Resolved Audi A3 Air Bag Fault

[Shawa12002]

Hello fellow VAGaz
I'm in a bit of a pickle with a 2000 A3 (8L). It has an air bag dtc for side air bags but the car doesn't have any. I tried coding the module to (00004) then (00000) but I would get an influx of more DTCs.
The Air bag light is on the cluster and really annoying.

Wednesday,01,February,2023,18:42:17:41695
VCDS -- Windows Based VAG/VAS Emulator Running on Windows 10 x64
VCDS Version: 22.10.0.1 (x64)  HEX-NET CB: 0.4623.4
Data version: 20221026 DS344.0
www.Ross-Tech.com
VIN: WAUZZZ8LZYA071641   License Plate: A3 HATCH
Mileage: 215070km-133638mi   Repair Order:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chassis Type: 8L - Audi A3/S3 (1997 > 2005)
Scan: 01 02 03 08 15 16 17 22 35 37 45 55 56 57 75 76

   Mileage: 215070km-133638miles
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 01: Engine        Labels: Redir Fail!
   Part No: 06A 906 018 CD
   Component: 1,8l R4/5V  MOTR AT V01
   Coding: 04030
   Shop #: WSC 04010
   VCID: 6680B88000C512BD18-4B3C
No fault code found.
Readiness: N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 02: Auto Trans        Labels: 01M-927-733.lbl
   Part No: 01M 927 733 HN
   Component: AG4 Getriebe 01M    4452
   Coding: 00000
   Shop #: WSC 00000
   VCID: 0346811413B7C7959F-0964
No fault code found.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 03: ABS Brakes        Labels: 1J0-907-37x-ABS.clb
   Part No: 1J0 907 379 Q
   Component: ABS/EDS 20 IE CAN  0001
   Coding: 13504
   Shop #: WSC 06435
   VCID: 3FCE4DE43FDF6375BB-4B00
No fault code found.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 08: Auto HVAC        Labels: 8L0-820-043-2D.lbl
   Part No: 8L0 820 043 M
   Component: A3 KLIMAVOLLAUTOMAT_D77
   Coding: 03141
   Shop #: WSC 06314
   VCID: 322814D0FC8DBE1D44-25AE
No fault code found.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 15: Airbags        Labels: 8L0-959-655-AI8.lbl
   Part No: 8L0 959 655 G
   Component: Airbag Front+Seite 1008
   Coding: 00104
   Shop #: WSC 06435
   VCID: 42C844104C2D0E9DD4-5184
8 Faults Found:
01217 - Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N199)
            32-10 - Resistance Too High - Intermittent
01220 - Rear Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N202)
            32-10 - Resistance Too High - Intermittent
01219 - Rear Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N201)
            32-10 - Resistance Too High - Intermittent
01218 - Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N200)
            32-10 - Resistance Too High - Intermittent
01044 - Control Module Incorrectly Coded
            35-10 - - - Intermittent
01221 - Crash Sensor Side Airbag; Driver Side (G179)
            35-00 - -
01218 - Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N200)
            35-00 - -
01222 - Crash Sensor Side Airbag; Passenger Side (G180)
            35-00 - -
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 17: Instruments        Labels: 8L0-920-xxx-17.lbl
   Part No: 8L0 920 900 D
   Component: AB-KOMBIINSTR. VDO D09
   Coding: 02742
   Shop #: WSC 00000
   VCID: 2C140AA8DEA9E8ED0E-5160
   Component: AUZ7Z0X1240112
   Jÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿÿ     AUZ7Z0X1240112
No fault code found.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 35: Centr. Locks        Labels:. 8D0-862-257.clb
   Part No: 8L0 862 257 K
   Component: ZV-Pumpe, Funk      D11
   Coding: 14912
   Shop #: WSC 04010
   VCID: 3D3237EC35D37165A9-4F2E
1 Fault Found:
01366 - Opened Due to Crash Signal
            35-00 - -
End----------(Elapsed Time: 03:35, VBatt start/end: 14.0V/13.9V)-----------

 

[Jef]

WAUZZZ8LZYA071641
Airbag	4UE	Airbag for driver and front passenger
Side airbag	4X1	Side airbag in front

PL24 seems to imply you do have side airbags, should be in the front seats. Maybe you are thinking about curtains, to which I'd not expect a 2000 to have that.

What do you see in 15-08-001 and 15-08-006? The fault codes for the igniters are all "Intermittent", do they clear out? What is the back story on this?

