[dfjaws]

Hey Everyone

I've got a Pole Position I want to put on the drivers side of my E90. One question, how are people avoiding the airbag light? Do I REALLY news the OC3 module to cancel it out. The reason I ask is I see the OC3 module being advertised as a substitute for the passenger occupancy sensor. My passenger sensor will be staying though.

(for those who have it) Is the airbag code something that the JB4 can delete/block?

Thanks in advance!

(I feel weird talking about my JB4, this is where all the Vishnu guys hang out, haha)

EDIT: Forgot to mention, I tried searching but anything I found was both seats related, not just drivers side.

[mike3000fl]

oc3 is passenger side only, car assumes the driver seat is not occupied by a child.

[dfjaws]

That makes sense, just like the E46.

Are there issues with pulling the drivers seat since there are side airbags, my E46 didn't have side airbags.

Thanks!

[mike3000fl]

cant answer that definitively but i would imagine the car checks the entire airbag srs system on startup and a missing component would trigger a fault light.

one word of caution, don't disconnect any components while the battery is connected, it will trigger a light that has to be reset.

[dfjaws]

JB4 can reset them, I just don't know if it can 'block' them.

Thanks for the quick/helpful replies!

[dfjaws]

Update:

The seat is in (again, drivers side only) and I have both airbag and seatbelt lights. I reconnected the seatbelt wiring but it still won't recognize that I have my seatbelt clipped in.

Either way, it looks like I'll need that stupid OC3 module thing after all.

[BTM]

FWIW, the airbag light does not mean airbags won't go off in an accident. I live with my light, but if the fact that its on bothers you, then yea, you'll need a work around

[dfjaws]

Yeah, it just bothers me having it on. I think I might go the coding route. I should get a DCAN cable anyways. I hear people have luck coding it out.

[Brey335i]

Your light stays on because the car can no longer recognize your seat's side airbag.

Also be aware that the OC3 module turns your passenger airbag off. So it puts your passenger in a greater danger in the event of an accident.

[dfjaws]

Thats why I'm trying to go the coding route. I like that because it just disables the light, not the airbag. I just don't know anything about coding. I think I'll just try to find someone in VA.

Forgot to add, the seatbelt light is confusing me though. That's plugged back in. Maybe it needs to be reset.

[Brey335i]

Shouldn't be that hard to find. Any independent BMW shop should be capable of it

[mike3000fl]

if you unplugged airbag or oc3 connections while the battery was still connected it probably stored a code that needs to be reset.

[ceb]

Originally Posted by BTM

FWIW, the airbag light does not mean airbags won't go off in an accident. I live with my light, but if the fact that its on bothers you, then yea, you'll need a work around

How do you know the rest of the airbag system will work as intended?

Hint - nobody knows as you would have to crash test all variations of possibilities.

In the OP's case, it is impossible to say how the airbag system may react. It may work as intended, it may not deploy correctly, or it may deploy incorrectly and kill him.

Is that worth the snazzier seat?

The airbag system is just that - a system. Making mods to it may mean that the system will compensate for the removed airbag or not.

This is one unintended consequence that can be lethal.

[dfjaws]

The light indicates that there is a fault. It doesn't change the way the system will operate in a crash though. Obviously, if it tries to fire the side airbag, it won't fire as it's not there anymore, but the rest of the airbags would function normally, as if nothing was changed at all.

It's a safety thing.

If they made it so if there was a fault and the system shut down rather than reacting as normally as possible, look at how many people could be at risk. I remember on E46F there was a poll asking how many people had an airbag light on. It was around 40% IIRC.

[BTM]

Originally Posted by ceb

How do you know the rest of the airbag system will work as intended?

Hint - nobody knows as you would have to crash test all variations of possibilities.

In the OP's case, it is impossible to say how the airbag system may react. It may work as intended, it may not deploy correctly, or it may deploy incorrectly and kill him.

Is that worth the snazzier seat?

The airbag system is just that - a system. Making mods to it may mean that the system will compensate for the removed airbag or not.

This is one unintended consequence that can be lethal.

