passenger seat airbag connector fault

[sbt]

hi all I have got the dreaded airbag light on the dash vagcom says it is the front passenger seat . so done some research and plan to fix this by removing the connector under the seat what I need to know is do I have to use the exact same type of wire thickness also I see people using bullet or spade connectors is there a reason why I can not solder the joints any advice would be appreciated many thanks

[Flash2]

You shouldn't actually need to extend any of the wires. There is usually enough slack in the loom to allow you to just rejoin the ends after you cut the connector off. Just snip the wiring at each end of the connector, leaving a little wire on each side of the removed connector so you have a note of which colour joins to what. Then just join the wires one at a time either using crimp on butt connectors or twist & solder, which ever is your preferred method.

If you do need to extend the wiring though, as with any other circuit on the car, use wire at least as thick as the original wiring. It's just copper wire, so no issues there.

Jim.

[sbt]

hi thanks for the reply so if I do need to extend the wires a slightly thicker wire wont cause any issues . I thought with them being so temperamental regards resistance the wire would have to be the exact thickness as the wire in the car

[Flash2]

Slightly thicker wire wont cause any issues because it will have a lower resistance than the original wiring. It's only when you use thinner wire that has a higher resistance than the original that you might have a problem.

[Crasher]

Technically (and possibly legally) speaking, there are very specific procedures to follow when repairing air bag connections. If I (as a grease monkey) were to repair the wiring in a non VAG approved manner which then led to no deployment during an accident or deployment when not required, I can be criminally liable for any damages or injuries. VAG specifically state that the terminals must be gold plated. A complete set of the VAG orange and yellow plugs and correct 0.5-mm core repair wires with gold plated terminals attached are around £30 for the seat to floor junction. These should be soldered in and protected with heat shirk, the soldered junctions must be secured to the frame or a hard point to prevent their movement which will lead to cracking. These are some of the notes

Repairing wiring for pyrotechnic components Note Observe general information on repairs to the vehicle electrical system Observe notes on repairing wiring harnesses and connectors including marking repair locations. WARNING Carrying out repair work to wiring for pyrotechnic components incorrectly (for example on airbags, belt tensioners) will cause a malfunction in passenger protection systems. To maintain the repair standards required by the Audi factory, repairs to wiring for pyrotechnic components may only be performed on the in-vehicle wiring using wiring harness repair set -VAS 1978 B- and genuine replacement parts (connector housings, contacts, wiring). Wires on the individual airbag units must NOT be repaired. If wires or connectors on airbag units are damaged, the corresponding airbag units must be renewed for safety reasons. Do not repair wiring for pyrotechnic components at more than two repair locations. Repair locations increase the resistance in wiring and can be the cause of faults in the system's self-diagnosis. Repairs in the area around pyrotechnic components should not be performed more than 30 cm from the nearest connector housing. This procedure and the marking with the yellow adhesive tape ensure that previous repairs can be easily identified.

The two wires going to the airbag igniters have a twist length specification of 20 ± 5 mm. This twist length must always be observed when repairing twisted wires. When performing repair work, both wires to the airbag igniters must be of the same length. When twisting the wires -1 and 2-, the twist length specification -A- = 20 mm must be met. When making repairs, there must be no untwisted section of wire which is longer than -B- = 100 mm, e.g. in the vicinity of crimp connectors -arrow-. Repair operations must be recorded in the Audi Service Schedule under “Workshop entries” with a brief outline of the repair work completed, company stamp and signature. Any warranty claims made under the AUDI AG factory warranty are invalid if airbag wiring harness repairs have not been performed using genuine replacement parts and wiring harness repair set -VAS 1978 B-.

[sbt]

hi thanks for the reply . I take it this repair kit is only available from the main dealer or tps

[Flash2]

If I (as a grease monkey) were to repair the wiring in a non VAG approved manner

Removing the airbag connector under the seat and rejoining the wires with crimp on connectors is a VAG approved repair. That is the repair method detailed in the VAG tech bulletin relating to side airbag trouble codes that they issue to the technicians (grease monkeys) in their own dealer network. Why you as an independent repairer should have to approach the job differently is beyond me.

So, my advise to the OP is don't waste your money on gold plated terminals or orange and yellow wotsits. Just join the wires together. If you want to do it the VAG approved way, buy some heat shrinkable crimp on butt connectors. If VAG are happy for their own technicians to do the repair that way, why should you, or anyone else, have to do it any different.

Jim.

[Crasher]

Yes but it is not a kit, all individual parts. I get the orange 3 pin connector at the seat to be 8D0 971 974 and the yellow 3 pin connector on the floor to be 8D0 971 969. A bag of 5 double ended wire sets 000 979 010 EA should be plenty. Depending on the year and equipment, the plug may use two or three wires the variation being an earth.

Removing the airbag connector under the seat and rejoining the wires with crimp on connectors is a VAG approved repair. That is the repair method detailed in the VAG tech bulletin relating to side airbag trouble codes that they issue to the technicians (grease monkeys) in their own dealer network. Why you as an independent repairer should have to approach the job differently is beyond me.

So, my advise to the OP is don't waste your money on gold plated terminals or orange and yellow wotsits. Just join the wires together. If you want to do it the VAG approved way, buy some heat shrinkable crimp on butt connectors. If VAG are happy for their own technicians to do the repair that way, why should you, or anyone else, have to do it any different.

Jim.

The text I quoted is from the VAG workshop system ELSA so keep your opinions to yourself and don't be so bloody rude!

Personally I don't agree with using 000 979 940 transparent watertight butt connectors, this is in TPI 2007970/11 but I consider it to be a bodge as how is anyone supposed to remove the seat when the car is full of water on the passenger's side like they all end up?

[Flash2]

The text I quoted is from the VAG workshop system ELSA

Yes, I know where you got the quoted text from.

so keep your opinions to yourself and don't be so bloody rude!

No need to be taking that tone, sir.

Personally I don't agree with using 000 979 940 transparent watertight butt connectors

You may not agree with it, but it's still a VAG approved repair method.

this is in TPI 2007970/11 but I consider it to be a bodge as how is anyone supposed to remove the seat when the car is full of water on the passenger's side like they all end up?

I don't have access to that TPI right now so I don't know what it says. The TPI I'm familiar with advises removal of the side airbag connector on the seat base (see photo), not the connector that links the seat to the floor harness, so there are no issues with removing the seat at a later date.

Regards.

Jim.