Things To Know About The Airbag Light On Your VW
4 Things To Know About The Airbag Light On Your Volkswagen
While early airbags had their problems, and were even known to cause injury in rare cases, today's airbags are much more advanced. They've been designed to deploy in a controlled manner that won't cause injury. These days, airbags have been shown to save nearly 3,000 lives every year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. For that reason, you should get your airbags checked out right away if you notice the airbag warning light in the dashboard. This light indicates that your airbags may not deploy in the event of a crash, which could compromise your safety! Head to Archer Volkswagen right away when you see this crucial warning light.
And speaking of important repairs, select VW models from 2006–2017 including CC, Golf and Passat examples were recalled due to potentially faulty Takata airbags. If your VW was recalled and this important repair has still not been performed, head to the Archer VW service center right away. The recall for Takata airbag replacement is absolutely free to you when performed at an authorized Volkswagen service center. Not sure if your vehicle was recalled? Give us a call with your VIN and a technician can lookup your vehicle and any associated recalls.
4. Why You Shouldn't Clear The Airbag Light On Your Volkswagen
When the airbag light is on in your dashboard, it indicates that your vehicle's computer is storing a trouble code related to the airbags. In order to get the light to go away, you'd have to have the code erased from the system by a technician, or a friend with the proper tools. While you might prefer to just erase the light and ignore the problem, erasing the code doesn't actually fix the problem. It just makes it harder for a technician to locate the problem later. Instead, have a technician take a closer look at your vehicle's air bag system. The fix could even be something simple like replacing a faulty sensor or bit of wiring.
3. Crash Sensors Can Trigger Even If The Airbags Don't Deploy
If you're involved in a minor crash that doesn't deploy the airbags, don't be surprised to see the airbag warning light turn on in the next few hours or days. Scattered around the body of the vehicle are crash sensors. In the event of an accident, these sensors will tell the computer how and where the collision is taking place, so it can deploy the airbags in the best way to withstand those particular forces. In a minor fender-bender, the crash sensors may activate but won't indicate forces severe enough to deploy the airbags. To prepare your airbags to deploy again in the event of a more severe crash, have an authorized VW technician check the crash sensors.
2. Seat Belts And Tensioners Can Also Trigger The Airbag Light
The airbags are also considered part of the vehicle's "Supplemental Restraint System." This system includes not only the airbags but also features like the seatbelt pretensioners. In the event of a severe crash, the seatbelt tensioners hold occupants firmly in their seats for the best chance to withstand the impact. If the airbag light is on in your car, it could be that the airbags themselves are in working order, but there's a problem with the seatbelt. Sometimes, the electrical connections to the seatbelts which run beneath the seats can be dislodged by foreign objects under the seat -- so we recommend a better place to stash your fast food wrappers and empty water bottles.
1. The Airbag Light Means Airbags May Not Deploy In A Crash
The airbag warning light could be alerting you to all sorts of issues, ranging from trivial to severe, but one thing is certain: your safety may be at risk. In the event of a crash, you want all the safety equipment in your Volkswagen to be working for you and your loved ones. The airbag light indicates that this may not happen. That's why we urge you to make an appointment at the Archer Volkswagen service center as soon as you see this warning light.