Driver Side Airbag Fault Code N199? Try this!

Hello fellow B5 drivers,

I've had the Airbag Warning Light from time to time and usually clears with OBD cable but I decided to try a more effective solution to it.

When I get the airbag warning light on the dash, the fault code has always been this:

Address 15: Airbags Labels: 8D0-959-655-AI7.LBL
Controller: 8D0 959 655 L
Component: Airbag 7 Audi 0503
Coding: 00106
Shop #: WSC 06325
VCID: 3FF1231F2E65
1 Fault Found:
01217 - Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N199)
32-10 - Resistance too High - Intermittent

This happens whenever I move my seat front-back or up-down when I hoover my car or move it by mistake. I need OBD cable to clear the warning light on the dash.

One possible cause is the yellow connector under the driver's seat. Apparently the yellow connector (with purple cover) seems to loosen itself with age and the connection becomes intermittent; hence the fault code.

It seems a quite common airbag fault for Audi to have this fault and lots of information online about how to fix this. One of the possible fix is to use a cable tie to wrap the yellow collector so that it doesn't come loose. So I did this:

http://s17.postimg.org/z3et1hwof/IMG_20130529_00581.png

You don't really have to remove the seat to access the connectors but it's quite hard to see underneath. You can sort of work it out with your hands though.

*Note: be careful with the purple bit; I'm not sure what it does but you don't have to remove it. If you try to remove it, you'll snap it so better not to touch and just wrap the whole connector with a cable tie.

*WARNING: If you are planning to disconnect the unit all together, DISCONNECT THE BATTERY for precaution! You don't want the airbags to go BANG! just in case...

I've moved my seat forward-backward / up-down and no fault code so far. Hopefully it'll stay faultless for many years to come!

If you get an Airbag fault code, try it and see if it works for your car!

Happy motoring.