[ronaconda]

Hey all!!! What a fantastic forum!!! I have already learned a ton about my T1 and am excited to now dig into the issues that my 04 has. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated and I thank you all in advance!!!

First, (and I probably already know the answer to this) is VAG-COM worth the price??? I have seen the wonders that this tool provides and I sometimes wish I had it (especially in diagnosing the issues I have).

Second, here are my issues. To those that will say "search is your friend", I have poured over search result after search result and have found some direction. Keep in mind that this forum now spans 10 model years and the amount of information is overwhelming!!!

- Brake lights. These will be the death of me!!! They work right when the vehicle is started and shortly after, but I'm finding that they simply quit working. I am also getting no 'check brake lights' warning. I unplugged the third brake light after reading that they have issues and would get the warning but it didn't remedy my problem. When I plugged the third brake light back in, the warnings went away. Is this still my problem???

- Air bag. I know the MIL could be any number of things and should be scanned to properly diagnose, but after searching the forum, it seems that there are issues with the harness to the passenger seat. Do the T1's have a light indicating the passenger air bag is off when no one is in the seat??? If so, the sensor/wiring in the seat may be my problem.

These are my two major issues. Again, thanks in advance!!!

 

[EulessDave]

Hey all!!! What a fantastic forum!!! I have already learned a ton about my T1 and am excited to now dig into the issues that my 04 has. Any help/advice is greatly appreciated and I thank you all in advance!!!

First, (and I probably already know the answer to this) is VAG-COM worth the price??? I have seen the wonders that this tool provides and I sometimes wish I had it (especially in diagnosing the issues I have).

Second, here are my issues. To those that will say "search is your friend", I have poured over search result after search result and have found some direction. Keep in mind that this forum now spans 10 model years and the amount of information is overwhelming!!!

- Brake lights. These will be the death of me!!! They work right when the vehicle is started and shortly after, but I'm finding that they simply quit working. I am also getting no 'check brake lights' warning. I unplugged the third brake light after reading that they have issues and would get the warning but it didn't remedy my problem. When I plugged the third brake light back in, the warnings went away. Is this still my problem???

- Air bag. I know the MIL could be any number of things and should be scanned to properly diagnose, but after searching the forum, it seems that there are issues with the harness to the passenger seat. Do the T1's have a light indicating the passenger air bag is off when no one is in the seat??? If so, the sensor/wiring in the seat may be my problem.

These are my two major issues. Again, thanks in advance!!!

Yes, VAG-COM is absolutely worth the price. There are so many things that a) can trigger an error that you need VAG-COM to read and b) you can change, set, or clear without going to the dealer at $75 a pop. Do a search for the list of things you can modify with VAG-COM.

And yes, T1's have a "Passenger air bag is off" light. Don't know about the brake lights - mine hasn't experienced that issue.

 

[noobytoogy]

You turn the ignition key in a separate key slot down by the gear lever to turn the passenger air bag off.

The airbag light does not show if there is no passenger on the seat.

If the airbag light is on, then it is probable you need to extend the wiring for the big yellow connector under the seat.

You will then need to reset the airbag warming light using VAGcom/VCDS.

 

[Green Egg]

You turn the ignition key in a separate key slot down by the gear lever to turn the passenger air bag off.

The airbag light does not show if there is no passenger on the seat.

If the airbag light is on, then it is probable you need to extend the wiring for the big yellow connector under the seat.

You will then need to reset the airbag warming light using VAGcom/VCDS.

I don't know about the 2004's, but my 2005 does not have the manual key thing. A light (warning that passenger airbag is off - not the malfunction indicator) will go on when there is no occupant in the passenger seat and be out when there is an occupant.

 

[Green Egg]

OP one of the other things you can do with Vag-Com is output tests. I think that the brake lights are on the J519 controller and you can test controller functionality to see if the brake lights activate and whether or not there are controller errors. That method helped me to identify a horn issue was wiring and not the horns or controller.

For the things you are trying to do, I don't think you can go wrong with Vag-Com.

 

[ronaconda]

Where is the light for the passenger air bag??? As long as I've driven the T1 (it's my fiance's Treg), the airbag MIL light has been on so I have never seen where the light is.

And I agree about the key slot to turn the passenger airbag off...I went and looked for it yesterday after I got home...nothing.

 

[saf66]

I do not have a passenger airbag light off or key slot on my 04.

 

[ronaconda]

I do not have a passenger airbag light off or key slot on my 04.

Grrrrrr....

 

[MAIN MAN]

ya, I would get the VCDS cable, you will probably be disappointed when you discover all the faults it uncovers.
good luck MM

 

[slee22]

I do not have a passenger airbag light off or key slot on my 04.

Same here

 

[Green Egg]

On my 2005 its below the radio. On the panel just to the right of the hazard button.

 

[noobytoogy]

Where is the light for the passenger air bag??? As long as I've driven the T1 (it's my fiance's Treg), the airbag MIL light has been on so I have never seen where the light is.

.

The airbag will not work whilst the fault light is lit.

Get it fixed.

 

[Zgaey]

The truck is 10 years old. Expect to start replacing everything part by part. Hence the reason why I got out of my Touareg. I had an 04 and it DIDNT have an airbag no in use light. Anyway is was great fun to drive but it was in the shop every other week. Vw service sucks. To bad cause I really like it but in the end jumped into a Benz.

 

[megkrisstore]

A real simple and cheap fix: I just put a little piece of black electrical tape over my light. Problem fixed. You can't even tell that there is a light on underneath or that there is tape on the button. Give it a try. If nothing else, just for the time being until you find a better solution. That light used to drive me crazy, especially at night.

 

[noobytoogy]

"A simple and cheap fix" that leaves probably the best safety device in the car - apart from the brakes - inoperative when all it probably needed was half an hour and 6 inches of cable to fix the yellow connector under the seat . . .

 

[Coreg723]

Sit in the passenger seat. If the light goes out it's working normally. Maybe there's a key to turn this off or on for euro models, but no key for this function in the US. It's based off of the presence of a passenger in the seat.

 

[megkrisstore]

Nooby, I wasn't talking about disabling any safety feature. I was just talking about how to cover up the light which stays on as long as nobody is in the passenger seat. He said everything works. It's just annoying seeing that bright orange light on all the time.

 

[noobytoogy]

And my point is that the safety feature is disabled as long as you have the light on and don't bother getting it fixed.

That's fine if it is your airbag that doesn't fire in an accident but not so hot if it's your passenger's!

Get it sorted!

 

[saf66]

I think there is some confusion, I think what he is saying is that he doesn't like the light being on when no one is in seat. Here in the states the passenger airbags are shut off when no one is sitting in the seat, but when a passenger is detected the airbag is turned on. The seat detects a certain amount of weight that is needed to turn bags on.

 

[noobytoogy]

If we are at cross purposes then I apologise.

I thought he was saying the light is on when it shouldn't be due to a system fault.