I am installing aftermarket seats in my 2006 R53 (Recaro Sportster CS). I am not clear on the best way to handle the occupancy sensor on the passenger seat. My understanding is that the facelift occupancy sensor is a different beast to the pre-facelift version.

• Option 1 is to transfer the mat to the new seat. I'm not sure how easy it is to do this and would rather not mess around with disassembling my lovely new Recaro seat.
• Option 2 is some sort of bypass device: has anyone had success with such a device on a facelift R53, please? My understanding is that these work by simulating a permanently occupied passenger seat: correct? And therefore they also need to interfere with the seatbelt receiver signal, so there is no seatbelt warning?

Thanks!

 

I'm leaning towards using a bypass device and have found this one. Does anyone have any experience using it, please?

 

I ordered a different emulator since I fitted Recaro Profi SPG XL into my MINI. Unfortunately it did not work and I got an airbag light. I am waiting for a replacement emulator. If it works I'll post it up. Please post up your results if you end up buying the above unit.

 

This the one I used and the replacement worked as designed.
https://airbagdoc.com/product/seat-o...r-one-r50-r53/

 

What did you do about the passenger seatbelt warning, please? With these emulators fitted, the car thinks there is a passenger permanently occupying the seat and therefore there will be a seatbelt warning if the buckle is not engaged. Did you bypass the passenger seatbelt buckle? Thanks.

 

airbagdocs include a separate seatbelt chime bypass with their kit. It's a simple plug and play.

 

Mine also came with a separate seatbelt bypass, but it doesn’t appear to work. The instructions aren’t great. I assume it’s supposed to replace the red and black wires coming from the seatbelt buckle?

 

Did that come with the TPMS emulator?

 

Yes it did. I measured it as 390 ohms. They said they will send me another with a higher resistance value.

 

I just measured mine it's ~ 670 ohms

 

Thanks so much: I’ll report back!

 

Ferrino, if you are still following this thread does the emulator you used have any issues with your car battery? It took some sleuthing and a new battery but I found that mine is stopping the car from going to sleep mode and therefore discharging the battery.

 

No, I didn't have any issues with this module draining the battery.

Also, the higher resistance worked in defeating the passenger seatbelt disconnected light.

 

Just bumping this thread to state the emulator I bought caused a parasitic draw on my battery. I ended up buying/trying the one Ferrino used and the draw goes down to the usual amount when the car goes to sleep. Hope this helps someone in the future.

 

I removed the occupant sensor from the OEM seat, secured it in the car, and plugged it in.

See this: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ml#post4579706

 

I thought about doing that but was not sure how permanent the disassembly of the seat might be.

 

You would have to be a professional upholstery person to remove the occupant sensor without destroying the seat IMO.

 

Or go to junkyard and canabalize one from an already “destroyed” seat?

 

That’s a viable option. Although if the seat is already bad the sensor might be too? The one junk yard I went to didnt close windows .. The cars were pretty nasty inside. I needed a seat slider which was perfect but the seat was pretty weathered Slider was $500 at dealer AND 3 week wait.$25 at junkyard 👍

 

I moving be wrong but I would assume a working one would have a resistance amount you could check for with a multimeter before bothering to remove it from an otherwise pretrashed seat?

just a thought.