The only way the airbags won't fire in an accident is if they are faulty/removed. Every system in the car is functioning properly - the light is on because there is nothing plugged into the SRS sensor. No airbags were removed either. It is a system like you said and it is a system to which no changes have been made. Additionally, the SRS light can become illuminated for a myriad of reasons

Driving the car through a large puddle, or being exposed to lots of rain
Swapping steering wheels
Removing the gauge cluster to replace light bulbs
Aggressive and/or track driving
Accidentally disconnecting an SRS component while hooking up electrical accessories, like an alarm or stereo
Pulling a fuse for the SRS system while performing electrical troubleshooting.
Bad seatbelt sensor in the belt receptacle (common failure)

In my case it's because of the disconnected seatbelt sensor, which is built into the connector that supplies power to the motors, heated seats, etc...There is no occupancy sensor for the drivers seat because the car knows someone is driving. Keep in mind, at this point, I am not talking about the E9x chassis, but my original post does pertain to how the airbags work in all BMWs.

I should've known better than to post in general section...

[ceb]

Originally Posted by dfjaws

The light indicates that there is a fault. It doesn't change the way the system will operate in a crash though. Obviously, if it tries to fire the side airbag, it won't fire as it's not there anymore, but the rest of the airbags would function normally, as if nothing was changed at all.

It's a safety thing.

If they made it so if there was a fault and the system shut down rather than reacting as normally as possible, look at how many people could be at risk. I remember on E46F there was a poll asking how many people had an airbag light on. It was around 40% IIRC.

And you know this how?

[Eric335]

pic of recaro in the car?

[dfjaws]

I need to take one of it in the car. I have one out of the car though...

[Eric335]

shes pretty.... pretty penny as well?

[CubanJJ09]

Originally Posted by BTM

The only way the airbags won't fire in an accident is if they are faulty/removed. Every system in the car is functioning properly - the light is on because there is nothing plugged into the SRS sensor. No airbags were removed either. It is a system like you said and it is a system to which no changes have been made. Additionally, the SRS light can become illuminated for a myriad of reasons

Driving the car through a large puddle, or being exposed to lots of rain
Swapping steering wheels
Removing the gauge cluster to replace light bulbs
Aggressive and/or track driving
Accidentally disconnecting an SRS component while hooking up electrical accessories, like an alarm or stereo
Pulling a fuse for the SRS system while performing electrical troubleshooting.
Bad seatbelt sensor in the belt receptacle (common failure)

In my case it's because of the disconnected seatbelt sensor, which is built into the connector that supplies power to the motors, heated seats, etc...There is no occupancy sensor for the drivers seat because the car knows someone is driving. Keep in mind, at this point, I am not talking about the E9x chassis, but my original post does pertain to how the airbags work in all BMWs.

I should've known better than to post in general section...

Don't worry rear fogs will tcb on any faults

[BTM]

Originally Posted by ceb

And you know this how?

Many people have told me that the airbags will not deploy when the airbag lamp is illuminated. This is an area of much controversy, as I have also been told by more than a few people that their airbags did deploy when the light was on. From this non-specific evidence, I would hazard to guess that the airbag system does indeed continue working when the light is on. However, the light is obviously there to warn of a potential fault in the system, so you should check it out immediately if it does happen to light up.

In addition, BMW factory documentation seems to indicated that the airbag system will still work if the airbag light is on, and there are only minor faults observed. I will quote from BMW factory documents:

72 01 93 (2137) - "The [airbag] Watchdog subsystem has the ability to disable the Output Stage in the event of certain faults."

72 01 85 (2042) - "If the SRS indicator light [lights up] the system is faulty; there is a risk of the system not operating in the event of an accident.

So it would seem, depending upon the type of fault recorded by the Watchdog system, the airbags may or may not deploy - it depends on how serious the fault it.

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...r_Bag_Lamp.htm

Yes, there are a few SRS faults that will result with the system not deploying the airbags. Replacing the driver's seat is not one of them. Because the car is being driven, the car assumes it has a driver, and driver airbags will be told to deploy, others depending on occupancy sensor readings. In the case of replacing his drivers seat, the only one that will not deploy is the one that's in the seat sitting in the garage.

[dfjaws]

Originally Posted by Eric335

shes pretty.... pretty penny as well?

Yes. Haha.

Originally Posted by BTM

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/tech...r_Bag_Lamp.htm

Yes, there are a few SRS faults that will result with the system not deploying the airbags. Replacing the driver's seat is not one of them. Because the car is being driven, the car assumes it has a driver, and driver airbags will be told to deploy, others depending on occupancy sensor readings. In the case of replacing his drivers seat, the only one that will not deploy is the one that's in the seat sitting in the garage.

Good info! Thanks for the link.