I am using this function from the documentation to make a nice plot with matplotlib.
def demo_grid_with_single_cbar(fig):
    """
    A grid of 2x2 images with a single colorbar
    """
    grid = AxesGrid(fig, 132, # similar to subplot(132)
                    nrows_ncols = (2, 2),
                    axes_pad = 0.0,
                    share_all=True,
                    label_mode = "L",
                    cbar_location = "top",
                    cbar_mode="single",
                    )
    Z, extent = get_demo_image()
    for i in range(4):
        im = grid[i].imshow(Z, extent=extent, interpolation="nearest")
    #plt.colorbar(im, cax = grid.cbar_axes[0])
    grid.cbar_axes[0].colorbar(im)
    for cax in grid.cbar_axes:
        cax.toggle_label(False)
    # This affects all axes as share_all = True.
    grid.axes_llc.set_xticks([-2, 0, 2])
    grid.axes_llc.set_yticks([-2, 0, 2])
I would like to change add a label to the colorbar, above or in case the colorbar is located 'right', then the label should go to the side aswell.
just changing
cbar = grid.cbar_axes[0].colorbar(im)
cbar.ax.set_label_text("$[a.u.]$")
does do the job!!