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Subject: Pass Seat Airbag Sensor Mat replacement DIY - Just finished....... Author: sarasotarealtor as Sarasota : member since March, 2004 : 2113 posts Posted on: 2006-12-20 12:32:51

As for a long detailed write-up, there won't be one. Rhett's heated seat retrofit is so detailed that it needs no improvement.
Heated Front Seat Install - complete (MANY pics) by Rhett

Just follow the instructions for the lower part of the seat. No need to take the back of the seat off, remove headrest, etc.

I did not disconnect the battery. I know, I know, so shoot me.

However, I do have a few tips.

TIP: Check the plug under the front of the seat before you do anything else. It may just need to be disconnected, cleaned up, and reconnected. But maybe not.

Location of seat electrical connector(borrowed from Rhett's write-up):




TIP: DO NOT try to change the sensor pad without removing the seat from the car. I thought I might be able to save some time by just loosening the leather on the side near the door and then sliding the new sensor underneath. Nope, it ain't happening. The seat is cake to get out and makes the job a ton easier than fighting with the leather.

TIP: Make sure you raise the seat completley before removing it from the car. That makes it a lot easier to work on.

TIP: Wash your hands periodically during the whole project. They don't get real dirty, but I didn't want dirty finger smudges all over the leather and trim pieces.

Passenger seat out:



Once the seat is out, the little teeth-like tabs have been bent to release the leather, and the hog rings have been removed, you have this:

Hog rings:


TIP: Before you get started, go to the store and purchase skinny 8'' zip ties. Use them instead of trying to put the hog rings back in. I bought the 25 pack and had three left over. You'll need two under the seat to re-attach the wiring, also.


Leather up with sensor exposed:




TIP: I taped a piece of speaker wire to the wiring connector under the seat before I pulled it through the seat pad. Once the old sensor was off, I taped the connector from the new sensor to the same wire and pulled it back through.

Here's the old sensor out:



Here's a dime that fell out of the seat. It must have been stuck on the track somewhere. He's a little bent.



TIP: If you earn a living as a hand model, you may be out of work for several days after replacing the mat. My hands have little nicks and cuts in several places.

I had purchased a Peake Airbag reset tool sometime last month. I have been reseting the light just see it keep coming back on when somebody sat in the seat.

TIP: When you read the codes after having the seat out. You will see additional fault codes for the seatbelt tensioner (code 6), Seat belt buckle switch (code 11), and the one that started the whole process - seat occupancy detector (code 18). I had a brief moment when the extra codes came up. Was wondering what else I had screwed up. They come on because everything had been disconnected. I reset all of the codes. No worries.

I didn't have anyone around to help me test the new sensor pad. The airbag light only goes off when someone is in the seat and the car is in drive. It used to go off with just my laptop bag on the front seat, as well. I decided to take a bath mat and place it fuzzy side down of the passenger seat. I then got one of the spare batteries that I had in the garage for the boat . I set the battery on the bath mat and went for a ride. No airbag sensor. Stopped to get gas. No airbag sensor.

All in all it was not really that big of a deal. Total time from start to finish was about 5 hours. Most likely less.

If anyone is within a two hour or so drive from Sarasota, FL, I would be more than happy to meet you somewhere and help to swap the pad or use the airbag code reader to diagnose your airbag light issue and reset the light.

So far this week, with the help of BimmerBoard, I have swapped the front windshield molding, the sunroof gasket, and now the passenger seat airbag sensor mat. Also swapped the front o2 sensors a few weeks ago. I could not have done any of it without those who had gone before and posted their experience here. Thanks to all. You guys rock.

• Pass Seat Airbag Sensor Mat replacement DIY - Just finished....... (pic) (url) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 12:32:51 (36192 views)
  • I've heard a knee on the front seat can do it (nt) - mw717 2006-12-20 23:51:20 (1833 views)
  • Niiiiiccsseee (from SouthPark) (nt) - Stu 2006-12-20 23:01:25 (675 views)
  • very nice DIY work. i think i need to drop off my 7 at your place for a while. - noahgo 2006-12-20 22:32:10 (652 views)
  • Re: Pass Seat Airbag Sensor Mat replacement DIY - Just finished....... - himey 2006-12-20 20:58:05 (1511 views)
  • Oh man! What a job!! Nice day off huh? . Im gonna forward your writeup to my (nt) - buddy at work!-ED 2006-12-20 20:40:49 (597 views)
  • Excellent post, Sarasota. (nt) - JL 2006-12-20 20:13:01 (505 views)
    • Thank you. Hope it helps someone. (nt) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 20:31:26 (461 views)
  • What do you think cause the failure? Kids jumping on seat? Sharp object laid on - bmw635 2006-12-20 19:56:18 (919 views)
    • The old sensor looks like it is great shape. No pieces look broken....... (pic) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 20:07:14 (1411 views)
      • If you have an Ohm meter you can trace the wire for broken point. (nt) - bmw635 2006-12-20 20:09:06 (1138 views)
        • Just put it on the meter.....OL for open line....... (pic) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 20:30:21 (1270 views)
  • UPDATE - Just took a ride with a real passenger.....No airbag light !! - Sarasota 2006-12-20 19:55:46 (817 views)
    • W'd be fun to have her drive & wiggle on your seat while you're flooring. :-))) (nt) - bmw635 2006-12-20 20:00:30 (607 views)
  • Thanks man! - I have the confidence to do mine now... - jcarey 2006-12-20 19:07:50 (528 views)
    • Oversized passenger would have no effect on the zip ties..... (pic) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 19:50:36 (996 views)
  • Excellent work and photos! It's been added to e38.org - DavidC 2006-12-20 17:06:13 (573 views)
    • Thanks David. It was not nearly as bad as I thought it might be. (nt) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 17:25:52 (584 views)
  • Where's the love? (nt) - Sarasota 2006-12-20 16:52:28 (578 views)
    • got some from me!! a million thanks as this will come very handy soon! - kromdom 2006-12-20 20:26:37 (576 views)