A3 Seat Swap. From se to s-line. Passenger seatbelt sensor?

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rsbowling

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Hello.

I am in the process of changing my standard se seats to a newer s-line seat. Now on the passenger seat i currently have a seat belt sensor. However on the newer s-line there is not. Im concerned that if i disconnect it and install the new seats without the sensor, it Will trigger a light on the dash board! Has any one came across this? If so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Regards
Richard
2005 A3 2.0 TDI SE DSG
 
Hello,

Before I start my seat change over I need to clarify a couple of subjects. My concern is that installing my new seats may trigger either a seatbelt warning light, or airbag light. Is there anyone in the north east who does this service? Or would a dealer be able to do it at a reasonable rate?
Please look at my other posts, any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Richard
 
rsbowling said:
Hello,

Before I start my seat change over I need to clarify a couple of subjects. My concern is that installing my new seats may trigger either a seatbelt warning light, or airbag light. Is there anyone in the north east who does this service? Or would a dealer be able to do it at a reasonable rate?
Please look at my other posts, any advice would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

Richard
Click to expand...

Welcome to ASN Richard. Where are you located in North East? :)
 
Hello,

I am located in Ferryhill County Durham. Would you be able to help if needed?

Many thanks,

Richard
 
After speaking to a Audi mechanic earlier today, he advised me to just disconnect it from the floor and as long as the airbag is connected, all should be ok.
I tried this tonight and a airbag light came on! I definatley took the correct lead out, but much to my suprise, i plugged it back in and the light went off!
Everything that i have read about doesnt marry upto whats happend to me! By rights that light should of stayed on.
 
Not sure i follow what you mean by seat belt sensor as not sure why you would need to change this if you are only changing the seats ?
 
Hello,

Apologies for not being so clear. I have currently a pressure pad in the passenger seat and a cable to the belt buckle. The new one does not have this facility. Any advice or logic would be great.


Many Thanks

Richard
 
Im not familiar with your set up but as a general rule, if something is missing from the circuit that was there before, the ECU will see it as an open cicuit (as nothing connected) and throw a code and dash light.

You can close that connection by bridging the two wires together +/- ( the plug the sensor connects to) with a suitable resistor in between to simulate the missing component being there - try 3ohms.

Not sure if that helps.

This is similar to fault finding on an airbag system before actually replacing expensive bags, you bridge the connection with a suitable resistor to see if fault goes away or stays..
 
Last edited:
I am in Scotland. Click on the link below, its a map with users that have vcds. When you click on the baloon in your area, a members details will display. Pm members close to you to see if they can help you out. Audi-Sport.net VCDS Users - Google Maps

 
What you say makes sense. How would I go about making this resistor? Pardon my lack of knowledge!

Thankyou
 
audi upgrades
You can buy them on the net, just do a google search. Then you put one end in each end of the connector. Ie the ecu end of the plug. If that resitance works you can cut the wires and the connector out and crimp or solder in place then tape up. You will get the idea..
 
Dont bodge the setup, just get someone local to disable seat belt warning system with vcds, also you could always strip the seat down & swap the pads across with the loom aswell.
 
Send a PM to Jb00 or A8Tech, they're up there somewhere.
 
Hi Richard, I'm in Hartlepool and I've got VCDS.

I've just had a little browse through your previous threads.

VCDS has a function to disable the airbags in the seats and although I've never done this in an Audi before when I did it on a Seat Ibiza the Airbag light flashed for 15 seconds when you started the car and then disappeared.

Like a previous poster also said, you can marry the two terminals from the airbag plug to close the circuit but also rightfully said a resistor must be placed in the middle to trick the circuit.. no idea what ohm resistor will be needed though.

I'm more than happy to have a crack for you and see what we can do, but can't make you any promises ;)
 
But also, as you're transferring OEM seats you shouldn't have to "trick" any airbags... it may be a cause of different pins etc which could be worked out using Elsa.
 
jb0o said:
But also, as you're transferring OEM seats you shouldn't have to "trick" any airbags... it may be a cause of different pins etc which could be worked out using Elsa.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jonny, I couldnt remember where you were. :)
 
[FONT=verdana, arial, geneva, sans-serif]If your fitting after market seats you will need [/FONT]4.7ohm 1/2W 5% resistor's :)​
 
Thankyou ever so.much for the responses! In particular jb0o. I could well take you up on that offer if i can't get it to work. Also has any one got a idea of where to get that resistor? They are genuine audi seats from a 09 plate.
Thankyou once again
 
You wont need resistors, if you get it coded properly by say Jonny.
 
Thankyou for advice. Also thanks nhn. How easy would it be to stripb the seat? Any tips?
 
Well if you have experience of this type of thing, its not to bad, just take time & patients, mostly plastic retaining strips that need to be manipulated out of the runners, then swap bits over & refit, whereabouts are you located?
 
NHN said:
You wont need resistors, if you get it coded properly by say Jonny.
Click to expand...

Im curious to know where i can find a guide to this on Ross tech's site as never knew it possible. I did a google but to no avail. Thanks.
 
Ok thanks. I have the patience, i think! Im in Ferryhill county Durham. What does the pressure pad look like? Is it thin or does it come with some gubbins?
Regards
 
Sorry yes my bad, you already stated where you were.

Regardless what it looks like, you'd have to remove the same bits anyway to get to it, so should be obviously once out, just follow the iirc 2 pin loom.
 
jb0o said:
But also, as you're transferring OEM seats you shouldn't have to "trick" any airbags... it may be a cause of different pins etc which could be worked out using Elsa.
Click to expand...

