Okay, so back to my original question. Is there anyone here in the los angeles .,cali area who can do this ncs programming for me?

 

Well, the update isn't good. Got the emulator and then had to buy a cheap code reader. The initial stored codes were 71 and 72 which is the passenger seat sensor. After using the emulator, the light comes back on after about a minute or so of driving with code 72 only now. I have emailed the seller for suggestions but it looks like I am going to have to buy a seat bottom.

 

For the past 3-4 years, the SRS light and passenger alert light have been going on intermittently on our 05 MCS (with 42.5K miles). Several weeks ago, I turned the key and the panel was dead - nothing but the stereo and the MINI logo on the GPS face. Headlights, taillights, signals and brake lights all worked but no interior feedback. I took it into MINI of Madison (WI) and was told that it was probably the rubber connector tubes from the sunroof to the drains which shrink, separate and leak to corrode a 42 pin connector. Rough estimate of 7 hours labor at $112. Ouch! But what else to do?

I brought it back in (after reading a thread here) and mentioned that it was unlikely the cause as the car is bone dry. It is never left out and seldom even driven in the rain. When he had spent about an hour with the car, he told me that I was correct. He found a loose pin in the same connector and repaired it. He said it was a vital pin - when he put the diagnostic computer on it, the VIN didn't even show. He said that he was charging only for the hour of diagnosis but had gone over the car completely and found significant other issues, including the seat sensor. thermostat and housing, brakes, rear control arm bushings, strut tower tops, alignment, brake fluid flush, cabin filter and gas cap. About $4700!

I took the diagnosis to a Bosch authorized shop for a second opinion and they confirmed both the veracity of the problems and the cost. They also said that the seat sensor was an engineering problem and suggested I ask MINI to cover it. They said I should have the dealer do the work and ask them to help getting it covered. I wrote to MINI through their website and scheduled the car for the other work. I asked Phil Keller, the service writer for help and forwarded a copy of the note. He called me back in less than an hour and said that he had spoken to his director and they in turn to the area rep and MINI would cover it. This is not the first time he has gone to bat for us - the last time with the LF speed sensor ring only 6 weeks after having replaced the sensor itself. I believe the dealer bought that one.

Anyway, our problem is solved and it is nice to heap praise for a change.

 

I disabled my OC3 sensor within about 40 minutes of getting started to gettting finished. For sure I have INPA already on my laptop (and wrote a DIY setup guide for it), but the NCS part was new and became obvious after a while.

 

Joylove,

Are you on the right thread?

Jim

 

The oc3 sensor is the digital scale in the passenger seat that triggers the passenger airbag light when it develops a fault. It is an iBus module and needs to be disabled in the coding before it can be unplugged.

 

Sorry, you're in deeper than I am. I wanted a fix and didn't see any advantage to a DIY route. Part for my car was $1217. So far as I can tell, no one has come up with an economical or even true fix for the problem, including the individual parts - perhaps the OC3 sensor itself? I don't know how it all works.

 

The part was $1200? I've heard the total was that amount but the seat bottom is $650 (or less at a couple of vendors). Planning on swapping out myself when I raise the cash.

 

The sensor is only fitted to us market cars. It is more complicated than a traditional occupant sensor in that it can weigh the passenger to detect for baby seats and modify the passenger airbag deployment. This is due to morons ignoring the massive yellow warning stickers putting rear facing baby seats in the front seat of a car with front airbags.

In Europe they don't have the oc3 sensor due to having less morons and in other regions they have a bypass switch for the airbag. I assumed they have a moderate moron population.

So you can disable the OC3 module support in the car via ncs expert and then unplug the module, finally you clear the airbag errors and the light goes out. The passenger airbag now acts like an EU model, deploying based on the presence of the passenger side seatbelt sensor.

Naturally no us dealer will perform this for you.

 

Thanks, you're the first one to clarify this point. People have hesitated to disable the occupancy sensor warning for fear that it might disable the passenger airbag altogether.

 

Is there anyway to know which software module is in car without going to dealer? The emulator who sold the emulator wants to know and all I have is an airbag code reader. If I have to take the car to a dealer to find that out, I may as well just buy the new seat.

