Interior/Exterior Interior and exterior modifications for Cooper (R50), Cabrio (R52), and Cooper S (R53) MINIs.

Interior/Exterior How do you take out the seats?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jun 8, 2003 | 01:24 PM
  #1  
jivanivan's Avatar
jivanivan
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 372
Likes: 0
From: Daly City
If you have heated seats, would it be hard to take out the seats? If I do take it out, can I put the heated seat function back when I want to?
 
Reply
Old Jun 8, 2003 | 08:26 PM
  #2  
Mark's Avatar
Mark
North American Motoring :: Founder
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,070
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
jivanivan,
I just did this with the TEAM MCO car. I had heated sport seats and have pulled them out and replaced them (for the Summer autocross season with Corbeau TRS seats). There are 3-4 connections under the seat:

Blue - airbag sensor and wiring (if you pull the stock seats out you will need to add a 3 ohm resistor that completes the circuit (I'll have a more detailed How-to up soon).

2 Blacks
1 Yellow

I didn't test which was the heated seat circuit. When you replace the seat there are only two that you will reconnect. One of the black ones which connects to the seat belt receiver (that activates the seat belt warning light) and the other blue (for the airbag sensor).

Let me know and I'll provide more information on the resistor/airbag warning light.

NOTE: If you disconnect the airbag connector do not start your car or even put the key in to turn on power. Doing so will trip the warning light and it can only be reset by the dealer.

Mark




 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2003 | 09:42 AM
  #3  
jivanivan's Avatar
jivanivan
Thread Starter
|
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 372
Likes: 0
From: Daly City
Cool,

Thanks Mark, I will wait for your How-To then. I don't want to mess with anyy safety features yet.

 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2003 | 11:51 AM
  #4  
scooterboy's Avatar
scooterboy
6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Detailed info on that resistor jumper (part#'s etc) would be very helpful...
 
Reply
Old Jun 9, 2003 | 12:52 PM
  #5  
Mark's Avatar
Mark
North American Motoring :: Founder
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,070
Likes: 0
From: Colorado
Here is a quick list of parts you'll need to "fake" the airbag system for the seats by looping the circuit:

    To create the loop (need one for each seat) do the following:

    - take two 4-5 inch sections of wire and strip the ends from each end
    - bend the resistor leads so that the resistor is in a U shape (the resistor body is at the bottom of the U while the leads make the legs of the U)
    - wrap one end of the each wire section around one lead on the resistor (do the same with another wire for the other lead)
    - carefully solder the wrapped wire to the lead with the solder (I made sure that I covered all sections of the wrapped wire (do this for both sides)
    - after the solder has cooled I took electrical tape and wrapped each of the leads of the resistor up to the body of the resistor.
    - next I wrapped both wires together near the resistor so that only the ends of the circuit that had been stripped are still exposed
    - next take the circuit and plug each stripped end of each wire into one of the tiny holes in the blue plug (the one that joins up with the other plugs and descends into the carpet....not the ones attached to your seat) Make sure that the wires go into the plug sufficiently to make a good connection. Also make sure that the wires are not loose in the hole (if they are you may want to redo the loop using 20 gauge wiring)

    - I then tapped the circuit loop to the plug in a way that would help prevent the loop from coming out of the plug.

    As I mentioned in a previoius post make sure you don't power up the ignition until you have the circuit loop completely installed (You can do the driver's side and test it as long as you haven't unplugged the passenger side yet and vice-versa). Doing so will bring on the airbag warning light and it will stay on until you have the dealership reset it. If you do this you should ask the dealer for the waiver to sign for disabling the seat airbags...Probably not a bad idea to do this regardless the next time you at the dealership.

    Hope this helps!

    Mark

    _________________
    MINI COOPER Online.com

    mferguson@northamericanmotoring.com :: Send me a PM

     
    Reply
    Old Jun 9, 2003 | 02:06 PM
      #6  
    scooterboy's Avatar
    scooterboy
    6th Gear
    Joined: Mar 2003
    Posts: 1,147
    Likes: 0
    From: New Hampshire
    Thanks for the details, Mark - much appreciated. :smile:
     
    Reply
    Related Topics
    Thread
    Thread Starter
    Forum
    Replies
    Last Post
    sir5150
    MINI Parts for Sale
    8
    Oct 6, 2015 05:25 AM
    The Rossness
    General MINI Talk
    12
    Sep 17, 2015 03:06 PM
    please_remain_calm
    R57 :: Cabrio Talk (2009+)
    1
    Sep 10, 2015 12:33 PM
    SeattleF56
    F55/F56 :: Hatch Talk (2014+)
    2
    Sep 3, 2015 03:01 PM




    All times are GMT -7. The time now is 11:31 PM.