Airbag "Short to Ground" Problems - VAG Technician help please!

[EdButler]

Basically my airbag lights are flashing when someone over 70kgs sits in the passenger seat. If they are under 70kg, hard accelleration will also get it to error. When no one sits there, its usually fine and stops flashing. VAG-COM returns an error stating "Side Passenger Airbag - Short to Ground, Intermittent"

Am i right in thinking there is some kind of weight sensor in the seat to determine how much "Ka-POW!" the airbag gives. If so does anyone know of a fix for this other than changing the whole interior (Unless anyone has one spare to offer, they are as common as flying pigs!) Also will this fault have disabled the ENTIRE Airbag/Pretensioner system.

Kev at JBS thinks theres a way of disabling individual airbags from the system thru VAG-COM but isnt too sure, if anyone can help with this, beer tokens will be included! As this is a bit safety critical please can you only reply if your quite certain, dont want people giving me false hope at dismantling a Seat if it will blow up in my face

Thanks in Anticipation!

 

[DPJ]

It isn't a wire that's being trapped, is it?

 

[EdButler]

Nothing is trapped under the seat mate, its definitely INSIDE the cover, basically along the line about 3" forward from the back-rest. This must be where the pressure sensor is?

 

[ganda_cupra]

From reading the fault code you gave and description of the problem, I would say there is a fault with the wiring to the passenger side side airbag inside the seat.
And when someone is sitting in the seat, or being forced back into it under acceleration, its pushing the wire to earth.

On the VW vans at work (T5's) they don't have pressure sensors in the seats, the airbags just ka-pow no variance due to occupant weight just ka-pow at a set limit.They just have the yellow wiring connector underneath for the seat, this then runs inside the seat towards the side airbag where there is another connector which comes from the airbag itself.

The airbags and pretensioners can be disabled using 5051's in dealers using adaption channels etc so as vagcom is based on these it should be able to do it, although if you do it will no doubt beep and tell you that it has a disabled airbag everytime you turn the ignition on and poss leave airbag light on all the time.
When we disable pretensioners and airbags on vans that have been converted to disability vans, the airbag light will come on and when the ignition is turned on it tells you which ones have been deactivated/disabled and then return to normal display on dash after about 5 or so seconds.

If you are gonna strip the seat, disconnect the battery and leave for a couple or so minutes, then disconnect wiring and remove seat then strip it.
(battery disconnection isn't a necessity as we don't at work to disconnect/remove airbags etc but I would advise it)

Although these are van airbag systems I'm basing the above on, I would think the systems is Seats and other vag cars are very similar.

 

[EdButler]

From reading the fault code you gave and description of the problem, I would say there is a fault with the wiring to the passenger side side airbag inside the seat.
And when someone is sitting in the seat, or being forced back into it under acceleration, its pushing the wire to earth.

On the VW vans at work (T5's) they don't have pressure sensors in the seats, the airbags just ka-pow no variance due to occupant weight just ka-pow at a set limit.They just have the yellow wiring connector underneath for the seat, this then runs inside the seat towards the side airbag where there is another connector which comes from the airbag itself.

The airbags and pretensioners can be disabled using 5051's in dealers using adaption channels etc so as vagcom is based on these it should be able to do it, although if you do it will no doubt beep and tell you that it has a disabled airbag everytime you turn the ignition on and poss leave airbag light on all the time.
When we disable pretensioners and airbags on vans that have been converted to disability vans, the airbag light will come on and when the ignition is turned on it tells you which ones have been deactivated/disabled and then return to normal display on dash after about 5 or so seconds.

If you are gonna strip the seat, disconnect the battery and leave for a couple or so minutes, then disconnect wiring and remove seat then strip it.
(battery disconnection isn't a necessity as we don't at work to disconnect/remove airbags etc but I would advise it)

Although these are van airbag systems I'm basing the above on, I would think the systems is Seats and other vag cars are very similar.

Fantastic mate thats just what i was after, thanks for taking the time to write that! I guess ill get the spline drive out and take it to bits then, sounds a bit simpler than i was expecting!

Ill report back when i find the nerve to take it all to peices! Thanks again!

 

[ganda_cupra]

Just visually check the wiring aswell, don't try checking airbag wiring with a multimeter, this is what VW tell us so just thought I'd pass it on.

If the wiring is damaged and its the section between the airbag connector within the seat and the connector under the seat I'd advise trying to get a new section of wiring including the connectors from Seat instead of patching it up.

Have fun stripping the seat aswell, some of the van ones can be alot of fun lol.