01218 Igniter, passenger-side front airbag, "upper limit"

Hello,

I've been looking at the reports in the forum regarding airbag problems – most of them concern a resistance that's too high in the connectors, which are then replaced with special crimp connectors and soldered.

My question relates to the following error message:

01218 - Passenger side front airbag igniter (N200) 001 - Upper limit exceeded - Warning light ON.

Here, it's not a matter of "resistance being too high," as is often the case in this context, but rather of an "upper limit being exceeded."

Before I start working on the wrong thing, maybe it's just the same thing after all?

I would be grateful for any information.

It is highly likely that it is the same thing.

For testing: Disconnect the cable to the driver's side airbag and read the error codes. If the error message is the same, then you have clarity.

Greetings.
Guste.

Hello,

I also thought that it meant the same thing. I had encountered the same error before and was able to fix it using the known solution.

Regards,
Thilo.

Thank you to guste100 and klahaui for their advice.

Sorry for the delayed response, but I was trying to release the passenger seat and fold it down (Passat B6/3C), but I couldn't reach the large Allen key and it was also stuck in another way.

Here's the current status (after I checked the resistance values in VCDS; of course, any manipulation of the connectors was done with the ignition off; I'm also aware of the additional safety measures that VW recommends).

The connector under the passenger seat came loose surprisingly easily. Looking back, I think it wasn't properly locked in.

Perhaps it's been happening for a while. The problem appeared immediately after I placed a heavy suitcase on the passenger seat while camping. This likely caused – or at least, that's my theory now – the already loose connection to come undone.

After I completely removed the connector and then compared the error with the original one: The same error message "upper limit exceeded" appears - this probably also applies when there is a complete disconnection (and is perhaps different from "resistance too high" - which might indicate an excessively high contact resistance even with a connection still present).

Putting it back together fixed the problem. (I also tried opening and closing the connection a few times as a test, and it works fine.)

So, if I'm lucky, it was simply a partially disconnected connector (for whatever reason) and not a corrosion problem, which would require replacing the connector under the seat with a solid connection. (This is the technical solution recommended by VW for this issue.)

I had previously inquired with VW's central information line about a possible goodwill solution (since the vehicle was, of course, outside of the warranty or guarantee period). The response via email was that a gesture of goodwill would not be possible because the vehicle would be outside of the warranty/guarantee period. (I honestly don't have the words to describe the "logic" behind that.)

I now hope that the problem will not occur again; otherwise, it is probably an issue with the contact resistance at the connector.

It's actually quite surprising that the problem usually lies with the airbag connector located under the seat (and not with the connectors on the wiring harness leading to the next connection in the footwell of the passenger side). Otherwise, replacing the cable set between the seat and the footwell would likely help.

Apparently, the problem doesn't occur (or occurs very rarely) at the other connector, located in the footwell, even though it looks exactly the same as the one under the seat.

By the way, I actually managed to reach the connector under the seat without having to remove the seat itself.

Sorry for the long message - I unfortunately didn't have time to shorten it...

Thank you again for the answers.

Thank you for the feedback .

I once read out all the available measurement data blocks for address 15 (airbags) – maybe someone will find it interesting.

I find the resistance values listed in blocks 21, 22, 25, 27, and 31 noteworthy. (Resistance value in Ohms for igniters I, V, III, IV, and V)

I thought the resistance values should be below 3 ohms, but it seems that even values above that don't trigger an error.

See, for example,
3.6 Ohms at "Airbag Level 1, Driver Side" (in Block 21).
3.6 Ohms for "Front passenger side airbag" (in block 25).

I've noticed that in block 22 ("Ignition Resistor II Rear Seatbelt Pretensioner"), the corresponding resistance values are listed as "too high." This is somewhat misleading because there are no rear seatbelt pretensioners installed (see block 002: Igniter II, Rear seatbelt pretensioners: Driver's side, center, and passenger side: not installed).

"In other forums, you occasionally see warnings not to 'mess around with the ignition coils using VCDS.' In my opinion, this is nonsense, because VCDS doesn't measure anything itself; it simply reads out the values that the vehicle's electronics have already determined and stored in the memory. (Here, there seems to be a gross misunderstanding with the application of an actual measuring voltage – which, of course, doesn't happen with VCDS.)"

Here are the measurement blocks (empty blocks are not included):

Address 15: Airbag (3C0 909 605 J)

Block 001: Igniter I (Front airbags/seatbelt pretensioners)
Right-side airbag (Level 1) for the driver.
Correct. Airbag (Level 1), passenger side.
Seat belt pretensioner, front, driver's side.
Correct. Front seat belt pretensioner, passenger side.

Block 002: Igniter II (Rear seatbelt pretensioner)
n. installed seat belt pretensioner, rear, driver's side.
n. installed, rear seat belt pretensioner, passenger side.
n. rear center seatbelt pretensioner.
n. built-in battery disconnection.

Block 003: Voltage & Seat Occupancy & Seat Belt Switch (front)
Correct supply voltage.
n. integrated. Passenger seat occupancy.
Seat belt: YES. Seat belt switch, front, driver's side.
Seat belt: YES. Seat belt switch, front passenger side.

Block 005: Igniter III (Side airbags)
Front passenger airbag.
Correct. Front passenger-side airbag.
n. installed Rear side airbag (driver's side)
n. installed Rear passenger-side airbag.

Block 007: Igniter IV (Front airbag module)
Correct. Head airbag, front, driver's side.
Correct. Head airbag, front, passenger side.
n.v.
n.v.

Block 010: Master switch
Status: Passenger airbag.
A key switch logic contact 1.
A key switch logic contact, 2.
n.v.

Block 011: Igniter V (Front airbags, level 2 & front knee airbags)
Correct. Airbag (Level 2), driver's side.
Correct. Airbag (Level 2), passenger side.
n. integrated driver-side knee airbag.
n. integrated passenger-side knee airbag.

Block 021: Igniter, Resistance I (Front Airbags/Seatbelt Pretensioners)
3.6 Airbag (Level 1), driver's side.
2.2 Airbag (Level 1), passenger side.
2.8 Front seat belt pretensioner, driver's side.
2.2 Front seat belt pretensioner, passenger side.

Block 022: Igniter, Rear Seatbelt Pretensioner
too large, rear seat belt tightener, driver's side.
too large, rear seat belt pretensioner, passenger side.
n. rear center seatbelt pretensioner.
n. built-in battery disconnection.

Block 025: Igniter Resistor III (Side Airbags)
3.6 Front passenger airbag.
2.8 Front passenger-side airbag.
n. installed Rear side airbag (driver's side)
n. installed Rear passenger-side airbag.

Block 027: Igniter Resistor IV (Front airbag module)
2.8 Headrest, front, driver's side.
2.8 Head airbag, front, passenger side.
n.v.
n.v.

Block 031: Igniter Resistor V (Front airbags, level 2 & front knee airbags)
3.6 Airbag (Level 2), driver's side.
2.2 Airbag (Level 2), passenger side.
n. integrated driver-side knee airbag.
n. integrated passenger-side knee airbag.

Block 125: CAN data bus communication (drive train)
Combination Instrument (J285)
ABS 1: Brake electronics (J104)
n.v.
n.v.

Block 225: CAN data bus timeout (drive)
0.0 Combination instrument (J285)
0.0 Braking electronics (J104)
n.v.
n.v.