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Fooled Ya!!
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Here's an airbag write-up, hopefully one that will answer all airbag
questions.
If you have a Cabby with an intact airbag system and the airbag warning
lights are off, let's keep it that way.
Well, that warning is okay as far as it goes, mostly, airbag warnings
get set while other repair work is being done.
Commonly, the steering wheel, ignition switch and/or combination
switches are being serviced, while the airbag is still disconnected the
key gets switched on for testing the just repaired or replaced
component, that's the moment that the light sets.
To avoid that scenario follow the warning above about
disconnecting the battery and waiting 20 minutes, sorry I have no idea
where the red single pin connector is, then disconnect the six pin main
airbag harness connector found just below the fuse panel.
One screw holds the connector bracket in place
the orange bar locks the connector halves together, pry the orange bar
up and out and disconnect the connector halves.
The airbag controller is now completely isolated from the rest of
the airbag system and the rest of the cars electrical system. It cannot
possibly set a code.
Once other repairs are completed and all of the connections
restored, make sure the key is switched off, disconnect the battery and
reconnect the airbag main harness connector. Reconnect the battery and
all should be as before.
Be sure to follow this warning as well.
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OK, so you didn't do anything to the car,
the airbag lights are on anyway.
You can try disconnecting the battery overnight, click your heels
together three times and burn some incense, maybe light will be out
when you reconnect the battery.
There should be a way to pull blinky codes from the ECU, the
connectors are there, the procedure and code list are nowhere that I
have ever found.
The only known way to clear codes that have no obvious cause is to find
a dealership a repair shop that has a VAG 1551.
The VAG 1551 is a very obsolete tool now days, it was a very
cranky, awkward, unfriendly curmudgeon of a tool, so not only do you
have to find a shop that has one, you also have to hope they have a
technician on staff that is familiar with it. Most shops typically
charge a one hour minimum to connect any scan tool.
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You've gone this far, the lights are still on, you're now ready to
disable them.
There are at least two ways to go.
Brian likes to remove the instrument cluster and snip the leads of
the LEDs. This method leaves the ECU connected and the charging
capacitor for the igniter charged up.
I prefer to disconnect the airbag ECU from the rest of the system
entirely. VW very cleverly hid a connection in the ECU harness that
prevent you from starting the car after simply unplugging the ECU.
Go back to the first post in this thread above and find and
unplugged the main harness connector below the fuse panel. On the left
side of that plug find the two black wires and splice them together.
This method leaves the leads to the igniter open circuit and
subject to possible freak charging of the igniter and airbag deployment
from some random event such as a lightning strike, a crash into an
electrical substation were very poorly aimed Taser shot.
Brian's method is also subject to the same freak conditions.
The simple bypass splice looks like this...
A slightly more complex splice looks like this first step
completed like this...
This second more complex splice allows restoration of the system to
its previous condition at any time by simply reconnecting the main
harness connector. |
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That caution certainly doesn't give much cause for confidence in a 16
to 19-year-old system, does it?
Here's a parts list...
As of June the second 2008, the local dealer here in Santa Cruz quoted
the following prices;
155 419 669 01C air bag $1398.44
155 959 651 air bag inflation delay sender $593.88, there are two of
these per car.
155 959 653 01C canceling ring with slip ring $592.62
155 959 655 air bag control module $1209.14
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Schematic and
legend...........
If the warning lights are on and you want to do some electrical
testing, follow the disconnect and disable instructions in the first
post of this thread and also find terminal T2a leading up to the clock
spring and disconnect that.
You can then safely test at the main harness connector, T6, for a
starter signal atT6/2, the red/black wire; ignition on power at T6/3,
black wire; and system ground at T6/3, brown wire.
T6/3, T6/5 and T6/6 all operate the warning lights in the instrument
cluster.
You can get up under the cowl on each side and test deceleration
sensors. The female pin to the sensor itself is pin one on the
schematic showing a black wire, from pin 1 two either male pin on pin 2
or pin 3 should read approximately 10K?, pin 2 to pin 3 should be a
dead short.
Continuity test to the airbag igniter at your own risk, that procedure
is certainly NOT recommended.
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