exactly what square on your vdo gauge cluster is your cel and air bag lights.....or more importantly, what functions light is in the dead center square. I am trying to solve a dilemma I have had for years now, and I think I am on to a conclusion. I'm hoping y'all can settle this for me once and for all

It is important that it be a 1995 US (no canada or euro!) 90 12v.

All are left-to-right

Top row: Batt/CEL/Blank
Middle Row: Blank/Antilock Off/High Beam
Bottom row: Low Fuel/E-Brake/Airbag

And yes, mine meets ALL your criteria related to model/year and US designation. I also know I must have the ONLY B4 in the world with a "low fuel" light from the factory.

get thru emissions testing. am I warm?

In any case, the airbag light should come on when you access the airbag control module with a VAGCOM or VWTOOL.

The CEL should come on if you unplug the MAF for CPS while the car is running.

That might help you narrow down which bulb and receptacle is which.

And I'd think it would be possible to shine a flashlight thru the cluster from behind to see which icon is in which slot.

Emissions testing along the front range of Colorado won't pass anyone without a "working" visual CEL that comes on when key is turned to "ign on." Several years ago they wouldn't pass anyone that had a CEL that wouldn't go out but that changed maybe 2 years ago. Now they will look for the CEL at "ign on" but don't care if it goes out once engine starts as long as car passes the 4 wheel dyno tailpipe sniffer. My CEL is wired so it does EVERYTHING a CEL "should" do including coming on and going off at "seemingly" appropriate times via a small, maybe 2" long jumper wire from the oil pressure warning light socket to the CEL socket with the old CEL light socket power circuit disconnected.

Car still sails thru emissions testing with flying colors so I have no conscience issues with doing it this way. I mean it's not like I'm running mini K&N gauze filters off my valve cover breather outlets or with hollowed-out cats.

in the four years I have owned my car I have never once seen the cel....ever....not for a second or two when I start the car, not from anything, for any reason, ever!
I have pulled my cluster more times than I can count, and replaced bulbs, etc. to figure this out.
Now, the odd thing is that my airbag light comes on frequently/intermitantly, and at times when one might expect to get a cel. I have also attempted to blink codes. I know I am following the procedure correctly, however the cel never comes on. The airbag light, however does come on and flash codes like the cel should.
I spoke to an instructor from the Audi program at UTI today regarding this problem, and he brought to my attention that, per etka, the cluster housing is the same for all the B4's, however the "card" of squares that the bulbs shine through are different part numbers for different vins and CAN vs. US ( I think 3 or 4 different ones in all).
He said that a malfunction in the air bag system would most likely click on the light and it would remain on until the problem was fixed. This leads me to believe that someone had replaced the cluster on my car before I bought it, and did so with a cluster that was from a different vin or from CAN without knowing (or caring) the "lights" were different.
I cannot remember the exact orientation of the lights on my cluster, but I DO know that the "air bag" light that comes on is in the dead center square.........

so whats going on here guys?????????????

the CEL WILL come on, or well a light will, probably the air bag in yoru case, i think you have a 93 plate array

not dead center of the six squares (i forgot about the three sguares above that I dont think are used (although I cant remember for sure)). anyways, it is in the center of the top row.... is that where your airbag light is???? thanks

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and is blanked out by black plastic strips. That top row "double-spaced" a bit higher than the bottom set of illuminated light openings that are 3 up/down and 3 across.

If I remember correctly the Owners Manual shows a black &amp; white picture of all the working lights and their location within the 9-space cluster with a diagram showing what each working one represents. Of course I've hidden my owners manual so well I'm unable to put my hands on it right now.

In the above pic I "red X'd" the top 3 lights that have empty sockets and are covered with black-out plastic strips.

The balance of 9 "possible" lights, ie; 3 up/down rows of 3 across are as listed below in my car and are left-to-right:

Top row: Batt/CEL/Blank
Middle Row: Blank/Antilock Off/High Beam
Bottom row: Low Fuel/E-Brake/Airbag

My setup "should" mach the '95 owners manual diagram as nothing's been moved or shuffled around tho I do have a "low fuel" light that wasn't implemented until '96 on the A4 and I have NO earthly idea how/why I have it on a 95 B4.

The CEL and Airbag swapped. Just a case of the people who wrote the manual weren't given updated information as production moved on I would assume.

does this mean that I have earlyier year cluster in my 95 (I think my build date is 10/94 by the way)

And I have no Low Fuel light (that I know of)

Mine:

Top row: Batt/CEL/Blank
Middle Row: Blank/Antilock Off/High Beam
Bottom row: Blank/E-Brake/Airbag

Owners Manual:

Top row: Batt/Airbag/Blank
Middle Row: Blank/Antilock Off/High Beam
Bottom row: Blank/E-Brake/CEL