Ignition Switch problem - with a slight twist

[lemski]

You might have done the squib in the steering wheel if airbag lights come on.
My radio use to come on by its self. Turned out ign live and perminant live were touching causing it to do as it pleased

[LR5V]

Sounds like your problem is lurking in the wiring.
Consider paying for an hour or 2 with a good mobile auto electrician, they can usually get to the bottom of the problem.
If you ask them to delete the aftermarket immobiliser, you should still have the ECU immobiliser.

I think you are correct, the fault will have been generated by connecting the battery without the air bag connected.
The air bag fault is one of the safety items, along with ABS, that stays on even if the fault is fixed.
Not all fault code readers can clear those faults, the only sure way of sorting as Hardmonkeys said is vagcom
-The auto electrician my have a good enough reader or vagcom itself.

[hardmonkeys]

Thank you, do you know of anyone Suffolk way who could help?

I don't mate, I'm in Dorset, if you fancy a trip to the coast, I'll happily do it for you, bit far mind you

[skunkmunkey3000]

Thanks guys. Would this be something that the lite version of VCDS could do? I've got a cheapy Chinese cable on order and will have a play around once that arrives to see what it can do.

[lemski]

A cheap hand held scanner thats vag equiped would read the airbac so vcd light will read the airbag fault

[LR5V]

Thanks guys. Would this be something that the lite version of VCDS could do? I've got a cheapy Chinese cable on order and will have a play around once that arrives to see what it can do.

Should do

A cheap hand held scanner thats vag equiped would read the airbac so vcd light will read the airbag fault

Yes - they can read the fault, but the majority wont clear this critical fault

[skunkmunkey3000]

Just a little update on this - My Chinese special cable finally arrived and after a little bit of dicking around I managed to get it working. I've cleared the airbag codes and the light has gone away.

I thought I'd look further into the handbrake light being on (When investigating I found a previous owner had removed the ABS light). Checked the usual things, fluid and switch etc but no luck and the light remained on. I looked up the codes and it's showing all 4 ABS sensors and the 01276 code. I tried removing them but they wouldn't clear so have something in there to fix. However since the handbrake light only showed up recently, does this mean all four sensors have gone at once and if so, does that mean it's more likely to be the ECU? I've ordered a new airbag/ABS light unit so when that arrives I can see if the ABS light has actually been on the whole time. In the meantime does anyone have any suggestions on this?

[hardmonkeys]

Could be all the sensors need replacing...time consuming, but not expensive

[skunkmunkey3000]

Just to add a little more to this, I got my replacement Airbag/ABS light unit today and got it installed. When I first switch the car on the ABS light come on and then switches off as it's supposed to but then comes back on as if there's a fault but switches off when driving - only to then come back on when stationary again. Got me a bit confused as I would have thought if it was picking up a fault it would be on all the time and not just when idling in neutral?

[hardmonkeys]

Change the sensors!