Passenger Seatbelt locked, Airbag warning light on

[VW-Golf-GTI]

Hi. I just had an amp/sub installed and 'professionally' fitted. I gave then printouts of how to remove the dash and head unit to install the line out converted (from links in this site). Just picked it up, and the installer instead attached the LOC to the wires in the passenger side - but got two mixed up, shorted them and the passenger seatbelt is now locked tight, and the airbag light is on. They admitted afult and want me to get a quote for the repair from VW. Anyone seen this ? Could this short (he said he was testing two) have caused the pyrotechnic things in the seatbelt to go off - and if so, could this have caused the air bag warning light. The tech said that the airbag could have gone off and blockd the seatbelt - but I doubt that or it would be a load messy!

[CatonaPC©]

The more I read. The more I realise how utterly complex this car is and the more I think that maybe owners shouldn't dabble with the idea of modifying the car in any way.

This has probably happened through no fault of the installer who has been caught out by the complexity of the electrical system. There is another thread somewhere where someone's engine stopped running after having driving lights installed.

I want to buy a car fridge and plug it into the 12v socket in the boot. Now I'm not sure I want to do that!

[CatonaPC©]

You should have your seatbelt and airbag checked by VW. Just because it hasn't gone off doesn't mean the pyrotechnics haven't been damaged.

I don't know how much these things cost but expect it to be a sizeable expense. Hope the installer has deep pockets!

[Maverick]

Just picked it up, and the installer instead attached the LOC to the wires in the passenger side - but got two mixed up, shorted them and the passenger seatbelt is now locked tight, and the airbag light is on. They admitted afult and want me to get a quote for the repair from VW. Anyone seen this ? Could this short (he said he was testing two) have caused the pyrotechnic things in the seatbelt to go off - and if so, could this have caused the air bag warning light. The tech said that the airbag could have gone off and blockd the seatbelt - but I doubt that or it would be a load messy!

Did he have the seatbelt fastened at the time he was messing around?

The only way for the seatbelt to be stuck shut would be if the belt was really really tightly fastened, you could try moving the seat back or lowering the back angle to see if you can open the seatbelt then. It's possible he set off the passenger side seat belt pyrotechnic but you should still be able to get the belt undone as I mentioned above.

If the airbag had gone off you'd see this clearly. From the sounds of it they did get a noise so it sounds like the seatbelt restraint has activated.

This would also cause the airbag light to illuminate but so will disconnecting part of the airbag circuit so it may be he hasn't done anything. Your dealer or vagcom/vcds will be required to reset the warning.

[Maverick]

The more I read. The more I realise how utterly complex this car is and the more I think that maybe owners shouldn't dabble with the idea of modifying the car in any way.

Or they should either learn or have someone who knows what they are doing do the work.

This has probably happened through no fault of the installer who has been caught out by the complexity of the electrical system. There is another thread somewhere where someone's engine stopped running after having driving lights installed.

This happened because the installer was an idiot and didn't know what he was doing, let's make that perfectly clear, if he didn't know what he was doing then he shouldn't have touched it.

The airbag connectors are very visible.

If people are stupid enough to mess around with things they don't understand then this is the end result, if the installer had set off an airbag he could have been injured or killed (Darwin's law at work).

I want to buy a car fridge and plug it into the 12v socket in the boot. Now I'm not sure I want to do that!

Read the manual and it tells you how much power you can draw. Nothing more to it, unless you decide to wire it into an airbag

[VW-Golf-GTI]

Im pretty sure the seat belt pyrotechnics have gone off. The seat belt height adjuster was in the down position and not connected and google research says it pulls back about 200mm if activated. Now the heioght adjuster cant be raised and is all locked solid. Its booked in at VW and I am hoping that it just needs the pyrotechnics stuff re-added, then the airbag light reset. The VW service guy said on the phone that at best that is what it is expected, the next worst thing would be the airbag and the seatbelt replaced, and worse than that would be the 'computer' itself needing replacing - costing many thousands then he said. As everything else is working on the car, I doubt that.

[Maverick]

Im pretty sure the seat belt pyrotechnics have gone off. The seat belt height adjuster was in the down position and not connected and google research says it pulls back about 200mm if activated. Now the heioght adjuster cant be raised and is all locked solid. Its booked in at VW and I am hoping that it just needs the pyrotechnics stuff re-added, then the airbag light reset. The VW service guy said on the phone that at best that is what it is expected, the next worst thing would be the airbag and the seatbelt replaced, and worse than that would be the 'computer' itself needing replacing - costing many thousands then he said. As everything else is working on the car, I doubt that.

The seatbelt has to be replaced if the retractor has activated, it's all part of the same assembly. You should still be able to get the belt undone but perhaps because no-one was in the seat it's jammed the release mechanism or something.

http://www.my-gti.com/243/volkswagen-golf-dictionary

If you scroll down to Seatbelt pretensioners it shows the assembly and how it's all in the one unit.

When do you get the car looked at? Be interesting to know what they find.

[VW-Golf-GTI]

Booked in Friday 8AM for the quote needed by the installer. Will post price and work then!

[CatonaPC©]

. . .unless you decide to wire it into an airbag

Er. . . . no I don't think so! Haha!

The thought of going to the fridge, opening it up and having all six airbags go off just for a coldie, doesn't attract me!