Tech Advice......

[scoobysailor]

I have an 01 WRX which has airbags fitted to the front seats which I'm going to replace (with seats with no airbags).

Does anyone know what value of resistor I have to fit to the plug to fool the moitoring system into thinking the airbags are still in place (and not make the "airbag" dash wanrning light come on)?

I can't just measure them with a multimeter as they are a pain to get to with the seats in place, and I want to remove the old seats fit the resistor and fit the new seats in the shortest possible time.

3 ohm resistors ring a bell........can anyone confirm this??

[StrikE]

I have an 01 WRX which has airbags fitted to the front seats which I'm going to replace (with seats with no airbags).

Does anyone know what value of resistor I have to fit to the plug to fool the moitoring system into thinking the airbags are still in place (and not make the "airbag" dash wanrning light come on)?

I can't just measure them with a multimeter as they are a pain to get to with the seats in place, and I want to remove the old seats fit the resistor and fit the new seats in the shortest possible time.

3 ohm resistors ring a bell........can anyone confirm this??

3ohm seems to be the favourite choice Fraser, i read some place after searching for my airbag that i ended up not removing anyway

[scoobysailor]

Cheers Derek, I will measure it with a multimeter when I get the seats off, but I just wanted to get everything together before I start to remove the seats.

[addison]

Cheers Derek, I will measure it with a multimeter when I get the seats off, but I just wanted to get everything together before I start to remove the seats.

i have been told that if you remove any air bag

all air bags will be disabled

so unless you want to loss all your air bags think be for you change seats

[scoobysailor]

i have been told that if you remove any air bag

all air bags will be disabled

so unless you want to loss all your air bags think be for you change seats

That's the reason for the resistor - the monitoring system sees it as the airbag (the resistance of the airbag being around 3 OHMS) and the rest of the airbags remain active.

Edited August 19, 2009 by scoobysailor

[scouk]

Yep.. it's 3ohm... Did the same thing myself, removed the standard sports easts and fitted the tightly fitting WRX Bucket seats with no airbag. Still got loads of resistors left over so if you need any send me a goat with your postal address and i'll send ya some

[scoobysailor]

Yep.. it's 3ohm... Did the same thing myself, removed the standard sports easts and fitted the tightly fitting WRX Bucket seats with no airbag. Still got loads of resistors left over so if you need any send me a goat with your postal address and i'll send ya some

Al - that's exactly what I'm doing. PM inbound

[addison]

That's the reason for the resistor - the monitoring system sees it as the airbag (the resistance of the airbag being around 3 OHMS) and the rest of the airbags remain active.

sounds good but it only stops the light comming on air bags will not work

thats what i have been told my more than one person how should know

i wish it was not so as i want to change wheel and seats

is there anyone that knows for shure

[scoobysailor]

Would be interested to hear opinions on this one

I am an electronic and electrical engineer and with the resistor in the circuit (replacing the airbag) there should be no reason for the airbag system to be disabled...............so I would be interested to hear of any horror stories.

[thewelsho]

Would be interested to hear opinions on this one

I am an electronic and electrical engineer and with the resistor in the circuit (replacing the airbag) there should be no reason for the airbag system to be disabled...............so I would be interested to hear of any horror stories.

But the sensor is in the seat. So if there is a collision, how will the airbags know to delpoy? I replaced my seats and the light is still on. I thought it would have bothered me, but it doesn't.

[scouk]

Would be interested to hear opinions on this one

Same here! There are only two wires goign to each seat, so a simple resisitor should fudge the circuit.. The airbags are activated by a sudden 12V voltage beign sent to them.. Which can sometimes fry the resistor but TBh if that were to happen you would have more to worry about than a blown resitor.. To be safe, wrap a bit of insuraling tape aroudn teh connector/resistor to hold it in place and protect it..

I've never heard anything before about the airbag system as a whole beign disabled as a result of this.. My understanding that there were several different sensors on the car for the airbags. So as to detect what forces are where and deploy airbags accordingly. Also the bucket seats I have in my car were optional bugeye WRX seats and a dealer patches the airbag system by usign a jumper over the conenctor which simply consists of a resistor...

[flat4phil]

Subaru are the one's to blame for this notion that the whole SRS system is kaputt if you interfere with any of it. Steering wheel is a pain owing to the slip ring which the air bag has a patch lead 'running' through, otherwise seats should be overcome by a resistor. If the air-bag light does illuminate - again Subaru state the SRS will not function correctly - but then add air-bags could still deploy ???!! I think the resistor may also work with later seats that have the weight activated gizzmo attached to them - as it's only a triggering device.