Interior 2nd Gen Installing seats

50/50 on saying this is wrong. Some have had issues with single 1/4 watt resistors melting. I ran four 1/2w resistors in parallel and no issues whatsoever

 

This thread (and the hopeful library write-up!) comes at an excellent time for me. I just ordered the R53 JCW seats (i.e. Sparco Milano II based) from the UK, and they should arrive here in 2 or 3 months (they have to be made - I ordered them in Lapis Blue leather).

Clearly, the airbag sensors are part of the challenge I have to face in getting them installed. I will wholeheartedly admit that I'm a total newbie when it comes to this stuff, so I am greatly appreciative of any and all information and advice that comes from this thread and the write-up.

However, part of what has me confused is that I see there are really two issues I have to confront in my 2005 MCS:

1. The lack of the passenger weight sensor
2. The lack of the seat side airbags

The point I'm making is that it would be most helpful to "seat swap newbies" like me to divide those two problems up into separate solutions. Solving both problems separately would also help owners of pre-refresh 1st Gens, who don't have to worry about the weight sensor (if I'm not mistaken?).

Interestingly enough, MINI actually has an official resistor part to help with the seat swap, as noted on this RealOEM page - part number 61310415752. Not knowing which of the two issues above this solves, I ordered 2 of these resistors (and the listed brackets) along with the seats (didn't add much to the cost, relatively).

Without seeing these things first hand, can anyone speculate as to which of the two issues above this resistor is likely to solve?

Finally, in one of the other, more "internationally focused" MINI forums, a UK member, who had the JCW seats installed in his R53, said the following:

and...

This seems to suggest that it might be possible to solve the entire issue by reprogramming the MINI to just disregard the seat airbags. I wonder if that is something I could convince a MINI dealership to do... as a service request to allow for "aftermarket seats".

Thoughts on that solution? If reprogramming will solve Issue 2 above, what about Issue 1?

 

**

 

Edge:
While some have attempted to get the dealer to "reprogram" the computer to ignore various elements of the safety system (seat belt, airbag, weight sensor) I don't know of anyone who actually succeeded in this attempt. There was an urban legend a few years ago that all you had to do was sign a waiver... If litigation were that simple there's be a lot less BMWs sold to lawyers trust me.
So, back here on planet earth, I don't know of anyone who solved the weight sensor "problem" with a resistor. That circuit is way more complicated than simply showing the computer a resistive load. The weight sensor is a very complicated item involving a large plastic sheet covered in flat wiring like a circuit board that wraps up the sides and the rear of the seat as well as the bottom cushion. It also contains a substantial circuit board with many components suggesting this thing isn't a simple on/off switch. This photo shows the sensor in the Sparco:


The resistor pack should solve the side air bag issue, but you'll have to talk to smarter people than me (Nitro, Skater?) to figure out a work around for the weight sensor.

 

drPhilGandini - thanks for the (very clear!) reply. Unless I hear otherwise of a better solution, I guess I'll have to start looking around for totalled 05/06 MINIs to scavenge their passenger seat sensor from.

I could take it from my existing passenger seat, but as I understand it, that involves destroying the seat... and I really don't want to do that. Perhaps there's a way to buy the parts from MINI without buying the entire seat? Hmmm...

EDIT: I wonder which of these part numbers would be the cheapest way to buy what is needed from MINI...

RealOEM.com - BMW R53 Cooper S Upholstery parts for front seat

EDIT #2: Never mind! I looked up all of those parts on Pelican Parts (i.e. prices close to MSRP), and there are 3 price points: $628.75, $1006 or $1119... depending on upholstery type (which wouldn't matter for this of course). Even with a 20% discount from some places, $503 is a bit rich! Time to scour for a totalled MINI...

 

JustJay bought my Recaro's...I retrofitted an OC3 mat into it for my '06. He's got an '03 as I recall....talk him into that mat Haemish Super easy to remove....here's teh pic as installed:



As for reprogramming - even when you explain EXPLICITLY this request to the SA, they don't 'get it'. You'd have to have a tech be willing to do it, if it could be done. I went through this hassle with MoS and the SA didn't listen to a thing I said and marked my profile with ''modified with racing seats''....OEM Recaro's != racing seats (they're no different than the JCW Sparco or Recaro option in the UK really).

 

Why would the resistor melt? The squib driver for each airbag channel will never flow a significant current unless it's firing the airbag. If you get in a crash and the squib driver fires, you're going to fry whatever little wattage resistor you have in there, unless it's something like a 50W load resistor. The leakage current on the squib outputs of most smartMOS IC's is in the microAmps, which means you could use a tiny 0603SMT resistor to handle the impedance loading of each channel.


