Airbag Light!!!!!!

[diamond1]

Hi just found your site
Had my Polo since 2000 with continual problems with airbag light coming on and staying on.
Although reset by dealer a couple of times, they said although this was only caused by dust or grit making a bad contact, if it went again it would cost around £100 (part only) to supply an 'O' ring which goes at the back of the steering wheel.
Now its gone again.
When a local garage contacted VW, they were told, there were 2 plastic clips behind the steeering, and they were so brittle they always broke a few when fitting them.
Surely there must be a way to have this corrected, as it apprears like a design fault.
While it has regularly happened on my automatic Polo, it has never happened on my wife's manual Polo, so what is the big problem and why do they want so much to fix it?
Sorry if you see this message twice but new member and think it cut me off before I could get the original post on.

[RickT]

when checked via VAG-COM... where does it state the fault is ?? there loads of sensors on the front end which could be at fault?

RiCKT

[diamond1]

Hi RickT
What is VAG-COM?
Is it something you have to go to a main dealer to have done, - charge for doing - then charge to repair the part.
What is annoying, that if this airbag connection is so delicate why didn't it go off over a year ago, when someone in front of me stopped suddenly, causing me to brake hard to stop any major impact occurring.
If it didn't activate then, why should the light come on when the car is started first thing in the morning after sitting on the drive all night.
Also you say about these sensors but some garages don't even know where they are.

[rick]

hi this is a common problem with most polos of that age, it is the airbag slip ring that goes it is just a sprung wire wrapped aound the steering collumn allowin the steering wheel to turn without breaking the wire for the airbag, over time this wares causing a high resistance in the wire, it is worth payin £100 for as your drivers airbag will be inop at the moment, and if its logged you are aware of this problem and you crash your car the insurance are entitled to not pay out on any injury claim as your car has not been maintained to the correct standasds

[RedDave]

I've just had the brake pads (all) replaced on my Polo (03 model) and now the airbag warning light comes and stays on!

Is there any possible connection at all between the brakes pads and the airbag sensors? Of course, I want to avoid the £100+ for a main dealer to fix it.

Oh, other than the standard brake pad change and whatever tinkering goes on there, we did have the fuse panel open (none removed), but that's another thread...!

Thanks in advance.

RDD.