 

joylove,

Thanks for the clarification. The next time this fails, and I suspect it will, I may pursue that option. Of course, that will require that I purchase the equipment to perform it, and learn way more about it than I want to know.

tbearmini,

The price for the seat part may vary, depending on the equipment on your car. Ours has leather and heated seats, which of course, is replaced along with the $.30 sensor. The estimate quoted $1217.95 for the part and 2.0 hours install at $112 plus tax (5.5% in WI) - over $1500 total.

 

This is not an area a dealer normally deals with. They might not even know what to look up. Direct the seller to this thread. There is some information about the modules involved with the OC3 sensor.

 

I'm handy enough to wire up resistors or buy a code reader and reset something, but what is the answer? I don't want to pay $1200 and Mini told me that without $1200, my safety is not their problem.

Has the Irish bypass thingy worked for anybody?

What is NGS or INPY software I hear about?

My SRS light comes on internittently so it may not have set a hard fault code yet.

Peter

 

Well, mind me asking a dumb question, if it is.

I recently replaced my drivers side bottom seat cushion and cover on my 05 R53, nothing else was touched and the sensors remain the same. I did not unplug the battery when doing it (stupid in my part) and my SRS light came up when I started up the car.

Can I use NCS Expert to reset the light? Or somehow "turn off" the light and reset the ECU and then turn the option back on, meaning Airbag?

Any help is appreciated.

 

Should be able to do it with the NCS expert. Or a OBDII reader with airbag capabilities.

 

True. This person has accidentally triggered his airbag by unplugging his driver seat without disconnecting the vehicle battery. This is not the same as the topic of this thread, a failed OC3 sensor mat and disabling it via coding.

I've never seen an OBD2 reader for airbags, since OBD2 specification covers the engine and gearbox (specifically emissions related portions) only.

 

joylove, you are probably correct. The handheld CAN OBDII VAG Combo unit I have will only clear the codes on the VAG side(VW & similar). I have read that there is a software app with BMW add on which will do the job. No experience with it, so can't confirm functionality. http://www.autoenginuity.com/product...mini-ei07.html
Probably cheaper to have the dealer reset it, unless you plan to clear a lot of codes.

 

My story gets worse. The bypass module didn't work - the SRS light on the speedo was lit and the roof passenger airbag light would randomly go on and off. I bought used seats (from 2006 model - mine were torn anyway) and now a week later the SRS light on the speedo will turn on and off whenever I hit a bump. I have one of the B800 scanners and it has code 71 (sensor) when the light stayed on for about 30 minutes.

I guess my options are now:
1- Buy a new seat bottom and install. Not sure how hard the install is.

2- Find someone who knows NCS expert and disable the sensor (I wouldn't mind this since it's all adults in my family) - anyone in Atlanta who has done this????

3- There is person on local CL who has sensor for sale and guarantees that it works. If I plugged in and just rolled it up under the seat would the passenger airbag work?

Thanks for any comments.

 

in response to #3. Plugging it in and placing under the seat will work. Some people who have aftermarket seats have done this successfully. Airbag will function as if an adult is always occupying the front seat.

 

Thanks for the info. Will probably do that.

 

Please be aware that the sensor is a set of digital scales. It uses the ibus to transmit a weight measurement using the BMW proprietary language. The car then decides whether to fire the airbag based on teh weight.

Whilst I don't doubt it it possible to trick the scales portion of the device with an aftermarket component, you will not be able to replace the weight sensor microcontroller and iBus transceiver with a dumb resistor.

 

Just took my 06 MINI S into Mini of Stevens Creek here in San Jose, they told me the sensor replacement will cost me $1450, I've been reading through this and I see a lot of options, for someone who has no idea how to remove the seat cushion and do the replacement, what risk do I have about setting off the airbag? I assume it has its own power in case somehow the battery gets cut off? Also would this be the sensor mat I require?

http://www.ddmtuning.com/Products/BM...R-MAT-CO-DRIVE

 

By unplugging the vehicle battery before and during any work, it is not possible to detonate an airbag.

 

Thanks, I was looking at the seat removal thread and saw they recommended a 40 min wait after disconnecting the battery, I'll take every precaution I can.