 

[Shawa12002]

Thanks for your prompt response Jef.
So before you replied, I checked harness under front seats, without removing the seats. Definitely no air bags. I wiggled the 3 wires under both seats, coded module again but this time I gave it a false config 1st (01104). Then it came up with just one dtc (pass airbag disable key short). I then put the (00104), cycled key and everything disappeared without me clearing dtcs.
Went for a drive and airbag light stayed off.
What worries me is I didn’t fix anything plus the little car doesn’t seem to have seat airbags unless I have to remove the seat or trim to check

 

[Jef]

Is there a yellow terminal housing connector for a small wiring harness with the seats? And with the airbag light off, I'd still like to know what you see in 15-08-001 and 15-08-006 groups.

 

[Shawa12002]

Is there a yellow terminal housing connector for a small wiring harness with the seats? And with the airbag light off, I'd still like to know what you see in 15-08-001 and 15-08-006 groups.

Yes, connector has 3 wires. on pass seat the connector is missing or not visible but there's 3 wires too. I will check 15-08-001 and 15-08-006 groups after work today and then send you feedback.

 

[Shawa12002]

Is there a yellow terminal housing connector for a small wiring harness with the seats? And with the airbag light off, I'd still like to know what you see in 15-08-001 and 15-08-006 groups.

Hello Jeff educate me please on how to upload images. I took a screenshot of the groups

 

[Shawa12002]

15-08-001 shows everything as correct
15-08-006 [Side airbag Front driver Side-Correct]
[Side airbag Front Pass. Side-Correct]
[Side airbag Rear Driver Side-Too High]
[Side airbag Rear Pass. Side-Too High]

Please educate me on how to upload images onto the forum

 

[Bruce]

educate me please on how to upload images.

At the top of every page in this forum, there is a blue bar. In that bar is a drop down topic "How To". The instructions for posting photos can be found there.

 

[EuroX]

All your faults are intermittent. So why not clear and see if anything comes back? Then post updated log. Available codings for your module:

Coding​

Standard: Front Airbags/Front Seatbelt Tensioners/Rear Seatbelt Tensioners

• 00004 = Standard
• 00104 = Standard + Front Side Airbags
• 01004 = Standard + Key Switch for Passenger Airbag Deactivation
• 01104 = Standard + Front Side Airbags + Key Switch for Passenger Airbag Deactivation
• 00304 = Standard + Front Side Airbags + Head Airbags
• 01304 = Standard + Front Side Airbags + Key Switch for Passenger Airbag Deactivation + Head Airbags

Best way to tell if the car has seat airbags would be to check the connection in the floor for the seats, should have a yellow connector. Bags in the seat and igniters are always designated N199 and N200.

 

[Jef]

The only way this car doesn't have side airbags is because some one removed them. PR code says side airbag. Live data for side airbag being "correct" says side airbag.

If you keep getting random codes for airbags "Resistance Too High" or "Resistance Too Low", then you can pull up the live data in groups 001 and 006 and wiggle test on the harness and see if the result change when you wiggle here or there. If you find a section that wiggle testing alters the results, cut out that section and crimp in new wiring as per the factory repair manual.

 

[EuroX]

The only way this car doesn't have side airbags is because some one removed them. PR code says side airbag. Live data for side airbag being "correct" says side airbag.

If you keep getting random codes for airbags "Resistance Too High" or "Resistance Too Low", then you can pull up the live data in groups 001 and 006 and wiggle test on the harness and see if the result change when you wiggle here or there. If you find a section that wiggle testing alters the results, cut out that section and crimp in new wiring as per the factory repair manual.

If they are getting N199 and N200 fault chances are its a loose connection or dirty connection at connector normally reseating the connector does the trick. Cutting the connector out was only a thing on B6 a4 cabrios as they were notorious for those faults.

 

[Jef]

Oh yeah, bill out the 000 979 940 crimps and 9" of yellow wire. At the VW dealer I worked at... it was amazing in that if a car had a code for one of those (N199 or N200), you could 100% count on it having a code for the other one. Kind of like I never had a 1.8T with just 1 bad coil when they were under warranty.

 

[Shawa12002]

Hello Everyone
Sorry to keep thread followers hanging. I have managed to fix the Airbag fault issue today.
I was busy with other stuff so I didn't attend to the car for a while.

So I checked under the seats for loose connectors as advised. apparently there's evidence of wiring repairs and all looks intact.
So the next step was to make sure I had the correct coding before proceeding. I checked out the list from EuroX our Super user!! then entered the correct code based on descriptions he gave.
I cycled the key and the dtc disappeared!!!

In conclusion somewhere along the life of the car someone tampered with the coding. Thank you all for the support!!