BMW Performance Seats In E92 M3 Airbags/Seat Belts Fault

[fansari]

Hi guys,

I installed the BMW Performance Seats in my E92 M3. They look awesome. I would have preferred if they sat a little bit lower, but I guess I can get used to that. Connectors look exactly the same as on the factory power seats. I did not plug in the connectors and took it straight to the dealer, who first said that this should be plug and play, it was not. The dealer could not reset the seat belt and airbag faults after plugging in the connectors. The seat heaters don't seem to work either.

Does anyone on this forum has the experience of making these seats work with the US E90/E92 M3? Any help would be greatly appreciated. If I can get wiring diagrams of the US E92 M3 Seats and the BMW Performance Seats that will definitely help.

Sincerely,

Faruk

[Stunnerable]

I can't help you with that man.. But.. if you don't put pics up you might get burned at the stake. Just sayin.

[MuchMoore]

I think you posted this on another forum as well, but you could try the EAS Seatbelt sims. I would imagine that the dealer can clear the dash lights if they want to, Id go elsewhere.

[rzm3]

According to what I've heard from other members, you need to have the car reprogrammed to get rid of the airbag light. Even European M3s had the same problem, but BMW was supposed to be rolling out an update for it.

In the US however, these seats are not legally sold here so your dealer probably can't do anything about it.

Your vendor didn't say anything about the airbag error? Do a search in the cosmetics modification section and you will several threads about the performance seats.

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by MuchMoore

I think you posted this on another forum as well, but you could try the EAS Seatbelt sims. I would imagine that the dealer can clear the dash lights if they want to, Id go elsewhere.

Go here - http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2330


You need the Macht Schnell - OC3 Seat Occupancy Sensor Emulation Module

Tom@EAS can hook you up. It will disable your passenger dash airbag, but at least the light will be off. You must not have iDrive? I was told this error would lock your Nav screen.

I don't need them anymore, but are you holding on to your stock seats??

GL

[Fuzzz]

Originally Posted by Moxie

It will disable your passenger dash airbag, but at least the light will be off.

Why would you go to the trouble and expense of buying seats with Airbags, and then install some module that disables your passenger side dash airbag?!?!?

That seems totally wrong....

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Tom@EAS can hook you up. It will disable your passenger dash airbag, but at least the light will be off. You must not have iDrive? I was told this error would lock your Nav screen.
GL

i guess the driver is the only guy who matters? i think i'd rather have the light and know that my passenger's airbag would work properly.

[fansari]

Originally Posted by Moxie

Go here - http://www.europeanautosource.com/pr...oducts_id=2330


You need the Macht Schnell - OC3 Seat Occupancy Sensor Emulation Module

Tom@EAS can hook you up. It will disable your passenger dash airbag, but at least the light will be off. You must not have iDrive? I was told this error would lock your Nav screen.

I don't need them anymore, but are you holding on to your stock seats??

GL

Yes I plan to hold on to the stock seats and maybe go back to them if I can't get rid of these lights.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Big Windy

i guess the driver is the only guy who matters? i think i'd rather have the light and know that my passenger's airbag would work properly.

Once you got the malfunction light the airbags are disabled anyways. After all, that's the whole point of that malfunction light, no sensors detected, no airbags.

The real issue here is if the EAS module way of turning off the malfunction light is by fooling the ECU into detecting that the sensor is present and functional and that there is always a passenger in that seat (sending the proper weight signal to the ECU), so no malfunction light and full functionality in case of an accident.

Any other way of turning that light off without sending a weight signal will make the airbag disabled, and I don't think that the EAS device is disabling airbags as stated before. And another problem could be encountered even if a weight signal is indeed sent... which weight signal should be sent? The modern airbags have different activation forces depending of the weight of the passenger detected, so a teenager/woman weighting 100 lbs cannot be slapped in the face with the same force than an adult of 200lbs+, for example.

[Lemans_Blue_M]

Originally Posted by Technic

Once you got the malfunction light the airbags are disabled anyways. After all, that's the whole point of that malfunction light, no sensors detected, no airbags.

The real issue here is if the EAS module way of turning off the malfunction light is by fooling the ECU into detecting that the sensor is present and functional and that there is always a passenger in that seat (sending the proper weight signal to the ECU), so no malfunction light and full functionality in case of an accident.

Any other way of turning that light off without sending a weight signal will make the airbag disabled, and I don't think that the EAS device is disabling airbags as stated before. And another problem could be encountered even if a weight signal is indeed sent... which weight signal should be sent? The modern airbags have different activation forces depending of the weight of the passenger detected, so a teenager/woman weighting 100 lbs cannot be slapped in the face with the same force than an adult of 200lbs+, for example.

Actually, the EAS module DOES NOT not affect the status of the passenger airbag. That's why it's only intended for use on the track. (not the street)

It kills the fault code light, but the passenger air bag is still disabled.

[Big Windy]

Originally Posted by Technic

Once you got the malfunction light the airbags are disabled anyways. After all, that's the whole point of that malfunction light, no sensors detected, no airbags.

The real issue here is if the EAS module way of turning off the malfunction light is by fooling the ECU into detecting that the sensor is present and functional and that there is always a passenger in that seat (sending the proper weight signal to the ECU), so no malfunction light and full functionality in case of an accident.