Thanks Johnny. By pins, you mean the male and female connectors for the airbag to the car? Also may I ask what is elsa? Regards, Richard
 
I think you should be fine as I had a later set in my car which plugged in 100% to airbag system.
 
Thanks for the reply. Are the airbags normally trouble free? For example, if the wire and connector you can visably see from the seat looks ok, is it normally ok to install? Or are they known to fail?
 
Hi,

I have installed the new seats this weekend with great success. I decided to swap the pressure sensor over and it works with no lights on the dash board.
The seat came apart easily and went back together just the same, and doesn't look like its ever been apart.
I have swapped the under seat storage units into the new ones, and also the plastic backs to the seat came(with nets in).
If any one is doing anything similar and needs advice ill.be happy to help.
Im a carpenter and not a car expert, but the whole interior took me about 4 hours, including swapping bits from seat to seat, and cleaning everything i could see.
The lesson i have learnt from this is to keep things as standard as possible, not rely on having to get a computer to fix it. As i have lovely new seats with the sensors all working and airbags all sorted.
Hope my thread has helped, and may help others. Thankyou to everyone who gave advice.
Now all i need is some nice 17" alloys!

Regards

Richard
 
I have just swapped my rather warn Sport interior for a nearly new half leather S-Line and had the same issue with the passenger seat not having the same sensor. I got round it by shorting the pins out to trick the system into thinking someone is sat in the seat with the seatbelt on (stops the anoying bong).
I am very interested in more information on swapping the sensors over and then I can decide to follow your lead.

Thanks in advance.
 
Thankyou for viewing my post.
Well to start off, your old seat and new seat upside down on the floor, and if you grip the seat and minipulate the plastic trim which is attatched to the fabric, and hooks over the metal frame, off the seat. Then once thats free, on each 'rib' of the seat there is little plastic 'arrow head clips'. Simply work these out until you get to the back of the seat, revealling the sensor. The sensor is a flat, plastic thing with wiring coming off it. Once removed from the old seat, position on the new one and route it through the seat base so the cable is underneath. You may need to cut a slot in the sponge to get the cable through. Once you have done that put the seat back together and simply plug it in.
If you have a good work space and time set aside this is a really straight forward job, and keeps everything as it should be! Once you have the seats out there is no wiring to unplug, the sensor is all one unit. Also what i did is take the under storage from the old seats and put them on my new ones, also swapped over blemished parts.
Also before you put the key in the ignition make sure all connections are together well, and take care when routing them, to make sure they wont interfere with the seat moving.
Hope this helps

Regards
Richard
 
What about the cable that goes off to the seatbelt?
My wiring harness has two cables, one goes to the seat occupency sensor under the seat the other goes off towards the seatbelt (presumably to sense if the seatbelt is worn).

Did you also have "fun" with the doorcards?
I have just spent the day transfering my sports ambient lighting and puddle lights to my new S-Line interior doorcards. I had to cut holes in the bottom of the cards to take the puddle lights and transfer the whole handle assembly to get the slot for the handle light. Then once I had undone and done back up about 20 screws I had to transfer the wiring looms from one door card to the other, after doing this 4 times I was finaly done!

I am very pleased with the final result the car actualy smells new inside.

Thanks, Geoff
 
hi rsbowling
i have swapped my seats over to s line ones but was wondering if you could advise me on how to swap over the seat backing with the netting please. i am worried that i might break something.

my seats were a stright swap as both had same cables.:icon_thumright:





will be have a look at the door cars as i need to bring over all wiring and lights just like gdbarret .not looking forward to that.

cheers
 
Hi,

Thanks for viewing. As for the seat buckle, yes i did have a cable running from that as well as the occupancy sensor. If your new seats dont have it just swap the seatbelt stalk over, is just one multi-spline bolt. These both need to be fitted. My car already had ambiant lighting in so unfortunatley cant relate to the work you have done!
The seat backs came off easily, but you could easily damage them. I got a wide chisel and fed it into the top of the back, then moved it until it hit something, this was one of the three clips that hold it on. i just turned the chisel and it popped off, if you feel as though its splitting the back, try another position. The bottom of the back just hooks in.
Good luck with your efforts!
Hope this helps.

Regards

Richard
 
Would you mind if I bump the old tread? I hope you're still here guys :)

I'm looking for s-line type leather seats to replace my SE ones. A German seller on ebay offers an A3 leather interior with door cards in good condition. My hands are itching to hit the buy button, despite the price isn't the lowest one (but reasonable for the condition of the seats). My only concern is that the interior came from a RHD car while I'm located in Denmark and ride a LHD car. I suppose I would have to move an occupancy sensor and a seat belt sensor from the right seat to the left one. Am I right? Is the sensor clued somehow to the cushion? Or I should I just put two seats close to each other, strip them and simply move the sensors from one seat to another? At least that's how I understood the explanation above.

I'm quite a technical guy and can work with tools and electronics. I have some experience in repairing broken seat heating in my old Seat Toledo 1M2 when I had to strip the seats. So basically I feel I'm qualified for this job. But what if I miss anything important? Is there anything I have to pay special attention to?

On the door cards. I would have to move the door handles with all the buttons from my old door cards to the new one (again because of RHD > LHD). Is there any difference in harnesses? Actually, I need the leather door inserts only and it would be easier to change them only. Does anyone know if they are detachable?
 
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