Installing race or alternative seats with no airbag warning light

[Loppy]

I recently installed a PPI roll bar, Sparco seats and Schroth 6-point harnesses in my car. The challenge was to get the passenger airbags to be fully functional. The airbag warning light comes on and stays on because the pressure control module is missing and this cannot be tricked with any software and can only be functional if a US module is present. After much consultation, Alex at Europrice came up with the solution .

Since I wanted to maintain the original integrity of the stock seats, Alex was able to source a “passenger seat occupancy unit” which is the pressure control module, or bladder, and harness that is fitted in the stock seat. It is this bladder that is activated when someone over 50(?) lbs sits in the passenger seat and tells the system a passenger is present and the passenger airbags become functional. Alex also supplied the two yellow clips (Audi P/N 8J0 972 576) fitted with resistors (contact Alex at Europrice for the ohms) to plug into each front seat side airbag socket to trick the system into thinking these airbags are present.

This is the occupancy kit:



These are (1) the side airbag clip with resistor installed and (ii) the floor the harness under the seat.





The bladder stuffed into the webbing under the seat:



The harness attached to the blader and stuffed under the webbing:



Stock seat belt clip welded to race seat:



Installed PPI Roll Bar:



DISCLAIMER: Neither I, nor Orbit Racing, endorse, nor recommend, the "standard" or "recommended" installation of the PPI Roll Bar.

I had the PPI Roll Bar installed by Orbit Racing in Rivera Beach, Florida. While the PPI Roll Bar is aesthetically pleasant, the way it is designed to bolt into the firewall is, in my, and Orbit's, opinion, insufficient to provide adequate stress protection. My PPI Roll Bar installation was modified to flush mount against the firewall inside the car and a wishbone brace was built to support it inside the engine compartment. I suggest that if anyone wants an alternative to the PPI Roll Bar, they contact Rodger Hawley at Orbit Racing (rodger@orbitracing_dot_com) to explore alternative options.

This is the link to the mods to the PPI Roll Bat that were performed by Orbit Racing:

http://www.orbitracing.com/completed...?g2_itemId=589

The brace is hardly visible:



Harnesses attached to roll bar:



Installed seats [Sparco Chrono Road Seats]. My wife and I opted for these seats - they provide both harness support and tilt adjustability - a great compromise for daily driving and track use. The seat had to be modified to add the access for the submarine piece of the harness:

Drivers:



Passenger:




Stock seat belts for daily use on both seats (passenger pictured):




Installation complete. Now we had to update the electronics!

Using the Vagom, we ran a full system scan and got two fault’s:

One for the HVAC, which we ignored since it has to do with the heated seat sensors which are no longer present, and one for the airbags, which we addressed:

Address 15: Airbags Labels: 420-959-655.lbl
Part No SW: 420 959 655 HW: 420 959 655
Component: SN Airbag 9.43 H02 0020
Revision: 93H02002 Serial number: 003B8000BYWD
Coding: 0021326
Shop #: WSC 05136 444 11271
VCID: DDBB1CF57DA1
Part No: 8J0 910 339 A
Component: BF-Gewichtsens. H02 0030

1 Fault Found:
02511 - Control Module for Seat Occupied Recognition (J706)
005 - No or Incorrect Basic Setting / Adaptation - MIL ON
Freeze Frame:
Fault Status: 11100101
Fault Priority: 1
Fault Frequency: 1
Mileage: 18749 km
Time Indication: 0
Date: 2011.09.02
Time: 12:09:49


We deleted the fault codes and followed the Vagcom procedures to enable the recognition unit, but Vagcom wouldn’t or couldn’t save the update.

Fortunately an audi tech friend has VAS software (see info on acquiring it below) and he ran the various tests and procedures required to enable the “seat occupancy recognition unit”. We also tried a few combinations to remove the HVAC warning but that wasn’t successful and since those faults don’t matter, we decided to ignore them. I’ve attached a complete copy of the 18 page VAS report in case anyone wants to read it.

For anyone interested in acquiring this software it apparently can be purchased here and should you do so, specify in the buyers notes that you want V19 in English.

http://auobd2.com/vas-5054a-bluetoot...c-tool-30.html

Parts to complete the project included:

Audi Parts - contact Alex at Europrice:
Seat Occupancy Unit
Audi driver and passenger seat belt clips with wiring (P/N's 8P4-857-755-E-0IC and 8P4-857-756-J-0IC)
Side Airbag Clips - (P/N 8J0-972-576) [Resistors not included]

Performance Parts (Supplied by Wine Country Motorsports, Jupiter, Florida [speak to Brad])
Sparco Chrono Road Seats
Schroth Hybrid II 6 point harnesses
OMP seat sliders
Planted seat bracket for R8

Big thanks to Alex at Europrice. He explored many options both foreign and domestic. Couldn't have accomplished/done this without him!

[FiftyPence]

The official VAG Group software known as VAS-PC is available for FREE elsewhere, just ask.

[desperado]

Loppy, excellent write-up! Thank you for sharing in such detail - a great resource.

[Europrice]

Great post! I was glad to help and it's great to see everything work out on these types of projects. I bet we could also do some resistors for the seat heaters as well and get rid of every code, however as long as you don't have a glaring AIRBAG warning light in your face constantly I'd say there's no bother to.

Thanks again!