HELP HELP HELP!! - airbags MKIV Golf Gti

[mohantz]

I have come across a Golf Gti 2002, - its going cheap however the driver and passenger airbags have inflated ( the car has been involved in a minor prang whereby the there is no structural damage but a new bonnet and bar will be required ) - and the airbags have inflated along with the seatbelt pretensioner system.

Is there anybody who knows if the airbags are a major problem - ecu/ computer/ electronics wise? can they easily be replaced - is it fixable? more importantly does the car have any sort of mechanism that wont let it start if the airbags have deployed ??

any help is much appreciated !

[Jmac]

Mostly you can erase the crash data from the Airbag ecu up to 3 times depending on severity, sometimes only once. Sounds like more than a light tap as this has basically went throught the whole phase 2 bags and tensioners, must be slap bang in the middle hey? Anyway car should still start mate , only motors with battery in the rear like the R32 and some TTs have a pyrotechnic battery isolater but this too can be overcome if need be to get the car started.

[Golf Loon]

I have the passenger airbag and seatbelts if you need

[gavs]

Both bags AND pyrotechnics have deployed? Doesn't sound like a minor prang to me, it takes a fair bit of force to fire the pyro charges in the pretensioners.

I think you should get an engineer to look at the structural side of it. It might look like it only needs a new bonnet and bumper, but with the forces involved in this "minor" prang could lead to other problems. Remember, these cars are engineered with crumple zones so you as the driver don't absorb crash impact, the car does. Have a good look at things like steering mounts, the base of the firewall, the engine mounts (not the rubber bushes, the actual mounts). The firewall should be perfect whereas the other 2 are generally "collapse" points, so you don't get an engine in your lap or a steering shaft through your lungs.

My advice? Save your cash and buy one that hasn't been in a crash. You're just asking for trouble....

[Mischa]

for the amount that a mk4 gti is worth these days... is it really worth it? i know someone who bought one a few years ago with the same deal as yours and fixed it up, but that was when mk4's were worth a lot more. parts alone will be at least 3 or 4k i would think? i wouldnt give more than 4 or 5k for something like that provided theres no structural damage

[mohantz]

thanks very much fellas !

youve given me much more insight to the situation ..

and yep it is smack right in the middle .. its like the car hit a bin at night - drunk stooge put a wheelie bin on the road car ran straight into it - in the middle, bar is squished in concave, n the bonnet is rootedn airbags deployed. i was actually suprised as to how sensitive the sensors must be as i owned a 306gti6 previously, n ran a taxi up the be-hind going over a crest at abt 50km/h n they still didn't go off...

i have heard that in the event of airbags deploying the ecu shuts off the feul pump to prevent fire. does this cancel out when you restart the car - even if bags are deployed??

[Jmac]

CRash data can be erased 2 times and the 3rd the ecu reqs replacement mate. Im sure when the Airbag ecu senses crash data it might swith off the fuel, it is linked to the fuel pump relay. Erase the crash data and all will be good. Yeah thought it was smacked in the centre.
Good luck
Jmac