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HOW TO: Perform your airbag TSB

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Disclaimer: Do this work at your own risk, I am not responsible for any damage that happens to your car.


http://www.alldata.com/tsb/Volkswagen/1148626800000_1153378800000_6906-05/6906051.html

Volkswagen TSB
Posted: Thu, Jul 20, 2006
Issued: Fri, May 26, 2006
TSB Number: 6906-05
Title: Air Bag System - Warning Lamp ON and or DTC's 01217 & 01218

Approximate time: 1 hour
Tools needed: (Socket is called M10?, electrical tape is YELLOW)



Start by removing your battery cover. Press in on the top of the latch as seen:



Lift your cover up and back, unhooking it from its two slots. Put it aside:



Disconnect your negative battery terminal using a 10mm wrench:



You will now remove your seat. It is held by 4 M50 bolts as shown here:





You will need to disconnect the 3 harnesses which go into the floor before you take the seat out. They can be tricky, just take your time and press on the right release points:



Carefully lift seat out without scratching your car. Place in a comfortable location where you can work:



This is the plug from the TSB which you are replacing:



Get confirmation by looking at this VW pic from the TSB. Look at the tiny arrow pointing to that plug:



You will unplug this connector. Write down the wire colors. VERY IMPORTANT!!

brown ----> brown
blue ----> green
black ----> white



As scary as it sounds, you will then snip those 6 wires off the harness. You are left with this:



You will strip your desired amount of exposed wire on all 6 wires. Put your heat shrink tubing on BEFORE you twist your wires together! You will then twist them together as shown:



Solder the proper colors together from the notes you made earlier. (Your colors might be different than mine!!!)



Once soldered, carefully pull your heat shrink tubing over your connection points. Use a heat source to snug up that tubing:



Wrap the finished product in YELLOW electrical tape. VW specifies this in their TSB which alerts VW techinicans that this work has been completed. Secure your work as shown:



Lift seat back in, and reconnect your 3 harnesses to the floor:



Bolt your seat back in. NOTE this metal piece. It can slide out of your rail sometimes. It cannot go in after the bolt is in place. It slides under that channel, and can't get started with the bolt there. You might not even see this part come out of your rail. But if yuo do, you know where it goes.



Work is complete.

IMPORTANT STEPS!

Turn your ignition to the ON position BEFORE you hook your battery back up. This is specificed in the TSB itself. Upon hooking up your negative terminal, you will hear your throttle body alignment start. DO NOT touch your pedal or turn your ignition off until this noise stops. THIS IS IMPERATIVE. My car barely ran when I missed this step last time. Once the throttle noise has stopped (about 60 seconds), you can turn your ignition off.

Clear any airbag lights you might have left over.

Drive your car and make sure it drives ok.

*My light is gone, and hopefully it doesnt ever come back*
 
Last edited:

loccusst

FIA GT Champion
Location
IA
Car(s)
MKV GTI
Don't know why you would do this on your own when it is under warranty?
Oh, wait......I know. Because I had to tell the VW dealership about the TSB when my air bag fault light came on. I too am a certified electronics tech and I had to explain how it was to be done. "Take seat out, bypass un-necessary plug, put seat back in...". Nice wright up by the way.
 

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
why? cuz i hate to go to the dealer unless absolutely neccessary.
 

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
Change I made later. I removed my yellow tape. I then wrapped each wire individually first. this is in case any solder points poke thru eventually. just extra insurance. Then I rewrapped it in tape. Now I see how the butt connectors are easier, and the way VW recommends. A few crimps is easier than all this solder and tape work.
 

kirk180

Go Kart Champion
Location
USA
Very nice write up Plac. +1 on the butt connectors being used instead and then wrapping them in heat shrink. Still good though and thanks for taking the time.
 

loccusst

FIA GT Champion
Location
IA
Car(s)
MKV GTI
I would still use solder though. The techs did that on mine. I prefer solder over but connects when working on my car anyway. This is still a very good write up dude.
 

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
You get that at your local auto shop. Its called "Kragens" here in Cali. Prob autozone or Pep boys too.

it comes in a 4 pack of sizes. I bought 2 packs a while ago to do my axle bolts during my suspension work on my MKIV.

 
Last edited:

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
hmmm no idea why i called this tool an M50??? i swear i read it somewhere... it must be an M10..
 

plac

GTI Master
Location
SF Bay Area, CA
wow, someone actually used it? cool.

most would leave it to teh dealer.
 

AxMan

Drag Race Newbie
Location
CT
Car(s)
Audi S5
nice DIY. wish i had seen this before i took to the dealer. i have all those parts and tools here. im also an aircraft electrician. so it looks easy. i also had to explain the tsb to the dealer. i love how they treat you like you have no idea whats going on...
 
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