Airbag warning on dash

Dots1982

I'm getting a warning light on the dash about an airbag problem. The quote to fix it outright is a grand so very expensive.

If I get the light taken out of the warning will it be twigged by the computer in an NCT that there is a problem with the airbag.

Anyone got any suggestions what I could do?

Starscream25

Is the 1k to replace the airbag? If so you could go to that website, can't remember the name of it now, breaking for parts .ie or something, I got an airbag for less than 200 as far as I can remember and got it installed by my own mechanic. A much cheaper option

Stheno

What type of car is it?

brianwalshcork

The nct tester should check that the light illuminates when the ignition is turned on, so it would be spotted and you'd fail.

Nct aside, The warning is there for a reason, you might need that airbag some day

mickdw

Perhaps it is an easy fix. I wouldnt automatically accept the 1k repair quote.
Anyway, disabling the light will not work. Nct will check to see that light comes on and goes out after few seconds.

George Dalton

brianwalshcork wrote: »

Nct aside, The warning is there for a reason, you might need that airbag some day

Exactly. €1000 will be money well spent if the airbag saves your life.

As already posted, what kind of car is it and do you know what the fault with the airbag system is? Were you quoted €1000 by a main dealer or an independent garage?

Dots1982

Thanks for the suggestions. Will try that website. Car is a 2005 Golf. Quote was from an independent mechanic.

Thanks as well for letting me know it will fail the NCT. I'll get it fixed after picking up airbags on the cheap hopefully.

George Dalton

What exactly needs replacing on it?

Dots1982

George Dalton wrote: »

What exactly needs replacing on it?

Not exactly sure what's wrong with the airbag to be honest

Stheno

Dots1982 wrote: »

Not exactly sure what's wrong with the airbag to be honest

Has your mechanic checked all the connections for the airbag?

Dots1982

Stheno wrote: »

Has your mechanic checked all the connections for the airbag?

He told me it needs a new airbag and I should try to find one from scrappage dealers as otherwise it will cost me to have it replaced, beyond that I'm afraid I'm clueless.

Stheno

Dots1982 wrote: »

He told me it needs a new airbag and I should try to find one from scrappage dealers as otherwise it will cost me to have it replaced, beyond that I'm afraid I'm clueless.

Are you one of those people who wouldn't know much about cars? And do you trust your mechanic?

Where are you based?

Dots1982

Stheno wrote: »

Are you one of those people who wouldn't know much about cars?

Yes, how did you guess?

Mechanic seemed trustworthy. It wasn't like he was anxious to do the job. He just told me what I needed n what it would cost & left it at that.

Live near phibsboro.

Stheno

Dots1982 wrote: »

Yes, how did you guess?

Mechanic seemed trustworthy. It wasn't like he was anxious to do the job. He just told me what I needed n what it would cost & left it at that.

Live near phibsboro.

I was going to be sexist and ask if you were a woman, it just came across in your posts that it's an area you are not comfortable with, and that you didn't feel happy questioning what the mechanic said.

If I were you, I'd do a bit of research on the web, maybe get a second person to look at it, or ask on here and be comfortable about what work needs to be done.

I'd problems before with an airbag, and spent lots of time chatting to my mechanic about it (I'm female btw) to understand what was wrong what parts needed replacing/fixing etc.

George who has posted on this thread is a Volkswagen mechanic so he will know more than me, but I'd ask exactly what it is you need, you've the airbag itself, the motor that explodes it in an accident and then different cables that tell the car that the airbag is operational and ready to fire if there is an accident.

Something being wrong with any of those could be your issue.

What exactly did the mechanic say?

Dots1982

Stheno wrote: »

I was going to be sexist and ask if you were a woman, it just came across in your posts that it's an area you are not comfortable with, and that you didn't feel happy questioning what the mechanic said.

If I were you, I'd do a bit of research on the web, maybe get a second person to look at it, or ask on here and be comfortable about what work needs to be done.

I'd problems before with an airbag, and spent lots of time chatting to my mechanic about it (I'm female btw) to understand what was wrong what parts needed replacing/fixing etc.

George who has posted on this thread is a Volkswagen mechanic so he will know more than me, but I'd ask exactly what it is you need, you've the airbag itself, the motor that explodes it in an accident and then different cables that tell the car that the airbag is operational and ready to fire if there is an accident.

Something being wrong with any of those could be your issue.

What exactly did the mechanic say?

Thanks for your help. I'll do some research. What the mechanic said is in my post from 00:11.

Stheno

Have you used this mechanic before? In all my airbag troubles, I never needed a new airbag

George Dalton

Has the car been like this since you have owned it or is it a problem that has developed in your ownership?

It is very rare for an actual airbag itself to become faulty. Usually the only reason you would need to replace an airbag is if it has deployed in an accident.

Stheno

George Dalton wrote: »

Has the car been like this since you have owned it or is it a problem that has developed in your ownership?

It is very rare for an actual airbag itself to become faulty. Usually the only reason you would need to replace an airbag is if it has deployed in an accident.

Thanks George, that was what I was thinking but was hoping someone like yourself could validate what I said in my non expert way.

