electric_warrior

Airbag and seatbelt light (front passenger) randomly comes on/off with and without a front passenger present. Sometimes it happens sometimes it doesn’t. Driving a 2017 A4. Any ideas? Simple fix using the vag tool or something? Thanks.

BoxerBoi76

See your dealer, may be this: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...59397-0001.pdf

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...50667-9999.pdf

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...49138-9999.pdf

Go here for the rest of the TSB’s for your car (there are more for the airbag/seatbelt): https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/A...Communications

MDAudi

Probably not related, but if I put my iPad directly on the passenger seat, I get the seatbelt warning light going off. Doesn't happen if I put my messenger bag (with the iPad in it) on the seat. I think it has to do with the magnetic cover, but it isn't the weight.

BoxerBoi76

Do you have a 2017 as well?

I’ve got a 2019 and will test with my iPad and magnetic cover shortly.

MDAudi

Yes, it is our 2017 A4. Don't recall if I tried it out on our 2018 Allroad...

chych

My small dog randomly triggers it when he's sitting on the passenger seat. Something about the occupancy sensor, I think.

BoxerBoi76

All I see is a recall for the airbags/seatbelt - https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2017/A...DR/AWD#recalls

PghRich

Do you mean the notification that the passenger airbag is active, and a warning that the passenger seat belt is not attached? If so, that's certainly something that makes the passenger seat think someone is sitting in it.

If it happens with absolutely nothing in the seat, then I'd guess an intermittent connection somewhere that's being toggled by bumps in the road or something similar.

LaZyB0ne

I had a problem with the passenger airbag light would never go on, and sometimes my overhead lights would come on and flicker. All with no one in the passenger seat, but my sunroof still worked.

When to dealer they replace the control module in the overhead light console, replace the airbag light indicator.
Works good now, mine had nothing to do with the sensor in the passenger seat.

PghRich

That's sometimes the problem with electrical issues and the web of systems - things are so interconnected that symptoms and causes can be wildly divergent. I now know that when my daughter's RX350 has a "Check AWD System" warning and the traction control is disabled, it means she didn't tighten the gas cap or overfilled the gas tank.

If it's under warranty, dealer diagnostics can usually dig into what's really going on.