Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Every time a light comes on the dash of my mk5 golfI have to run to a garage and pay to have it put out. I have seen cheap devices on ebay for about £30. There are even cheaper ones for about £13. After a trip to the vet's yesterday my dog has pulled a cable and has brought on an airbag light and I face another trip to get it reset, I am considering a wee cheapie to save me running.(He just pulled out a plug which I have reconnected.) Does anyone on here have any experience with these devices? Do the cheap ones do the job or am I wasting my cash? Thanks Edited May 16, 2015 by Big Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnlewis Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Check to see what they do as a lot of cheapie ones only read engine faults, air bag and abs are different kettle of fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westmids1987 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Ive got a plug in blootooth jobby for the passat,airbag warning light came on when changing my cd player,downloaded the app onto phone,plugged into car preased delete an poof its gone,think it was around a fiver of internet Edited May 16, 2015 by westmids1987 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 These claim to do most systems including airbags: Ebay item no 400920112104 And even cheaper Ebay item 181742994479 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Ive got a plug in blootooth jobby for the passat,airbag warning light came on when changing my cd player,downloaded the app onto phone,plugged into car preased delete an poof its gone,think it was around a fiver of internet What phone do you have? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secretagentmole Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Got one somewhere we don't use anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Why do the lights keep coming on? My daughters golf did it if you adjusted the seat with the ignition on. You could also try disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes- usually works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Why do the lights keep coming on? My daughters golf did it if you adjusted the seat with the ignition on. You could also try disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes- usually works.It's just the service light mainly. Once I knocked out the abs sensor when changing a wheel and needed it reset. This time it is the airbag light. I pay a tenner each time and you wouldn't be long paying for for one of the cheapies. As for disconnecting the battery, I have no code to reset the stereo so I couldn't really do it. I prefer VW or other VAG cars so it would hopefully be useful in the future too. Got one somewhere we don't use anymore!I'd be interested in that if you could put your hand on it! Edited May 16, 2015 by Big Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westmids1987 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 What phone do you have?samsung s5 but the app should work on any android,and there are apps available on iphone aswell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 An OBD or EOBD code reader such as used for diagnosing ignition, fuelling, faults won't generally do airbag lights. Cheaper ones will read any stored codes which you then have to look up, better and dearer ones will read/delete codes and tell you what the fault code relates to. Air bag and Brake related diagnostics are more complex and more expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno22rf Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 If it's a service light,as in a service is due,there is normally a reset facility not requiring a reader- the airbag light warning is a common fault and, as a general rule is caused by moving one of the front seats with the ignition switched on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 If it's a service light,as in a service is due,there is normally a reset facility not requiring a reader- the airbag light warning is a common fault and, as a general rule is caused by moving one of the front seats with the ignition switched on. Thanks. Are you aware of a reset facility for resetting the airbag light not needing a reader. I can't find one on a Google search - it would do away with my current need for a diagnostic reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) An OBD or EOBD code reader such as used for diagnosing ignition, fuelling, faults won't generally do airbag lights. Cheaper ones will read any stored codes which you then have to look up, better and dearer ones will read/delete codes and tell you what the fault code relates to. Air bag and Brake related diagnostics are more complex and more expensive Thanks. I copied this from the description of the £30 one: 2. Read and erase Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) of engine, ABS, airbag, transmission, radio, climate control(A/C), cent., elect., steering wheel, instruments, immobilizer, etc. (18 Systems) Does that sound like it would put the light out? Edited May 16, 2015 by Big Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewi76 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 The only way you can reset an airbag light is with a reader unfortunately be careful using cheap ones as they can corrupt the ecu and then you will have problems , I use Delphi diagnostic kit every day never had a problem with it but as taxi driver says a reader that just does engine diagnostic won't do airbags you will have to get a specific airbag tool for it That tool should do it as it does state airbags Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrDaveO84 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 I don't think most code readers will touch airbag sensors or lights etc, I could be wrong though. Bit more then a fiver (£70-100) but I have a scan gauge 2 for my astra vxr. It's a reader but does so much more it practically reads every sensor in the engine. It clears every fault code and dash light I've ever had come on as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 The only way you can reset an airbag light is with a reader unfortunately be careful using cheap ones as they can corrupt the ecu and then you will have problems , I use Delphi diagnostic kit every day never had a problem with it but as taxi driver says a reader that just does engine diagnostic won't do airbags you will have to get a specific airbag tool for it That tool should do it as it does state airbags Thanks. That bit about messing up the ecu scares me. That would be serious money. Maybe a tenner to the garage is a better option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewi76 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 To be fair Al if the mess it up then it's down to them to fix it mate at least you've got comeback with that if you buy one of eBay that probably will say your not using the kit right and blame you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 To be fair Al if the mess it up then it's down to them to fix it mate at least you've got comeback with that if you buy one of eBay that probably will say your not using the kit right and blame you Very true. Garage it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewi76 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Where are you al if your near me I will do it for free Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Where are you al if your near me I will do it for free You are a gentleman Sir, but I am in Northern Ireland. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewi76 Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Ah that's not so close mate nevermind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karl_h Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 If you want the proper thing look for vag~com or VCDS I think it is called, if you have a look on a VAG forum they normally have sections for people who have it that do little jobs and how it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted May 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 If you want the proper thing look for vag~com or VCDS I think it is called, if you have a look on a VAG forum they normally have sections for people who have it that do little jobs and how it works. Thanks. I will look but don't want to spend too much - it's just like buying and oil filter removal tool. Just trying to save a bit of money by doing what I see as simple jobs myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aris Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Yes, the Ross Tech VCDS is the dogs danglies, but it costs. There are also fakes about, so be careful http://www.ross-tech.com/vag-com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 Buying a cheap code reader will read a variety of codes but not all and I dought very much that they will reset much. They also wont read imbedded codes from previous fault codes stored on the ecu. Cheapies are only ever going to put you some where in the ball park where the fault maybe. Trouble is now with most modern cars there are so many systems relying on other systems to fuction that if one goes down so do otheres relying on the affected one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.