--->Nitro; If you measured 3.9ohms then more power to you. My old '02 pyro devices all measured 1.9-2.2ohms with my calibrated multimeter. I wouldn't doubt that MINI changed the airbags or the module over the years.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

Yes, that is a definite possibility... if Jay is still willing (we've talked about it casually before). Thanks for the tip/reminder.

Well, that's the thing... I wouldn't be talking to the SA about it at first... one of the side benefits I've gained from spending a ridiculous amount of money and time at the dealership is that I've come to know the techs personally. I'll be discussing options with them, and if they think that reprogramming is something worth trying, I'm sure they'll relay to the SA how to properly write it up.

The way I figure is that it the justification for programming should be as simple as "Customer has chosen to install aftermarket seats". That should be reason enough - and completely within the bounds of legality (after all, aftermarket seats aren't illegal)... especially for a MINI that is no longer under warranty (as mine is just departing it now).

 

Just to make my photo (black on black) a little clearer, the module highlighted by PGT is folded under and into my Sparco seat belt hole -- the easiest way to get it connected to the wiring under the floor mat there.

 

Ryephile correct me if I'm wrong, but you don't have seat mounted airbags. That device is made to correct for the lack of a weight sensor in the JCW passenger side seat. I'd go with that solution if its available here.

You can get the dealer to deactivate the passenger side airbags. Check out this; Safercar.gov

Or search through Safercar.gov. If you have the right kind of medical condition, then the government will allow you to deactivate the passenger side air bag. The down side is that your VIN goes on a list that is searchable from another part of Safercar.gov. Apparently our government is much more serious about passenger side air bags than the British.

 

Well, I'm wrong.

At least about the function of the part, I still don't think that the R53 has seat mounted airbags.

The part is used to replace the passenger side thorax airbag on UK cars that have had it deleted. Apparently they don't have a sensor in the passenger seat either.

The passenger sensor is a strain gauge that is pretty busy, at least on my car. It has to detect if someone is sitting on the seat, and then decide, based on their weight whether or not to turn the passenger seat airbag on. If the person (or bag of groceries) is under 80 lbs then the passenger seat airbag is disabled and a light comes on informing the driver of that situation. It also has to handle squirming passengers, be somewhat smart about the car topping a hill or going over a bump that would temporarily change the apparent weight of a passenger.

Lots of words, but the bottom line is to keep looking for a passenger seat sensor to put in the new seat.

 

he wanted me to remove it before installing them in his car (so he could sell it I guess) but I didn't have the time to tear down the cushion and reassemble and install for him (rather for Stacy as she's the one who came by).

The seat has to be removed from the car, unbolted from the sliders and bracket, then it's all just plastic channel over the frame and PINK! zip ties (instead of hog rings). :ihih:



I think I paid $200/shipped for the donor seat from LKQ on eBay. I had them cut off the upper half and just send the seat base (to save on shipping). Removing the mat is destructive...it's molded into the foam cushion itself. Here's the plug you're looking for that's for the OC3 system (in case you decide to search for a donor...I like the idea of having it vs. turning off the system altogether):

 

mine was an R53...no issues. I checked the p/n and it's only part of the seat cushion....a $600 replacement. if they've made it a standalone piece on the R56, that's even better

 

A few things. The weight sensor could not be bought from the dealer as a separate piece in the R53 (as PGT found) but perhaps for the R56 things are different? Good news if so.
Second, I have no idea what SkateBoard is saying re: seats not having airbags in them. R53 seats, both sides, certainly have airbags in them from 2005 onwards. My 2005 R53 had the following complement: driver seat--air bag, and belt pre-tension. Passenger seat--air bag, belt pre-tension and weight sensor.

 

yes, that's it - a very differen't looking piece as you can tell from the pics. That looks like the gel style that comes in Subaru's now (measures pressure across teh whole bladder compared to individual sensors like on the R53...check my pic to see the diff)

 

In response to SK8BRD:

'02-'04 MINI's have 12 airbag-related devices; two front, two thorax in seat bolster, two head curtains, two front seat belt pretensioners, one battery positive terminal, two side impact sensors, and one driver seat-belt-fastened hall-effect sensor.

'05-'06 MINI's [facelift R50/53] use the same sort of hardware but adds a passenger seat occupant detector. As such, the airbag module and airbag loads may differ from earlier years.

'07+ MINI's [R56] adds a passenger seat belt sensor [if this isn't already in the facelift R53s]