# TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag



## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

Hello All:
VW has recently released an updated TB (Technical Bulletin) that provides additional detailed information to VW technicians about how the front passenger seat occupant detection system works. This TB does not mandate any repairs, it does not describe a problem, it's not a recall, and it will not cause global warming or split ends. No animals were harmed during the production of this TB.
All it does is explain what makes the “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF” indicator light on the dashboard go on and off. It applies to all vehicles that have a "Passenger Air Bag Off" indicator light, not just to Eos.
Please note that this only concerns cars sold in the North American Region (NAR). Cars sold in the Rest Of the World (ROW) don't have an occupant detection system - instead, the car has a keyswitch that allows the driver to turn the airbag on and off themselves as they see fit. US Law does not allow the driver this discretion.
Michael


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## neweosowner (Nov 25, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*

Just a reminder from a previous thread - it appears that Canadian NAR vehicles do not have a "Passenger Airbag Off" light on the centre console. It's unclear whether this TB applies in Canada or not.
I hope to meet a "regional technician" (my words) next week who is an expert on everything. Perhaps he or she can shed some light on the operation of the pasenger side airbag detection system in Canada.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (neweosowner)*

Hi Arylnn:
Good point - Canadian law does not require this occupant detection system.
My *guess *is that the passenger side airbag is 'live' at all times on the Canadian spec cars... but this is just a guess.
Michael


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## chocoholic_too (Jan 2, 2007)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Hello All:

Please note that this only concerns cars sold in the North American Region (NAR). Cars sold in the Rest Of the World (ROW) don't have an occupant detection system - instead, the car has a keyswitch that allows the driver to turn the airbag on and off themselves as they see fit. US Law does not allow the driver this discretion.
Michael

Well, I have a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire that has the keyswitch to turn off the airbag...
It was manufactured in Oldenburg, Germany like all of them and then I guess imported into the US.


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## Bster67 (Nov 2, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (chocoholic_too)*


_Quote, originally posted by *chocoholic_too* »_
Well, I have a 2004 Chrysler Crossfire that has the keyswitch to turn off the airbag...
It was manufactured in Oldenburg, Germany like all of them and then I guess imported into the US.

My '02 Jeep Wrangler had a keyswitch to turn off the passenger airbag as well...maybe the U.S. laws changed recently?


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (Bster67)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Bster67* »_My '02 Jeep Wrangler had a keyswitch to turn off the passenger airbag as well...maybe the U.S. laws changed recently?

There is a different set of laws in the USA for 'passenger cars' vs. 'light trucks'. It is possible that the Wrangler is considered a 'light truck'. However, the USA laws did change in 2004... hence the proliferation of these 'Passenger Air Bag Off' lights beginning with MY 2005 and MY 2006 vehicles.
Michael


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## just4fun (Oct 29, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (neweosowner)*


_Quote, originally posted by *neweosowner* »_Just a reminder from a previous thread - it appears that Canadian NAR vehicles do not have a "Passenger Airbag Off" light on the centre console. It's unclear whether this TB applies in Canada or not.
.

FYI,
Below is the response VWoC sent me in response to my Inquiry about PODS.
Dear Kevin,
Thanks for visiting the Volkswagen website. 
Unfortunately, Passenger Occupancy Detections System (PODS) is not an
available option in the Canadian market. 
Thanks again for stopping by!
Darnel
Volktalk
Kevin


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (just4fun)*


_Quote, originally posted by *just4fun* »_Production code 4UM "driver's and front passenger airbag, with front passenger air bag deactivation (2 stage)" is listed as installed on my Canadian spec Eos.

Kevin:
It's possible that the components are installed - in fact, almost certain that the two-stage inflation airbags are installed - but also possible that the passenger seat mat and warning light have not been enabled in the software coding of the Canadian car. Note that this is a guess, not based on any factual knowledge.
If Canadian law doesn't require the passenger seat deactivation via the weight-sensing mat on the passenger side, and if that whole system is a known PITA (no car manufacturer provides it in any market other than the USA, where they are forced to do so by law), then perhaps VW just thought "heck, we'll code the car so it ignores the mat and light - this will save the Canadian owners a whole pack of trouble, and save us a whole pack of service inquires, warranty claims, that kind of stuff".
Be aware also that passenger airbags in NAR are much bigger than passenger airbags in ROW. In the ROW, it is assumed that the passenger will be wearing a seatbelt, therefore the airbag only provides head protection - in other words, the design assumes that the waist and upper torso will be restrained by the seat belt. In NAR, the law requires that the passenger airbag provide full protection to an unrestrained adult body. So, that production code *4UM* might simply indicate that you have the larger NAR spec passenger airbag installed - I wouldn't take the mention of the deactivation too seriously.
I will be going to the factory in Portugal sometime in April or May - I will try and find out then what the story is on Canadian airbags. My experience with airbag related inquiries is that you only get a complete and authoritative answer if you ask at the factory, not if you ask the importer. The importer usually doesn't know the full story - or, more accurately, the 1 or 2 engineers at the importer who do know the full story are not easily accessible by the 250 employees at the importer who answer the phone and deal directly with the customers.
Michael