Any other way of turning that light off without sending a weight signal will make the airbag disabled, and I don't think that the EAS device is disabling airbags as stated before. And another problem could be encountered even if a weight signal is indeed sent... which weight signal should be sent? The modern airbags have different activation forces depending of the weight of the passenger detected, so a teenager/woman weighting 100 lbs cannot be slapped in the face with the same force than an adult of 200lbs+, for example.

hmmm...didn't know that performance seats meant not front passenger airbag. that's a big minus IMO.

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Lemans_Blue_M

Actually, the EAS module DOES NOT not affect the status of the passenger airbag. That's why it's only intended for use on the track. (not the street)

It kills the fault code light, but the passenger air bag is still disabled.

Found it:

Note: The Macht Schnell OC3 Seat Occupancy Sensor Emulation Module will disable the passenger dash airbag to prevent unsafe deployment. For this reason, this module is not intended for street vehicles and can result in possible injury or death if proper restraint conditions are not followed. Not compatible with euro models

These seats are the kind of mod that really make looks trump safety at any cost if used on the street, IMO...

[Lemans_Blue_M]

Originally Posted by Technic

Then, there's no need for any "fooling" module if it is only for the "track", IMO. These seats are the kind of mod that really make looks trump safety at any cost...

The fault codes on the iDrive and dash are annoying to a number of people and they want them turn off. In some cases, particular fault codes will lock out the iDrive functionality, forcing you to deal with the issue at hand asap. That is why the Macht Schnell OC3 Seat Occupancy Sensor Emulation Module was created. It turns off the code, so it doesn't drive you nuts everytime you get into your car.

This is not a new thing.

Guys pay several hundred dollars to turn off an annoying exhaust SES/CEL light for example. (after deleting their catalytic converters)

[Technic]

Originally Posted by Lemans_Blue_M

The fault codes on the iDrive and dash are annoying to a number of people and they want them turn off. In some cases, particular fault codes will lock out the iDrive functionality, forcing you to deal with the issue at hand asap. That is why the Macht Schnell OC3 Seat Occupancy Sensor Emulation Module was created. It turns off the code, so it doesn't drive you nuts everytime you get into your car.

This is not a new thing.

Guys pay several hundred dollars to turn off an annoying exhaust SES/CEL light for example. (after deleting their catalytic converters)

Do you need the iDrive at the track? If so, how the drivers of M3 without iDrive track their cars?

My issue here is not the EAS module, my issue here is really using these seats for the street. The SES/CEL light cannot kill somebody -at least in less than 100 years of inhaling the unfiltered gases- an airbag not deploying could...

[doba_s]

EAS module is a temporary solution but not a fix ... Use at your own risk ...

That is the reason why these seats are not being sold in US.

[FStop7]

My understanding is that there is currently no way to get the airbags in the perf seats to work with north american market cars. You can defeat the warning light with the EAS harness but that doesn't make the airbags work. personally i don't think it's a big deal, we all managed to somehow survive in a world without airbag impregnated seats for many years.

[michaeldorian]

Originally Posted by Fuzzz

Why would you go to the trouble and expense of buying seats with Airbags, and then install some module that disables your passenger side dash airbag?!?!?

That seems totally wrong....

Yeah, the front passenger airbag will be disabled. From my conversations with Tom over at EAS, the side airbags and the airbags in the seat will still be active.

[fansari]

bump

[fansari]

Still looking for a solution. Do want my passenger dash airbag disabled and want the seat heaters to work. Any suggestions? I did get hold of the Performance Seat installation guide from Europe but that does not tell much either as far as the connector pin outs are concerned.

[tom @ eas]

Originally Posted by fansari

Still looking for a solution. Do want my passenger dash airbag disabled and want the seat heaters to work. Any suggestions? I did get hold of the Performance Seat installation guide from Europe but that does not tell much either as far as the connector pin outs are concerned.

Unfortunately, no BMW dealer has the proper coding software to install these in the US.

[niterider]

If u really wanted to, u could just remove the seat mat sensor from the stock seats and somehow put it into the new seats under the padding, plug it in and it would work exactly like stock. Its a lot of work but it can b done. I did this with my old e46 m3. I put Sparco pro 2000 seats and removed the seat mat sensor from my stock seats and seat belt buckle/harness. Set the sensor under the center cushion, installed the seat belt buckle, plugged them both in, cleared faults and made everything work like stock.

I now have a roll cage and harness belts, so I actually dont want my airbags to work cause it could cause more damage then it could prevent.

[michaeldorian]

Originally Posted by niterider

If u really wanted to, u could just remove the seat mat sensor from the stock seats and somehow put it into the new seats under the padding, plug it in and it would work exactly like stock. Its a lot of work but it can b done. I did this with my old e46 m3. I put Sparco pro 2000 seats and removed the seat mat sensor from my stock seats and seat belt buckle/harness. Set the sensor under the center cushion, installed the seat belt buckle, plugged them both in, cleared faults and made everything work like stock.

I now have a roll cage and harness belts, so I actually dont want my airbags to work cause it could cause more damage then it could prevent.

This is what I was thinking...The only thing is the sensor is built into the seat this time. I was wondering if you can get a hold of a junkyard passenger seat, cut into the leather and hopefully find a mat in there that you can use to retrofit.

Problem 2 would be getting that new mat into your PS seats. Might require some new fabric work.