Airbag Light... ok to scan???

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
Facts:
I have an Actual Ross-tech HEX-USB cable.
I have scanned the airbag controller successfully in the past, and no codes (well, actually an intermittent B+).
I am running the latest version of the vag-com software.

I got an airbag light today, the only thing that I changed on the car was the seat position.

I guess this is more targeted to Sebastian, but anyone with experience should also chime in.

Should I scan the airbag controller to see where the problem is?

Thanks for any responses.
 

Airliner

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2005
TDI
Audi A4 1.9TDi Avant Quattro 2001 silver
I would start the engine and then scan the airbag module (or connect a charger). This is to keep the voltage well above 12-13V.

A low voltage when scanning your airbag module can in a very few rare situations destroy your module (set the dreaded 65535 code).
 

Uwe

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Location
Lansdale, PA, USA
The facts that matter:
* A current version of VAG-COM is safer than any other scan tool that can scan your airbag module.
* Your airbag module needs to be scanned.

Those items alone justify scanning it, regardless of the risk, which is damn near infinitesimal. For starters, a 1999.5 car shouldn't have the module with buggy firmware.

-Uwe-
 

NFSTDI

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 11, 2006
Location
Sunny California :)
TDI
'98 Jetta
Which module is the one with buggy firmware? Would that be the module on my 1998 Jetta TDI? Mine has an intermittent passenger side airbag light.
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
Running I get ~14.1v off I get ~12.9v I'll see if I can scan it while it's running, don't want to nuke anything... just want to see where the error is. decide whether to take it to a "professional" or not.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
Did you read Uwe's previous post about the cause for the 'bad controllers' and how vag-com gets around it?

-J
 

Birdman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 7, 1999
Location
Near Hagerstown MD.
TDI
Jetta 2001 Died by Truck one snowy day. Jetta 2003
My 01 had problems throwing the airbag light. It was for the passenger seat. cleaned the connections and no more problems.
 

alphaseinor

TDI Innovator, Gone but Not Forgotten
Joined
Jul 30, 2006
Location
Denton, TX
TDI
'03 Jetta TDI 780,000 miles (totaled out), 01 Audi TT 225 Quattro 230,000 Miles (runs great!), 00 Cabreetle Beetle dash, ALH & MK4 harness Swap
Drivers seat ignitor, resistance too high...

unplugged the battery on the car, and cleaned the contacts under the drivers seat, no more errors...


I don't know about anyone here... but for me... I don't like messing with things that are hooked up to explosive devices...
 

Uwe

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Feb 24, 2000
Location
Lansdale, PA, USA
I don't know about anyone here... but for me... I don't like messing with things that are hooked up to explosive devices...
I don't blame you. A high level of caution and strict adherence to the factory recommended procedures is called for duing diagnosis or repair of airbag systems.

-Uwe-
 
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