airbag crash sensor locations on a 5 door.

[chiefwhosm]

Hi,
    I gather there are 3 crash sensors, one on the control unit and two the floor next to the doors.

Is this correct? The question stems from my having removed all the carpet/seats from my golf, and there are no crash sensors anywhere to be seen.

Haven't spotted one under the engine bay at all, so is there only the one in the control unit or are they elsewhere on a 5 door?

Thanks,
            Chief

[Wayne]

I would guess you should have some under the front bumper 

[chiefwhosm]

It's odd how little information there is to be found on the web over the locations, all I found was one post on this site by 'gtitdi' saying:

"1) I know there are airbag sensors on either side of the front seats right next to the doors. Not sure where any others are, if any."

and a german forum, which thanks to a german friend reads, with a bit more translation to make it scan better:

"
The 97 golf has 1J0909608A and a separate sensor for side impact 1J0909606AL (built in 2x)

The golf has sensors below the seats. the sensor is below a cover under the carpet/insulating mat. from this thick cross brace in the direction. So under some cover plate under the carpet.
"

Google has provided that "1J0909608A" is the Airbags control unit, I did find one person on a forum saying that on Mk3 Golfs there was only one sensor in the control unit itself, he seemed discredited by others stating there were three, but is it possible there really is on some models only one sensor in the control unit itself (maybe only three on cars with a passenger airbag)?

Chief

[Rmachines]

There is one sensor in the SRS unit, this is the fail safe sensor.

There is also one under each seat.  Regulation say there must be at least one fail safe sensor on the system.

If the SRS unit sensor is triggered, the air bags will NOT deploy,  Unless one of the crash sensors under the seat also are triggered and vise versa.


Both are shown as being under the carpet under the front seats,  and as per usual the fail safe is built into the SRS unit located behind the dash.

[Mikester]

I think they are actually more behind the plastic trim to the side of the seat on the sill/door shut.

I think i saw them when alarm/audio fitting although this was a long time ago now.

[chiefwhosm]

There are these two little black boxes which clip into holes in the main beam where the spring for the seats is, my non-airbag golf doesn't have these.

Took them out, and nothing in them, but they do look like they could be used to cover the sensors as I think they're quite small.

As to the side trim etc, I have no trim or carpets in the car due to welding being done to the chassis this week, so the sensors do seem to be missing from the car.

I take it the sensors get replaced after an accident where the airbags deploy? And so possibly they were never replaced post-accident? Not that I know if the car was ever involved in an accident, just a puzzler really.

Though the airbag light always went off after the pre-test, which you'd think wouldn't happen if the other sensors were missing. As to the control unit mind its wire connector appears to only have 4 wires, 2 of which I can trace to the steering wheel, the other two maybe are to the airbag light, which would mean nothing connected to any sensors, mind you if this is the case how does the control unit get power from the electrical system.....

Chief

[Rmachines]

The things you saw in the door sill trim are the seat belt pre-tensioners, all MK3 golfs were fitted with them as standard.

[Mikester]

The things you saw in the door sill trim are the seat belt pre-tensioners, all MK3 golfs were fitted with them as standard.

No idea tbh, just guessing as i took it all apart maybe 2 years ago now.

Dont have this issue now, i just vtec through it.