A6 C7 drivers Airbag fault and EBC errors

[brens-a6]

afternoon all,

looking for some help and hopefully i have come to the right place. My son's 2011 A6TDi has thrown up an airbag fault a few days ago and then today it throw up an EBC error ( yet ebc works fine ).

I ran vagcom and these are the 2 error codes i got back.

AIRBAG Fault:
1 Fault Found:
9440017 - Driver's side; side-airbag igniter
B100B 11 [137] - Short to Ground
MIL ON - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 2
Fault Frequency: 3
Mileage: 397629 km
Date: 2021.05.20
Time: 18:43:11

I have been reading up on this and it would appear to be either a short to chassis in either the connection to the airbag or a short in the connection to the ECU. I took a picture of the under seat floor connection and was wondering if someone could tell me which of these 4 connections is the airbag one ?.

EBC fault:

2 Faults Found:
590336 - Control Module Left Channel Voltage Supply
C1012 29 [137] - Open or Short to GND
MIL ON - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 3
Fault Frequency: 3
Reset counter: 17
Mileage: 400002 km
Date: 2021.10.18
Time: 14:09:11


Voltage terminal 30: 14.8 V
Internal Fault ID: 24
Vehicle speed: 40 km/h
Network management state: normal
Function light in parking brake button: OFF
Red operating lamp: OFF
Red warning lamp: OFF
Green operating lamp: OFF
Yellow warning lamp: OFF
Terminal 15 status: On
RWU: not active
DSD: not active
HTR: not active
ECD: not active
ACC requested apply: not active
Auto Adjust: not active
General Inspection Function: not active
Internal Parking Brake state: Dynamic
Status of parking brake button: Not operated
Status ParkingBrake left: Open
Status ParkingBrake right: Open


590592 - Control Module Right Channel Voltage Supply
C1013 29 [137] - Open or Short to GND
MIL ON - Confirmed - Tested Since Memory Clear
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 00000001
Fault Priority: 3
Fault Frequency: 2
Reset counter: 17
Mileage: 400002 km
Date: 2021.10.18
Time: 14:08:41


Voltage terminal 30: 14.8 V
Internal Fault ID: 25
Vehicle speed: 80 km/h
Network management state: normal
Function light in parking brake button: OFF
Red operating lamp: OFF
Red warning lamp: OFF
Green operating lamp: OFF
Yellow warning lamp: OFF
Terminal 15 status: On
RWU: not active
DSD: not active
HTR: not active
ECD: not active
ACC requested apply: not active
Auto Adjust: not active
General Inspection Function: not active
Internal Parking Brake state: Dynamic
Status of parking brake button: Not operated
Status ParkingBrake left: Open
Status ParkingBrake right: Open
with this fault i have no idea of where to begin as the fault would appear to occur on both the Left and Right hand side brakes. Where is the control module located for the EBC systen ?.

Thanks in advance




drivers-side.jpg





thanks in advance

Brendan

[Crasher]

Air bag is always yellow plugs

[brens-a6]

hi crasher

thanks for that info it a start on how to resolve this problem.

[brens-a6]

hi all,

a quick update and hopefully someone can help. I ran VCDS with the air bag connector disconnected on the driver seat and iam still getting the same short-to-gnd error so from reading up on the web it would appear in this case that the short is between the floor connector and the airbag module and that the airbag itself is ok.

As a sanity check I disconnected the passenger seat air bag ang got the expected open circuit error so i know that VCDS is reporting correctly.

So next step is to remove the drivers seat and try to find the route that the airbag connection goes to the airbag module which i believe is in the rear of the centre console. Does anyone think iam on the right path andk now the route of the cabling.


Regarding the EBC errors i have checked all the fuses and they are ok and the brake calipers are moving in and out as required so iam wondering what is causing the problems??. I have yet to jack up the rear wheels and check the cabling which i hope to get to do over the coming days.

any help would be great fully appreciated.

brendan

thanks in advance

brendan

[Crasher]

Often just disconnecting and cleaning the terminals can make it work, the system is extremely fussy. In measuring blocks you can see the status of the airbag as you wiggle things about.

[beemerboy9]

What is an EBC?

I know that here is another EBC that makes brakes.

[brens-a6]

hi john

its the Electronic Brake Control unit .
regards

brendan

[Crasher]

Normally BMW owners ask what “indicators” are…

[beemerboy9]

Hi Brendan,

Now that you have confirmed what an EBC is, I can tell you that I had mine replaced on my car under the Audi approved Used warranty. The effect would be to throw up a message on the dash saying that the parking brake was inoperative and the hill hold assist (green "handbrake" light) confirmation would not illuminate. The pull-up handbrake switch (red handbrake light) would work perfectly well while all this was going on.
These things do fail.
Hope this helps,

John

[brens-a6]

hi john

thanks for that , will see if i can pick up one from a breakers yard.

regards

brendan