ABS, ESP and Airbag Problem

Jan 22, 2025
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0
Hello guys, bought a car recently (half a year ago). Running fine, if we exclude the fact that I have replaced a bunch of starting with the fuel pump and finishing with the turbo (stock K03, because the previous one was rigged). Noticed that my ABS is not working, thing is there are no fault codes (Several OBD scanners by mechanics, and my person ELM one that I really dont trust that much but anyways), pretty sure that the ESP does not work as well. On the dash the lights are never turning on, and I also noticed that the airbag light is also never turning on, so now I am afraid it does not work as well.

On the image where I have turned the ignition on you can that the lights are not there and also that there is like a "black line" covering the lights indicator, someone told me that could be black tape to hide ESP/ABS faults but really I do see the icons of ABS, ESP and everything else under that glass and whatever covers it.

Could anyone tell me what could have been done here? That the ABS is not working, there are no fault codes and those lights do not light up?
The brakes are new, the sensors probably as well, do not know what else could be wrong.

The car is Leon mk1 1.8t 4wd (previous owner told me it is 2005, though I figured out it is 2001)
 

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Jan 22, 2025
4
0
looks like someones covered parts of the bulbs behind the indicators, used to be common in non digital displays to hide faults.

regards the abs not working but no faults, have you tried VCDS?
I do not have an USB OBD scanner, but I will try to find one or ask a mechanic to do that

About the bulbs, should I remove the dash and check that?
 

mty12345

Active Member
Jun 17, 2011
3,989
599
bristol
Updates!

Removed the instrument cluster:
View attachment 46358 View attachment 46357 View attachment 46359
Now everything is lit on, what could be the problem with the airbag?
Impossible to say without fault codes. Could be anything, most likely water ingress in the sensors under the seats, but without codes just a guess based on the fact that is a common fault on the MK1.

VCDS or a proper scanner should be able to read both modules. Cheap scanners can only read engine codes.
 
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