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## just4fun (Oct 29, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_

I will be going to the factory in Portugal sometime in April or May - I will try and find out then what the story is on Canadian airbags. 
Michael

Thanks for offering to help investigate this further. I think it is important for Canadian consumers to know what the function of the air bags is.
If the air bags are active 100% of the time, then it becomes very important not to place items on the seat. If, in fact, they are inactive, until such time as a certain amount of weight is placed on the seat, I think that is important to know as well.
I'm not to hung up on whether PODS is, or isn't, installed. I do want to know how to expect the air bags to react in the event of a collision.
Kevin











_Modified by just4fun at 6:36 PM 2-25-2007_


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (just4fun)*


_Quote, originally posted by *just4fun* »_I'm not to hung up on whether PODS is, or isn't, installed.

I think it is very safe to assume that unless the car shows you a very explicit message telling you that an airbag is disarmed, then you can assume that every airbag is armed at all times.
I can't imagine any other way of addressing such a situation.
FWIW, I understand that the whole front passenger airbag automatic deactivation system in the USA cars is something that the insurance industry lobbied the American Congress for - they wanted to reduce their claim payouts for repair bills - it's nothing at all to do with safety of a front seat passenger.
Michael


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## cb391 (Mar 12, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*

"FWIW, I understand that the whole front passenger airbag automatic deactivation system in the USA cars is something that the insurance industry lobbied the American Congress for - they wanted to reduce their claim payouts for repair bills - it's nothing at all to do with safety of a front seat passenger."
While this may be true to whatever extent the insurance companies are still paying for airbags and it isn't just for crashes or accidents. They are being stolen out of cars by vandals because they are expensive and because factory stereos are no longer desirable due to the anti theft circuitry installed in the radios. Looks like they pay no matter what.
Andy


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## flheat (Sep 29, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_
FWIW, I understand that the whole front passenger airbag automatic deactivation system in the USA cars is something that the insurance industry lobbied the American Congress for - they wanted to reduce their claim payouts for repair bills - it's nothing at all to do with safety of a front seat passenger.
Michael

My understanding is it was designed because too many parents did not want to put they rear facing childseats in the back seat where they belong. The airbags were causing injury and death to infants placed in the front seat. That's why they are weight sensitive.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (flheat)*

If that was the case, then why didn't the American government just let car owners have the freedom of choice that they have in other markets - namely, a key-switch to turn the airbag on and off as required?
I hear what you are saying about the low weight passengers - but I'm not so sure that is the whole story. Maybe I am just being too cynical.
Michael


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## neweosowner (Nov 25, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (just4fun)*

FWIW, the person sent to my local VW dealership to assist in working on my Eos today indicated that PODS is not installed (in Canada), and that the airbag will deploy in all situations where the driver-side airbag deploys. I wouldn't take that as gospel truth, but the man appears to know more about the Eos than anyone else I've met at the dealership.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (neweosowner)*

Hi Arylnn:
I'm pretty sure you can take it as 'Carved in Stone'. If there is no clear, unmistakable annunciation to the driver that the pax side airbag is turned off, then the thing is armed all the time. That's all there is to it. FYI, the need for clear and unmistakable annunciation of this is so critical that the pax airbag off light has two bulbs behind it (wired in series) - exactly the same as an aircraft annunciator light. If one bulb burns out, you still get a visual alert (although you will also get an airbag fault code if a light is burned out).
Michael


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## vweosdriver (Oct 30, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (PanEuropean)*

Just a note, my '05 Toyota has a passenger side air bag light that is on when the air bag is ready for deployment and off when the seat is empty.


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## just4fun (Oct 29, 2006)

*Re: TB 69-07-01: Advanced Airbag System Description, Passenger Side Airbag (neweosowner)*

Thanks Arylnn,
That is the information I was looking for. 
Kevin


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