Which resistor to switch off the front seat airbag light

[iffy b]

Hi clever peeps, anybody know the Ohm resistance needed to stop the front seats from setting the airbag light on??

Seen them on ebay but loads of different voltages, asked the seller but no response :/

2002 VW Sharan 1.9TDI Sport. Cheers

[Mirez]

Sorry you're going to get grief for that post because iffy by name and nature eh? 

I really struggle to understand this mentality, I assume you want the resistor so the light is out for an MoT? The car safety check? Why not fit a set of potatoes to the front brakes next time, it's cheaper then a set of pads...

The warning light is on for a reason, don't be an idiot - sort the cause of the problem, don't just mask it.

[bigdave982]

Bad enough if the poster is gonna use it
Imagine buying a car and finding out the hard way someone bodged the airbags

[gregers]

here you go.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pictures+6%22+nail&biw=1467&bih=702&tbm=isch&imgil=auZvu0K8mzzd3M%253A%253B_tpPNRAyQW7hsM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.pasthorizonstools.com%25252F6_inch_Steel_Nail_p%25252Fsn01.htm&source=iu&pf=m&fir=auZvu0K8mzzd3M%253A%252C_tpPNRAyQW7hsM%252C_&usg=__yVA6Iey3m0oN2F6ck3ecmHmA1BE%3D&ved=0CE4Qyjc&ei=rjVeVfPYAsqR7AaspYHAAg#imgrc=auZvu0K8mzzd3M%253A%3B_tpPNRAyQW7hsM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdn3.volusion.com%252Fxrekm.hzwyc%252Fv%252Fvspfiles%252Fphotos%252FSN01-2.jpg%253F1337681571%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.pasthorizonstools.com%252F6_inch_Steel_Nail_p%252Fsn01.htm%3B420%3B420

[031.9tdi130]

 

[Chrispb]

Hi clever peeps, anybody know the Ohm resistance needed to stop the front seats from setting the airbag light on??

Seen them on ebay but loads of different voltages, asked the seller but no response :/

2002 VW Sharan 1.9TDI Sport. Cheers

Why would you want to fool the system into thinking it's working correctly, tampering with the SRS system could cause it to deploy at any time possibly causing an accident/injury
Have the system checked and repaired properly your passengers will thank you for it.

[iffy b]

Thanks a bunch all for your worldly sarcasm... In actual fact I have no lights on at the moment (and brand new discs, linings & sensors)  but have a full set of heated leather seats from a Mk1 without airbags that I am considering fitting as the current seats are in poor condition.

[insanitybeard]

Not all Mk2's had side airbags in the front seats to my knowledge, I'm not sure if you can do it with VCDS or VAG-com and it'll need one of the other guys who's more familiar than I with it to say if it can be done but it may be possible to reconfigure the restraint module to 'remove' the side air bags from the module coding, if it can be done then this would be the better bet IMO.

[iffy b]

Cheers Insanity, I had noticed early Mk2's without them, I may check with an auto electrician about it first. From what I can gather the resistors just turn out the light for that actual bag/switching point and have a fuse that blows in deployment so it registers as completed - to not interfere with other bags. Would be happier if done in the main module though by far. 

[sasquartch]

I always thought that the sensors in the seats were there to detect if the seat was occupied - and a resistor fooled the control unit into thinking there is always someone in the seat.

What that would mean in the event of a crash is that the passenger airbags would deploy even if there wasn't anyone in the seat

So I don't think there's anything dangerous about it.

And if an airbag deploys it's likely to be the end of the car given how old a Mk1 or Mk2 is that it really doesn't matter if all the airbags go off at once.

If anyone can confirm this (or otherwise) I'd be interested.

[insanitybeard]

I always thought that the sensors in the seats were there to detect if the seat was occupied - and a resistor fooled the control unit into thinking there is always someone in the seat.

No, in this case you're thinking about something else- whilst some (mostly newer) vehicles do have sensors in the seat cushions to detect if the seat is occupied (and in some cases they also detect the mass of the occupant to determine the amount of 'intensity' with which to deploy the airbag), in this case the original poster is wishing to fit front seats which are not equipped with side airbags into a vehicle which is configured for front seats with side airbags- the 'resistor' previously mentioned effectively plugs into the connector where the airbag unit would normally connect and substitutes the airbag unit itself. It simulates the resistance of the (missing) airbag unit and fools the airbag/ restraint control module into thinking the airbag unit is still present, therefore ensuring the airbag malfunction lamp does not come on (unless there is a fault elsewhere in the system).

Usually these resistors are used to test for a dodgy airbag unit by substituting it- if the warning lamp comes on and you suspect or read a fault code pointing to a defective airbag, you can prove the airbag itself is at fault by substituting it with the appropriate resistor and testing the system- if the warning lamp goes out, you know the airbag itself is at fault.

[sasquartch]

OK, thanks for the clarification.

As others have stated it's definitely NOT a good idea to compromise any safety features.