Adaptation for airbags with VCDS = fail

[Corrado_Guy]

I have a 2000 1.8Tquattro with sport seats from an earlier model that were in my car when I bought it and the plugs for the side airbags in the seats are different from the wiring in the car. I wasn't sure which ones I needed so using the ECS site I ordered the earlier style airbag plugs for the VW A4 series Golf/Jetta which just happened to be the same ones on my car. I know what I need now but in the short term I wanted to disable the side airbags until i get the proper connects I need.

What I need to do is to use VCDS to access the airbag controller and enter the Adaptation menu and disable channels 3 and 4 by setting their values to '1' which will turn off the airbag light. Sounds simple enough but when I go into VCDS I can access the Adaptation menu but I can only access Channel 1 which is the passengers front air bag and all other channels look like this...

http://members.shaw.ca/vr6_corrado1/VCDS_Airbag_2.jpg

So I look for info on this and it is mentioned that you need to click the 'Security Access - 16' button and enter the code to allow access to this area. The problem is mine is greyed out as seen below so I tried to use the 'Logon - 11' button but I don't know what code to use and can't find any good information on this in the manual or online.

http://members.shaw.ca/vr6_corrado1/VCDS_Airbag_1.jpg

Saturday,09,February,2013,15:31:57:31877
VCDS Version: Release 11.11.5

Address 15: Airbags Labels: 8D0-959-655-AI8.lbl
Control Module Part Number: 8D0 959 655 G
Component and/or Version: Airbag Front+Kopf 2002
Software Coding: 00304
Work Shop Code: WSC 01449
VCID: 3A75CA9326231CC82F8
3 Faults Found:

01217 - Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N199)
32-00 - Resistance too High
01218 - Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N200)
32-00 - Resistance too High
00588 - Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N95)
32-10 - Resistance too High - Intermittent

So those are my DTC codes and it also lists the only two codes that go with the controller, the Software coding 00304 which I tried and failed (this is the correct software coding according to the manual) and the Work Shop Code and this failed as well. The airbag igniter drivers side N95 was a spiral cable and I replaced this yesterday so I just want to turn off the two side airbags which are controlled through channel 03 and 04.

Does anyone know what code VCDS is looking for to access the airbag controller so I can turn these off? This can be done at the dealers so it is not like it is not possible, if you are vertically challenged and sit too close to the airbags or are disabled they can turn off any of the airbags so I want to do this as well and considering I paid for this tool I should be able to use it using VCDS. I know there are other tools but I don't want to start going through memory locations using hacking tools to reverse engieer this stupid controller, I just want to turn the airbags off so I can actually drive my car at least once without one warning light being on.

LEGAL NOTE: Just so we are all on the same page with this and we can keep this thread related to the answers I want and not the opinion you have about such systems....
1) As all of the airbag-huggers and junior lawyers will tell you, it is against the law to disable any or all airbags or airbag systems or make modifications to any part of the system on any cars that had them installed from the factory. If you do make changes to any of these systems or devices and someone is injured in your car because of these changes you are legally liable and can be sued. I know this against the law and I am going to do it in any case although I will be getting the parts to correct this and then enabling this later.
2) Disabling any airbag using software is not good enough, you must also unplug the device because it may still go off in an accident as described in (3) or because of a pulse or short in the airbag wiring from an accident.
3) Airbag systems work on the principal that even if an airbag is showing a code that it still may work so in an event of an accident and the systems says a certain airbag should be deployed the system will send the signal to deploy it in the hope that it may deploy. This means if you have an airbag light on then the entire system is still active and any and all airbags will be deployed by the controller in the case that they are still able to get the signal and may still work. Unless the actual airbag controller is defective then the airbag system is still active even though you have unplugged any of the airbag sensors or the airbags themselves.
4) It is against the law in North America to put children in the front seat of a car equipped with airbags whether they have been disabled or not.

[Dallas09]

Where did you find the procedure you are using? According to my service manual, for models newer than 1999 after VIN 8DXA200 001, the procedure is as follows: Select "Code Control Module" and enter a code as shown in the table I have attached: http://i46.tinypic.com/a4idj.jpg .. Ive always wondered whether this would work if you left the airbags connected because there is a fault code with the title "Control Module Incorrectly Coded" so it sort of seems like it has some intelligence as to how the module should be coded based on its I/O. Ive considered trying this because my airbag light will come on for the passenger seat airbag during certain temperatures, so I would code it this way for the winter and then code it back.

[Dallas09]

And after posting that I noticed that there is no option for no front side airbags. The other chart I have for older models has the following code table that you could try: http://i47.tinypic.com/28tu9og.jpg

[Corrado_Guy]

Thanks for the reply, the actual coding is correct and I don't need to make any changes here because this is the basic coding for the actual unit. I should be able to keep the actual coding the same but use the adaptation channels and turn off the airbags that I don't want which is what the dealer does. I can turn off the passengers front airbag which leads me to believe VCDS is able to do this but either the functionality is turned off in VCDS or I need to login to the control unit to make these changes.

