf variant, and new light sockets. The way this plugs are positioned, I bet that same water hit the airbag plug and it is corroded too.

I am going to try some deox-it contact cleaner in a few once the rain stops. I since made rain blocking gaskets back there and removed the worthless VW foam. Spraying the lights individually now right at point blank yields no more wet insides!
 

VincenzaV

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2015
Location
New Hampshire
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon
I found the same connection on my wagon was the problem. All that water leaking into the tail light area must have gotten on that airbag connector.

I took it apart and sprayed it with De-Oxit and let it sit for ten minutes. I pushed it together and took it apart about three times before I let it sit by the way.

I used my VCDS and reset the error code. At first, after restarting the car, the airbag light persisted. But after about 5-10 seconds it shut off, and stayed off. Simple free fix! Thanks guys.
 

Frank3

Member
Joined
Apr 23, 2012
Location
Va
TDI
2005 MKIV wagen
Don't you hate when your working on the engine , the cars been off the road for a few months , to replace the turbo and a few other up-grades , and on the first test drive the sir light comes on .
Short story is -
Thanks for this post , the connector behind the tail light was it !
 

DrSmile

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 7, 2003
Location
New Jersey USA
TDI
05 GLS PD 5spd Wagon
It was the same driver side tail light connector that was the culprit for this code on my mark IV 05 Jetta wagon. Thanks for the thread, it saved me a lot of headache, cleaned the connector and used my Xtool to clear the code.
 

skipsinclair

New member
Joined
Jun 3, 2017
Location
Brookline, NH
TDI
2005 Jetta TDI Wagon
Help in finding connector?

Can anyone help me in finding this connector (Mk4 wagon)? I have the same problem code and it's probably the same thing - I've already found some corrosion in the sockets on the drivers side. I have the Monsoon radio, though, and it appears there is a large black Styrofoam support on the drivers side behind the access panel, maybe with the Monsoon amp behind it? Does that need to be removed? I've found the passenger side, obvious yellow airbag connector - but I just can't find it on the driver's side - there are some bundles of fabric-taped up connectors, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't ignoring something easy before I started to unwrap those...
 

coalminer16

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Dec 11, 2008
Location
Central Wisconsin
TDI
Golf 2004
Well it has been 8 years and the car has blown the engine and had it replaced and now owned by me. I went to the tail light connection, cleaned and it is now good to go. Thank you gigi123
 

Mazys t5

New member
Joined
Oct 24, 2020
Location
Essex
TDI
19tdi
As listed my brother got a air bag light code. 01588 - Igniter for Head-Airbag; Drivers Side (N251). I tried to search this but it would seem a lot of the results are from people that have had an accident or something else. He was just driving one day to work and the light came on. He didn't hit anything. Which air bag is this and how do we solve the problem. My brother just bought a VAG COM for this so he wouldn't have to go to the dealer unless needed. He attempted to clear the code but it came back on right away. Any help they would really appreciate. He isn't the one posting this as he isn't as computer savvy and doesn't watch this like I do. Car is a 2005 Jetta wagon With ESP. Is this a cut wire? I will get exactly what they had (code wise) but they said this was the only code. Thanks for the help. I will post what solves this when that happens.
Hi I had same problem took yellow lead off of air bag and found tiny bits of plastic rubbish in there cleaned it all out and rescanned it and problem has gone hope this helps mine is a t5 19tdi 56 reg
 

dieselgo

Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2011
Location
NE GA
TDI
05 Jetta Wgn PD, 17 F250
Thank you! Have a 2005 TDI Jetta Wagon. Air Bag light came on, checked the connector noted above, cleaned with electronics cleaner spray, cleared code, all good.
 
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