Technical Airbagless seats - resistor to turn off airbag light?

[kaosNW]

Hi well basically my gp 1.4 16v 2008, has had its front seats changed and the knew ones dont have airbags in.

Now the cars airbags light is on so I imagine in the worse case scenario the airbags in the dash wont deploy! I know I could get a new airbag control/ecu that is programmed for airbagless seats but im sure I heard about putting a resistor in the port under the seats to trick the car into thinking the airbags are there, making the light go out and the dash airbags ready to deploy

Just wondering if anyone knows how easy it is, what resisters I would need and am I right in thinking I would just wire them into the ports under the seats to complete the circuit?

 

[colin79666]

Just as an aside, sorry I don't know the answer to your question, I hope you have informed your insurance company of the changes. I'd imagine your premium will go up considerably as you have removed an important part of the cars safety equipment.

 

[kaosNW]

Nope its been like that since I got it, seat was burnt in a fire and everything was changed as a result. Insurance company know and it had no impact on the premium

 

[D4nny8oy]

Now the cars airbags light is on so I imagine in the worse case scenario the airbags in the dash wont deploy!

The only airbags which won't deploy will be the ones that are missing. It won't affect the others.

 

[kaosNW]

Thanks mate thats reassuring would still like to get the light off though! makes my dash look messy and every time I start the car I get the annoying airbag error flash up! Im hoping to try the resistor trick if anyone can guide me on it, failing that I may have to buy a airbag control unit that is configured for the airbag-less seat version!

 

[ChrisUK]

Hell I get that in mine with the standard seats... S***y italian electrics

Start ignition..... Beep beep beep (Service Overdue) Beep beep beep (Airbag Failiure) beep beep beep, Silence............. Hit a bump, beep beep beep.

Doing my bloody nut in lol.

 

[kaosNW]

anyone got any info on the resistor trick? or if the airbagless seat version of the airbag control unit would be the best bet? if so, does anyone know how much one should set me back?

 

[punto_matt]

Need to measure the resistance which goes through it then get the appropriate resistor i think

 

[kaosNW]

Bump! just seem some disturbing news about the new MOT rules any ideas on the resistor trick?

 

[gstar1]

you will have to have them two air bags erased from ecu by a good mapper. not tried it before so just gessing you will need at least 2 ohms resister try maplins wont cost much worth a try or buy two cheap front seats to get you through mot then change back.

 

[ChrisUK]

If it's the seats one's it's an easy fix! Far cheaper and easier than two seats...

Air bags are for wimps anyway.

 

[kaosNW]

Ive been quoted £40 for somone to do the resistor trick and reset the light - sounds fair to me, what do you lot think??

and I agree lol! I just heard that the new rules mean a airbag light will cause a MOT failure later this year!!!!

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

The only airbags which won't deploy will be the ones that are missing. It won't affect the others.

Not nessecarily. Depends upon the system. They're fail safe and generally illumination of the airbag MIL with result in deactivation of the whole system

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Not nessecarily. Depends upon the system. They're fail safe and generally illumination of the airbag MIL with result in deactivation of the whole system

Yup this is generally true on new systems especially where multistage or multi zone airbags are fitted they are only suplimentory devices so they dont 'need' to deploy so system will default to off.

I did notice further up someone suggest sticking a meter across the terminals of the airbag to read the resistance which I strongly wouldn't advise unless you like picking ohms meter leads out of your face! Seriously never read off air bags especially ohms you will in all likelikyhood set the thing off and knock your own head off.

The resistor trick has its down side in the event the airbags do need to deploy it can cause errors in the system which prevent other airbags from working or shut the system down, even more worrying is if an air bag fails to deploy it could deploy later when you don't want it too. Yes it might turn off the light but it's still an unsafe system.

Your insurance co might know that the seats were changed but did they know the airbags were removed causing this fault on the system (I suspect not or they wouldn't approve the policy)

As this is a key safety system installed in the car from new you really have only one option which is to track down two new front seats with the airbags installed and get the dash light cleared. Which is a lot easier than it sounds and probably cheaper than you think. And would be the safest way to solve this problem.
Rather than letting a cowboy with a box of resistors loose on your car electrics

Also if you did fudge the system with resistors and manage to hide the problem you would then legally be required to inform whoever you sell the car too in the future what you had done and why or be personally liable for any damage or injury caused by a faulty system

 

[jameshobiecat]

I had better not say for who or what purpose but I used to work in an environment where we removed seats and airbags from vehicles regularly. We used the resister trick each time with the full knowledge of the original vehicle manufacturers and VCA who were both happy with the practise. Of course labels were added to tell passengers that the airbags were deactivated although usually it was obvious as the seat was missing.

Whilst I haven't ever studied airbag systems in great detail and therefore may well be corrected, it is my impression that there is no feedback to the airbag ecu on whether a particular airbag has deployed successfully. If this is indeed the case then I cannot see how the removal of one airbag and the installation of a resister would inhibit the deployment of another. However, your cars restraint system will have been designed on the assumption of airbags so safety will obviously be compromised to some extent.

If it were me I'd get some new seats with airbags so that I wasn't stuck with a car that will be difficult lo sell on in future and was as safe as possible.

 

[Wald0]

I just bought Gp few months a go and when carpet got wet i had to take drivers seat out and find out that it had 5 wires cut one connector had 2 wires and one got 3.. That 2 was used for seat belt alarm and had resistor between lines and that i fixed and comnect it back to seat.. Also did connect that 3 other wires back to seat ( they had 2 wires connected with resistor) and result was got airbag light in dashboard!!!!!!!! My seats dont have airbags.. As far i know?? Oly thing is that think one in roof has been used and they havent replased or fix it at all!!

 

[Wald0]

So i ended up to cut it again and putting that resistor there again so that airbag light dont show anymore.. I did have to take connectors out. From battery to make it go away after i restored connector....

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I just bought Gp few months a go and when carpet got wet i had to take drivers seat out and find out that it had 5 wires cut one connector had 2 wires and one got 3.. That 2 was used for seat belt alarm and had resistor between lines and that i fixed and comnect it back to seat.. Also did connect that 3 other wires back to seat ( they had 2 wires connected with resistor) and result was got airbag light in dashboard!!!!!!!! My seats dont have airbags.. As far i know?? Oly thing is that think one in roof has been used and they havent replased or fix it at all!!

Never come across a car with curtain but without thorax bags, so highly doubt you've got curtains without thorax in the seat.

 

[Wald0]

****!!! Just checked and airbags in seat has been detoneided!! (

 

[PuntoHowTo]

****!!! Just checked and airbags in seat has been detoneided!! (

I presume some one has cut the bag out and sewn the seat fabric back together?

There is a good chance that the seat belt pretensioner (if fitted I forget on the GP) has been deployed too which will also need replacement