2006 Jetta drivers seat airbag replacement proceedure

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blodgee

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Vancouver Island
TDI
2006 Jetta
I have had issues for what seem like the last 2 years with the airbag light coming on. The dealer has hard wired both plug connectors under the front seat and the light still comes on time and time again. Now the dealer says I need a New airbag in the seat. I would like to do it myself. I googled how do you do this and got nothing. Does anyone know the procedure to take the seat cover off and replace the airbag?
 
relumalutan

relumalutan

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Location
Michigan
TDI
06 Jetta TDI Special Edition
My airbag light also came on from time to time. I have also had the recall done where the dealer hardwired the plug connectors under the seat. I have removed the seat to find out that they have done a ****ty job. Remove the seat, verify that all the wires are in place, get a pair of electrical pliers and squeeze really hard those butt connectors that the dealer didn't bother to do in first place. Re-set with VCDS and your should be good to go.
Otherwise I would just buy a used driver seat.
 
B

blodgee

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Vancouver Island
TDI
2006 Jetta
relumalutan said:
My airbag light also came on from time to time. I have also had the recall done where the dealer hardwired the plug connectors under the seat. I have removed the seat to find out that they have done a ****ty job. Remove the seat, verify that all the wires are in place, get a pair of electrical pliers and squeeze really hard those butt connectors that the dealer didn't bother to do in first place. Re-set with VCDS and your should be good to go.
Otherwise I would just buy a used driver seat.
Click to expand...



The dealer did verify that the connection were good. Still someone must know the procedure to change out the affected airbag in the drivers seat????
 
K

kdawg89

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2013
Location
Spanish Fork, UT
TDI
15 Golf DSG 06 Jetta (sold)
Here is a DIY for opening up the seat. https://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142600


If you have VAG COM open up the Airbag controller and then measuring blocks, and then I think it will be either MB4 or MB6 you will have to read the description, I know MB5 is for the corresponding airbag on the passenger side. It should say something like: Correct, Signal too Low, Signal too High, etc. Then you can watch the live reading as you move the seat forward and back etc, on my car I am dealing with the same issue on the passenger side and have found that when moving the seat around it will change from too high to correct so I assume I have a broken wire somewhere under the seat that moves when the seat moves.


Do not clear the fault code while you are near or under that seat! The Airbag system runs a self check after faults are cleared and with each key cycle...so I don't want to see a bag blow (if the wiring is shorted for example) while you are near it.
 
relumalutan

relumalutan

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2012
Location
Michigan
TDI
06 Jetta TDI Special Edition
kdawg89 said:
Here is a DIY for opening up the seat. https://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142600


If you have VAG COM open up the Airbag controller and then measuring blocks, and then I think it will be either MB4 or MB6 you will have to read the description, I know MB5 is for the corresponding airbag on the passenger side. It should say something like: Correct, Signal too Low, Signal too High, etc. Then you can watch the live reading as you move the seat forward and back etc, on my car I am dealing with the same issue on the passenger side and have found that when moving the seat around it will change from too high to correct so I assume I have a broken wire somewhere under the seat that moves when the seat moves.


Do not clear the fault code while you are near or under that seat! The Airbag system runs a self check after faults are cleared and with each key cycle...so I don't want to see a bag blow (if the wiring is shorted for example) while you are near it.
Click to expand...
BLODGEE, as I was saying, check 10 times that the wires are OK, before tearing apart the seat, and don't rely on the dealer saying that they've checked the connection and it's good.
 
oilhammer

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
There is also the seat to body connector that can be the culprit, down in the little trap door of carpet.

I've never had to actually replace one of the seat bags.

No idea why SRS connections, especially to the seats, are so finicky. VAG is not alone in this. Ford, GM, Mazda, Hyundai/Kia, and others all have the exact same problem, and the same solution (hard wire past the connectors).
 
B

blodgee

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Vancouver Island
TDI
2006 Jetta
relumalutan said:
BLODGEE, as I was saying, check 10 times that the wires are OK, before tearing apart the seat, and don't rely on the dealer saying that they've checked the connection and it's good.
Click to expand...
The dealer is the one that cut the plugs off and hardwired them. They had their senior technician of 35 yrs do the work and diagnose it this last time.
The code is N199. Yes I do have the Ross Tech cable and computer program but I really don't think I can compete with a 35yr experienced VW Tech.
 
B

blodgee

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2008
Location
Vancouver Island
TDI
2006 Jetta
kdawg89 said:
Here is a DIY for opening up the seat. https://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=142600


If you have VAG COM open up the Airbag controller and then measuring blocks, and then I think it will be either MB4 or MB6 you will have to read the description, I know MB5 is for the corresponding airbag on the passenger side. It should say something like: Correct, Signal too Low, Signal too High, etc. Then you can watch the live reading as you move the seat forward and back etc, on my car I am dealing with the same issue on the passenger side and have found that when moving the seat around it will change from too high to correct so I assume I have a broken wire somewhere under the seat that moves when the seat moves.


Do not clear the fault code while you are near or under that seat! The Airbag system runs a self check after faults are cleared and with each key cycle...so I don't want to see a bag blow (if the wiring is shorted for example) while you are near it.
Click to expand...
The dealer cleared the code 3 days ago and the light has not come back on yet. The car is used several times each day. I have physically squeezed on the side of the seat while driving to see if I could make the light come on.
I don't know about opening the Airbag controller but I will play around with it in the next few days to see if I can do what you suggest. If the code hasn't been thrown though I don't know if I will get the readings you are talking about. Again if I open up the controller I gues I can move the seat etc to see if it changes?
 
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