At
>>  Wha's up with the airbag idiot light when you pull the stock wheel?
>It stays on.
>
>> Can it be disabled w/o pulling out the cluster and disconnecting the bulb,
>> like buy pulling the fuse or relay or something?
>You can try pulling the fuse, I just live with it, it doesn't bother me.

The whole panel that houses the lights comes off, pry carefully or remove
the headlight switch and pull it out that way. Then you can remove the bulb!
Presto.

Jason Whipple
turn2

 From what I understand from those who have removed their air bags (Mike
Bigus, et al) it's not very difficult.  The trick is getting the idiot light
out.  Many have just removed the dash cluster bulb, but there is a better
way.

Last month's Car and Driver had an article on airbag removal and explained
step by step how to do it.  The advantage here is the car's computer and
warning light system still think that the airbag assembly is fully in tact,
plus you don't have to screw with anything in the cluster (one less thing to
break)

Here's a summary of how to get the idiot light out w/o just removing the
bulb from the cluster:
1.	Remove the steering wheel and unhook the wires to the airbag.
Energize the ignition and the airbag warning light should appear.
2.	Use a multimeter to determine the resistance across the driver's
side airbag circuit with the airbag reconnected and the ignition energized.
Record that value.  (If you have any resistors lying around of that
resistance bridge those the two airbag wires (airbag removed now) and
energize the ignition.  The light should be out.)
3.	If you don't have any spare resistors, then leave the driver's side
airbag connected and fish in the dash until you are able to remove the
passenger's side airbag.  Same process as before.  Unhook the wires,
energize the ignition and test to see if the airbag warning light comes on
(it should).  When it does, again measure the resistance across the circuit
with your multimeter.  Record the value.
4.	Go to Electronics store (Radio Shack or equivalent) and buy
resistors that are the same ohm values as the ones you recorded during your
test.  You'll probably need to solder on some sort of connectors so that the
resistors will be able plug into the airbag wiring.  Install everything and
test one airbag at a time so that you can determine which one is causing the
light to remain on (if that happens) after you've installed the resistors.


Not terribly scientific, and I haven't done this yet to see if it really
works, but it seems like it should work just fine.

Jeff
97 DE

> Subject: [gti-vr6] Airbag Light Disable?
> From: "Holland J. Phillips" <phillip3Apple>
> Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 09:29:48 +0100
>
> Well, gang, I've got a question for 'ya.
> I installed a MOMO Champion steering wheel in the '97 a few weeks ago,
> and everything is cool, except the Airbag warning light is on all the
> time (I knew it would be).  I've searched the archives and the only
> solution that was offered there was to pull the cluster and unplug the
> light.  Anyone know what the Air Bag controller wants to see in order to
> have the light go out?  What I'd like to be able to do is pull the wheel,
> get to the now unused Airbag connector, and put a resistor or jumper
> across the contacts so the controller "thinks" the Airbag is still
> there/functional.
> Anyone have any info on this?  ND gang?  Uwe?  Don?  Todd?

Resistor.  But I have no idea what the correct value will be.  VW's docs
don't specify it.

WARNING:  VW's docs specifically tell you NOT to attempt the following:

Take an Ohm Meter, measure the resistance of the the airbag's igniter.

CAVEAT: Although I can't really see an ohm-meter putting enough energy
into the ignitor to set off the airbag, you might want to run some wires
a distance from the airbag and measure it "remotely" just in case.   I
will not be held responsible if it does blow...<g>

Now go to Radio Shack and buy a resistor that's close.  Install this
resistor across the pins of the connector that used to plug into the
airbag and you should be all set.

-Uwe-

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[...]

The following is only a theory.

If the circuit requires a resistance then a simpler procedure would be to
place a linear potentiometer, maybe a 100K Ohms, accross the airbag
terminals. Set the potentiometer to its maximum value. Turn on the car then
slowly lower the resistance until the light turns off. Try not to set the
potentiometer to zero resistance.



Eddie
     __
2B + 2B = ?      Forget world peace. Visualize using your turn signal.
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> Subject: Re: [gti-vr6] Airbag Light Disable?
> From: Eddie <eddiecomspec>
> Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1998 20:32:02 -0400
>
> If the circuit requires a resistance then a simpler procedure would be to
> place a linear potentiometer, maybe a 100K Ohms, accross the airbag
> terminals.
[...]

100,000 ohms will never work.  V = I * R; P = V^2 / R; you've only got
12 volts to work with, so if R is even 1.0K, the you'd only have 0.14
watts to light off the igniter.  Not enough.   That igniter needs to
light off the airbag in a very few milliseconds.  To do that you need
lots of instantaneous watts.   Let's say 100 watts; solve that the other
way:

R = V^2/P = 144/100 = 1.44 ohms.  If you're going to try to find the
right resistance with a pot, try a 10 ohm pot.

-Uwe-

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If the controller only tests resistance at initialization, it may be
neccesary to adjust the pot in increments in between turning the ignition
on and off.

Josh


[...]

Josh Tibbs
xjoshone


http://w3.one.net/~xjosh

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> Subject: [gti-vr6] RE: Air bag dash light
> From: gkoliopoulosmolex
> Date: Wed, 9 Sep 1998 10:22:31 -0500
>
> Has anyone figured out what resistor should be used across the air bag
> connector? I want to fool the system into thinking that the air bag is still
> connected, thus turning off the air bag dash light?

Although I've not done it myself, I have good reason to believe that 2.2
ohms should do the trick.  Use a a 2 watt resistor.

-Uwe-

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List,

     I had a Miata with a momo steering wheel and by touching/connecting
the two leads from the airbag, the airbag warning light on the dash went
off. Has anyone tried this with the GTI? There has to be a solution better
than removing the bulb from the instrument cluster.

Khoi


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> Date: Thu, 1 Jul 1999 10:27:18 -0400
> From: nguyenkwashpost
> Subject: [gti-vr6] Aftermarket steering wheels and the airbag warning light
>
> List,
>
>      I had a Miata with a momo steering wheel and by touching/connecting
> the two leads from the airbag, the airbag warning light on the dash went
> off. Has anyone tried this with the GTI? There has to be a solution better
> than removing the bulb from the instrument cluster.

Wire up a 2.2 ohm resistor in place of the airbag.  I beleive the Airbag
controller in our cars is smart enough to detect a dead short, as well as an
open circuit.

-Uwe-
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A series resistance between the airbag wires or as complicated as
programming a microcontroller to send some high bitrate, serial
"I'm okay..." message.  Either way, it's better than having the
passenger side airbag misfire/malfunction or not having

A 2.2 ohm resistor across the connector will make the
controller's self diagnostics think the bag is still connected.