Removing and installing front side airbag with igniter — VW
Removing and installing front side airbag with igniter on VW: 18 steps, 2 torque figures. What to remove, what to tighten and to how many Nm, what to.
Workshop procedure for VW — the exact step sequence and torque figures, straight from real workshop data.
🧭 Before you start
Fits: platform codes 5C7, 5C1
🔩 Torque settings
Values can differ between engine variants — check the code stamped on your block.
| Torque | Fastener / step |
|---|---|
| 9 Nm (6.6 lb-ft) | Remove bolt (3 |
| 9 Nm (6.6 lb-ft) | Unscrew bolt (2 |
ℹ️ Always cross-check the exact figure against your vehicle's factory manual before final tightening — a wrong torque can damage the engine. These values are extracted from workshop data and may not cover every variant or revision.
📋 Procedure
- ⚠ Observe general safety regulations when working on airbag, belt tensioner and battery isolator units (pyrotechnic components) . — Disconnect vehicle battery Electrical system27Battery; Disconnecting and reconnecting battery.
- Remove front left seat .
- Remove trim on tunnel side .
- Remove backrest adjuster wheel .
- Remove seat height adjuster handle .
- Remove trim on sill side .
- Remove backrest .
- Remove cover and backrest padding .
- Detach connector (1) from side airbag (2).
- Thread wire (3) out of lugs (arrows).
- Remove bolt (4).
- Remove catches (1) of side airbag (2) from mounting in backrest frame (3).
- Remove side airbag (2) from backrest frame (3).
- Install in reverse order of removal. When doing this, observe the following:
- Insert wire (3) into lugs (arrows).
- Attach connector (1) to side airbag (2).
- Switch on ignition.
- ⚠ Ensure that nobody is in vehicle. — Connect vehicle battery Electrical system27Battery; Disconnecting and connecting battery.
Other VW procedures
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- Removing and installing camshaft – VW Golf Cabriolet · 47 torque figures
- Adjusting valve timing – VW Passat B5 · 83 torque figures
- Removing and installing camshafts – VW Passat B6 · 39 torque figures
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- Removing and installing side trims – VW Golf Cabriolet · 1 torque figures
- Removing and installing clutch slave cylinder, Golf Cabriolet
- Checking adapter for back pressure test on natural gas tank and replacing with latest version · 1 torque figures
- Removing and installing charging unit 1 for high-voltage batteryAX4
- Removing and installing mounting bracket, RHD vehicles – VW
Who makes these pages, and how
TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.
Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com
The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.