Passenger Seat Removal Airbag Issues

[JoeS]

...I am going to take the seat out and investigate further.

If I recall, disconnecting the airbag connector will result in a non-self-resettable error code and you have to take it to the dealer to get it reset. Does anyone know if simply disconnecting the 12v battery before messing with the seat and then plugging everything back in before reconnecting the 12v battery will result in no problems?

 

[siai47]

Removing the 12 volt battery negative lead will prevent the code from being set. I set the code once by forgetting to reconnect the plugs under the seat after removing it for some reason. The system even remembers what the problem was that set the code. The car was new at the time and I just sat there with a stupid look on my face and a "I don't know what happened" comment. I don't think the code will set as long as the key is not moved out of the lock position even with the battery connected as the airbag system isn't powered up until the car is in the "ready" mode (think GM and their current ignition lock recall mess).

 

[JoeS]

RobertC, thank you for posting the photos with details. Let us know how your quest turns out.

siai47, thank you for refreshing our memory. Since I also occasionally want to be able to remove my passenger seat to increase my storage capacity or carry odd loads, I did a little digging… it seems that the SRS needs to see around a 3-ohm resistor across the yellow connector. Make it yourself or get a "diagnostic tool", for example -
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MITSUBISHI-C...-Disconnect-Kit-DIAGNOSTIC-TOOL-/321487461919

 

[siai47]

A little off topic, but I remember finding those "emulators" for the airbag components when I was thinking of rebuilding my wrecked I-MiEV and needed the airbag controller repaired and the codes erased. If you read between the lines, the purpose of those things are to simulate a good airbag component in a car that actually has a deployed component (or removed) after an accident. That way the underhanded body shop can do a quickie repair and not incur the cost of the airbag parts to get the car back on the road and still will show a good airbag system check during startup. Really scary stuff.

 

[JoeS]

Agree, the "diagnostic tool" can be soooo misused. In my case, since I want to remove the seat completely, it would do the job. Also, for those who want to replace a seat with one without a built-in airbag, then this would also work.

Dumb question: looking at RoberC's photo, what is the Seat Slide Sensor for?

Sorry for drifting off-topic a bit…

 

[PV1]

Dumb question: looking at RoberC's photo, what is the Seat Slide Sensor for?

I believe it's used to adjust the deployment force of the steering wheel airbag. In my searching for why my airbag light came on last year is how I think I came across that. If it doesn't get a read from the slide sensor, it could disable the airbags.

 

[jaraczs]

Just to add my 2 cents. I had a situation that my passenger seat was soiled and I had to disassemble it in order to clean it. I disconnected the 12V battery but then I needed to plug the car to charge it. So, while the seat was out for cleaning and the airbag connector disconnected, I reconnected the battery and plugged the car. It was enough to set the error code.
As it was a few months ago, I hope my assessment of the issue holds true. Since then, I am driving with the airbag light on until I happen to visit the dealer for regular check up and hope they will reset it.

 

[JoeS]

I extracted the pertinent airbag posts from RobertC's Failed Seat Cushion Heater <http://myimiev.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=2417&p=19641> thread.

I've been interested in removing the passenger seat in order to occasionally carry long items in the i-MiEV (because the passenger seatback barely folds forward). I purchased the gadget identified above as I thought it would have a nice mate for the airbag connector - after all, it's just a 3-ohm resistor. Well, it consists of the resistor and a couple of leads with an AMP plug on each end and a couple of those crunch thingies that you snap onto a wire to make contact, with a unique end that the AMP plug can go into. Don't waste your money and just get a 3-ohm resistor.

I did not disconnect the 12v battery - BIG MISTAKE.

What I did (of course, with the car's ignition off) is disconnect the three connectors under the seat and then removed the two 14mm nuts (front) and two 14mm bolts (rear) and easily removed the seat. I then installed this airbag-defeating gadget (actually, I made some custom pins to fit into the airbag connector with an AMP female connector on each pin as I don't like piercing wire insulation).

Turned on the car and I now have a nice permanent red airbag warning on my dashboard - just like my other i-MiEV. My take on this is that this SRS circuit is active even with the ignition turned off and it detected the disconnect. Putting in that airbag simulator didn't do diddly, even though I installed it before I turned the car on.

Pity, we have no ability to reset that warning light and have to take it in to the dealer.

(sigh)

Question: does that mean that the passenger's side airbag won't work in the event of an accident, or maybe they're all disabled?

Maybe I'll just install a racing harness and not worry about the airbag blowing up in my face. :evil:

 

[PV1]

According to the manual, when the airbag light is on, the system is disabled.

I do wish the front passenger seat had the ability to flip forward and lay flat. Then we'd have a flat cargo floor from the back all the way to the dashboard. As it is now, I slide the front seat all the way forward, remove the headrest, and lay it back. It opens up the car a bunch, but isn't entirely flat (but pretty good considering).