As per the legal notice I left on my first post it is against the law to turn airbags so this is not documented for that reason and is hard to find info on it.. I have seen VW/Audi documentation on how to do it using approved cases such as disabled or short people but VCDS will not let me do it. I was just out at the car with VAG Commander and although I can get into the ECM for motor it will not connect to my airbag control module. This is useful if you have changed seats or put in an aftermarket steering wheel and don't want to stare at the airbag light.

There must be a code to allow me access but I can't find it in the manual (I use ELSA but this is the same as the Bentley) and there is nothing listed. I was hoping that VAG Commander would allow me to open the controller or at least take a dump of it but it won't connect to the airbag module.

Thanks again for the help.

[Dallas09]

Interesting, if you find any more info on this I would appreciate it if you post back because Im curious.

[Corrado_Guy]

Interesting, if you find any more info on this I would appreciate it if you post back because Im curious.

No Problem, will do. The simplest solution is to follow the VW/Audi TSB on fixing the airbag light and just cut the connectors out and then wire everything together directly and then I don't have to worry about coding anything out. It also means I have to cut the wiring if I need to take the seat out which kind of sucks so I would like to avoid this. I don't know if i am daft or missing something here because it should be really simple but there is little information out there on this topic. This is how the dealer does it so I know it can be done it is just what tool to use to do it.

[Corrado_Guy]

Still no luck on this one, I can add VAG-Commander and VDS-Pro to the list so I need the actual code to logon to the controller to access this part of it. I guess the VAG tool 1551 doesn't need this but I do so it looks like this part of the controller is locked out. Back to the books, searching for the logon information sucks because so many people have issues that you keep running into all of these threads with lots of issues and no logon code.

[ZimbutheMonkey]

1) As all of the airbag-huggers and junior lawyers will tell you, it is against the law to disable any or all airbags or airbag systems

Lol, that's 'cause the senior lawyers stand back until someone does it and then sues 'em [:p]

[Corrado_Guy]

Once again, no luck on this one. The great people from VCDS don't want to get into this and I don't really blame them. They make a wonderful product but there is too much liability in this request so I have turned to my good friends in China for a different solution. Before I dump the code from the controller and start digging through it I found a cable from http://www.keyecu.com/ that I thought I would try and see if it can do the work for me. I can't use the VAG CAN Commander but all I need is the cable and then I can use the copy I already have that can't find the correct cable.... http://www.keyecu.com/goods.php?id=78 I guess I will know in 5 - 10 days when this gets here.

[jdhblueA4]

I, too, have faults similar to yours:
01217 - Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N199)
32-00 - Resistance too High
01218 - Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N200)
32-00 - Resistance too High
00588 - Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N95)
32-10 - Resistance too High - Intermittent

But everything is stock. Is there actually a TSB for fixing the issue?

[Corrado_Guy]

I, too, have faults similar to yours:
01217 - Side Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N199)
32-00 - Resistance too High
01218 - Side Airbag Igniter; Passenger Side (N200)
32-00 - Resistance too High
00588 - Airbag Igniter; Driver Side (N95)
32-10 - Resistance too High - Intermittent

But everything is stock. Is there actually a TSB for fixing the issue?

There is for N199 and N200 which are the airbags in the seat bolsters and the VW/Audi fix is very simple. Believe or not the TSB is to cut the connector off on the bottom of the seat and just connect the wires directly together and the problem is fixed. Over time with the seat being moved back and forth the connectors under the seats can get loose or cause a faulty connection which will give you this error. I would disconnect the battery (you must do this each time you unplug or plugin an airbag as they are sensitive and can go off) and then lift the seat as high as you can get it and then unplug each airbag and then plug it back in. Once this is done connect the battery and then turn the ignition to 'on' without starting the motor and let it sit until the throttle body stops making noise (if you are drive by wire) so it can adapt. Once this is done clear the airbag codes and then turn the ignition off removing the key and then start the car and see if the side airbags clear out. If this fails then follow the factory recommendation by cutting the connectors out and just connect the wires. The factory crimps them but others solder and this should fix it but make sure the battery is disconnected before you screw with anything.

The drivers side airbag is not as common so it is either a problem in the wiring somewhere or the spiral cable under the steering wheel is defective. When I had my steering rack out I actually broke my spiral cable because I am a tool so I knew what the problem was there but a replacement was only $60 on eBay. The spiral cable has a connector on the back-side of it which is harder to get to because the steering wheel has to come off but the airbag harness is easy to check this connector. If you want to pull the wheel you will need a Torx T55 (at least my 2000 needed one) and then it comes off easily and the spiral cable clips on behind it. You can unclip it and then make sure the cable on the back side of it is clipped in properly.

[fbdohc]

I'm having the same issue
I bought 1998 cloth sport seats and installed them two weeks ago and saw that the air bag connector wasnt the same on the seat.
And today i was looking for an answer but i never thought it would be that much complicated.
There are 3 wires under my seat with these connector which i think are not oem.
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c318/jotheone/20130225_200804.jpg
I dont know what to do with this.

[Corrado_Guy]

On the body side of the harness you should have three wires and on the 2000 model (which mine is) there will be a brown which is ground and can be ignore as it is only a shield for the igniter. The drivers side will have a white wire and a green wire, these are the ones that you use. On the passengers side there will be a white wire and a blue wire and this is what you use. I don't know about the seat side of the harness, these colours could be different but the body harness above should be correct on your car.