I'd suggest OP that you really need to talk to your mechanic to understand what the issue is.

Ask the following questions:

1. What faults are showing up when he runs diagnostics?
2. What do those faults mean?
3. What specific parts need to be replaced?
4. Why do those parts need to be replaced?

unkel

George Dalton wrote: »

It is very rare for an actual airbag itself to become faulty. Usually the only reason you would need to replace an airbag is if it has deployed in an accident.

Was thinking that exactly. Be wary OP, I'm not so sure at all you should go with what your mechanic told you on this. Before you do anything, make sure there is no miscommunication between yourself and your mechanic. Ask him exactly what fault comes up in the diagnostics (literally!) and post it back here.

Mar4ix

actually i have came across some typical problems with VW cars, and one of them is airbag light. your mechanic is chancing his arm to get a grand for nothing. I dont know what is exact problem with your car , but if it wasn't in any accident, typically logged airbag fault is related to front side driver airbag igniter, which been caused by silly wiring under driver seat, and when seat been pushed up and down, it damages wire/connector, and sets this light.

Usually to fix that problem, is remove seat, remove existing wiring(two wires) , put new wires, and clear codes with diagnostic system. I'd love to have grand for that work :pac:

Dublinstiofán

Mar4ix wrote: »

actually i have came across some typical problems with VW cars, and one of them is airbag light. your mechanic is chancing his arm to get a grand for nothing. I dont know what is exact problem with your car , but if it wasn't in any accident, typically logged airbag fault is related to front side driver airbag igniter, which been caused by silly wiring under driver seat, and when seat been pushed up and down, it damages wire/connector, and sets this light.

Usually to fix that problem, is remove seat, remove existing wiring(two wires) , put new wires, and clear codes with diagnostic system. I'd love to have grand for that work :pac:

Just got there before me! If its a 3 door Golf chances are wiring under the seat is the problem and its nothing to do with the Airbag. I'd bring it into Hamiltons and they will sort you out.

http://www.hamiltonautoelectric.com/

CreepingDeath

I'd a Toyota Celica which had an airbag warning light.

The issue was a spiral cable in the steering wheel.
Certainly didn't cost €1000 to fix.

I wouldn't go near that mechanic who gave you that quote again.

Dubdude

It's a very common problem with VW I had a golf before and the exact same thing happened to me. It's got to do with the wiring for the airbags that are in the seats.

Vego

I can say I have also had the airbag light ......had a main dealer try to tell me like the OP that it will cost a lot until he realized it was still under warranty at the garage

jimgoose

Wiring-under-the-seat hypothesis seconded yet again. The airbags are connected to the seatbelt pre-tensioner, and this usually manifests itself as a wiring loom under the passenger seat, which gets a bit worn and bockety from arses getting in-and-out a thousand times. :cool:

moc moc a moc

brianwalshcork wrote: »

The warning is there for a reason, you might need that airbag some day

Or it could blow up in your face while driving.

Mar4ix

moc moc a moc wrote: »

Or it could blow up in your face while driving.

I dont think so, as if fault in system, it wont ignite any airbag, even if there is an accident. ... however i could be wrong, if somebody know, please correct me.

bladespin

Mar4ix wrote: »

I dont think so, as if fault in system, it wont ignite any airbag, even if there is an accident. ... however i could be wrong, if somebody know, please correct me.

Every airbag system I've known works this way.

Anjobe

bladespin wrote: »

Every airbag system I've known works this way.

Really? We had an airbag warning light issue in my wife's Stilo, just like every other owner of that awful car. The Stilo has 2 very common airbag problems, one of which is a failed front seat occupancy sensor and the other is a dodgy wiring connection to the same. We were told that when there is a fault with the occupancy sensor like this that the airbag defaults to on.

We had to get the passenger seat occupancy sensor replaced but the warning light still comes on from time to time. It can be cleared temporarily by banging the driver's seat backwards and forwards a few times to move the wiring around.

bladespin

Anjobe wrote: »

We were told that when there is a fault with the occupancy sensor like this that the airbag defaults to on.

Who told you that, AFIK those systems default to off, for that very reason, but I'll wait for someone with more authority on the matter to say for sure.

BTW pretty sure that's the same system Alfa used on the 156, in that case it's off, again like the VW it's a badly places loom that causes it.

wyrn

jimgoose wrote: »

Wiring-under-the-seat hypothesis seconded yet again. The airbags are connected to the seatbelt pre-tensioner, and this usually manifests itself as a wiring loom under the passenger seat, which gets a bit worn and bockety from arses getting in-and-out a thousand times. :cool:

Was just about to say the same. I used to get the airbag warning sign intermittently. Sometimes it'd be on when I start the car and then disappear or vice versa. This started around the time of the Big Snow, so I reckoned that might have something to do with it.

Was going to bring it to my mechanic but decided to google it first. Turns out with my car, the wiring under the seat for the airbags is known to be faulty. Looked under the passenger seat, took out the can of de-icer and the problem when away. It only came back when I'd left a pair of shoes under there.

Check to see if there's anything under the seats that could be touching the wires.