[s-cars] Airbag MIL - VAG says 0588 - Airbag Igniter

[TODD KRAMER]

Mark,

Been there, done that ... with a Cab and my S6.

The coil spring was the culprit, both times.  Bentley and the dealer refer to this as the clock spring; it is the spiraled wire, in the steering wheel, that allows the electrics to work.  No pun intended, the spring, when disassembled, looks like a clock spring out of an OLD wind up clock.

The electric circuit failed on the cabriolet at the point where a compression spring pushed a copper contact against a slip ring conduit.  It was retained by a plastic clip ... the clip broke, and the compression spring sprung to freedom ... thus opening the circuit and damaging the clock spring.  MIL.  This can't be repaired.  I bought an old four spoke audi wheel, with the airbag removed but with the clock spring intact, off Ebay for 20 bucks.  Simple swap; PRESTO, out goes the MIL.  

With the steering wheel off the car, airbag removed, test the continuity with a multimeter of the clockspring.  If no resistance, then the spring is bad and must be replaced.  The dealer can, for a price, run a test on the airbag to make sure it isn't the MIL culprit.

On the S6, the problem was far simpler ... I removed the steering wheel, disconnected the red push on airbag connector, reconnected, reassembled, and the fault light went away...luck has always been my bud.

FWIW, I have an old 4 spoke airbag from a '93 in my garage just calling to me to try and set that sucker off with a 9-volt battery ... but haven't.  I seem to piss luck off, often.

Todd Kramer
'95 S6