Once an airbag warning light has appeared due to what the ECU sees as a fault, does this need to be reset once the fault has been fixed, and if so, how is it reset, please??

 

The back story.
I had a significant rainwater leak in the front passenger-side footwell, so after disconnecting the battery, I removed the carpet and the noise-deadening foam/felt to dry them, and made my access easier by removing the glovebox (disconnecting the airbag switch on the way). To fold the carpet out of the way so it could be dried in the car, I removed the passenger seat and disconnected the seatbelt wiring and the seat airbag wiring and relocated it on the back seat.

Now, having found and fixed the leak and dried out the soggy stuff, I've re-assembled the car but the airbag fault light is staying on. When the engine is started the airbag light goes out momentarily, then comes back on again. What I would like to know is whether this needs to be reset; can anyone advise, please?

 

The word "reset" is in the title of this thread because when the airbag connections were separated and the battery reconnected, I had to start the engine to help dry out some of the interior flooring that could not be removed. Is it possible that running the engine when an airbag was disconnected, that the the ECU has remembered that an airbag had been removed, and this is why I'm getting the warning light?

 

Advice would be appreciated. Thanks :-)

Edited 16 February, 20215 yr by happyclappy65
commas!

Yes it needs to be reset, I dont think a basic OBDII reader will be able to do so, you need something that can communicate with the airbag control module like VCDS, others may confirm or correct that statement, I know that it can be done with VCDS.

I think the paid version of Carista can do it too.

 

As an aside, turning on the ignition with any part of the airbag system disconnected will result in a fault code that needs VAG compatible diagnostics to reset.

11 minutes ago, chimaera said:

As an aside, turning on the ignition with any part of the airbag system disconnected will result in a fault code that needs VAG compatible diagnostics to reset.

OK. Thanks for that. Lesson learned.

 

Is this a dealer thing, then?

It certainly seems like, if you disconnect any part of the airbag wiring system, it will register a fault. My superb was previously owned by a religeous sect that believed the outside world was full of devil worshipers so proceeded to make sure the radio (aerial) was disconnected! Needless to say, the passenger airbag warning light in the bezel below the swing radio needed to be disconnected due to the loom being ridiculously short and yep, you guessed it, when the radio was refitted and all looms reconnected, the lovely airbag symbol had illuminated....and my OBDII  doesn't pick it up as a fault so it can't be reset without spending money. Lesson learnt!!!

@happyclappy65

 

look at the thread showing people with VCDS find someone near you and I am sure they will do the reset for you for some beer :-)

 

John 

Rather than leave it hanging, I'd like to close this thread with an update.

 

Although I was sure I could have found a member who would have offered me the use of his VCDS, I took what was for me the "lower Covid risk option". I ordered a Carista OBD module from the eBay distributor as suggested by fellow forum member @chimaera.  It arrived this morning and the airbag warning light is now fixed. Indeed it took way less time to fix than it did to pay for the trial, which as I have no payment processes set up on my phone, took forever. The manufacturers told me that I could sign up for the 1 year access to the "Pro" features for the airbag light fix and cancel the subscription within the first month, which I have done now.

 

A big bonus of having to rectify the airbag fault warning light was that the Carista device also gives you the opportunity to configure a few other items and I'm now the owner of a Superb that does NOT squawk when it is locked or unlocked. Bonus!

 

Take care out there

Good stuff. You can also use the adapter with the VAG-DPF app to keep an eye on your DPF if you have a TDI. Very useful for avoiding shutdowns during regen.

8 minutes ago, chimaera said:

Good stuff. You can also use the adapter with the VAG-DPF app to keep an eye on your DPF if you have a TDI. Very useful for avoiding shutdowns during regen.

Mine's a petrol-fuelled TSI, but the above will be good to know for the TDI ownership on the forum.

I see you live in "england" so do i so pop over and i will reset it for you ..wink

On 25/02/2021 at 18:48, happyclappy65 said:

Rather than leave it hanging, I'd like to close this thread with an update.

 

Although I was sure I could have found a member who would have offered me the use of his VCDS, I took what was for me the "lower Covid risk option". I ordered a Carista OBD module from the eBay distributor as suggested by fellow forum member @chimaera.  It arrived this morning and the airbag warning light is now fixed. Indeed it took way less time to fix than it did to pay for the trial, which as I have no payment processes set up on my phone, took forever. The manufacturers told me that I could sign up for the 1 year access to the "Pro" features for the airbag light fix and cancel the subscription within the first month, which I have done now.

 

A big bonus of having to rectify the airbag fault warning light was that the Carista device also gives you the opportunity to configure a few other items and I'm now the owner of a Superb that does NOT squawk when it is locked or unlocked. Bonus!

 

Take care out there

Getting Carista at the weekend...how did you end up paying ??

Following this topic. Made a newbie mistake fitting an aftermarket android head unit, now I got the airbag error. 🤦