Topic: Broken Passenger seat sensor solution - maybe

[davhamm]

Originally posted on the sky forum, but some people seem to have problems reposting here and will try to send Airbag360 to this forum instead. Hopefully someone out there can help out.


I have contacted a company that thinks they can make a solution for us I contacted them via their facebook page and this was their response.
Airbag360
There is possibility , for now we can only reprogrammed from control unit . If we could get sensor( malfunctioned is also good for us ) and module from under seat we could start this project immediately.
This is the contact info I have from their facebook site.
Airbag360
Zenith House . Unit 50 Blyry
Athlone, Ireland
+353 87 945 7528
AIRBG360.COM - cost efective solutions for faulty airbag seat sensors

Since I don't even have a car yet, hard for me to supply parts. Any chance someone could pick up this ball and run with it?

[Kelu]

From their website: "All of our emulators are programmed to send a "seat occupied" signal to the airbag module which means that with or without a passanger on the seat your airbag will deploy."
Do we want this?

[davhamm]

Since I don't drive with young kids, Yes I would rather have an airbag always active, then one that is never active.

More importantly you could then wire in a switch which would deactivate the emulator and effectively give you a manual switch to turn off the airbag. So switch on emulator in loop, airbag on, switch off emulator not connected fault sensed, airbag deactivated and light would come on.

[Kelu]

Ok, sounds interesting.

The sensor itself, the electronic part I mean, is not reported broken based on the last investigation at the service, I'm guessing only that strip from inside the foam might be broken.

I'm about to order the foam part from a local parts shop:
Opel-part No: 4810419
GM-part No: 19124219

Price was estimated for 115 Euro - 132 USD and delivery in about 1 week. After I get it I might be able to pull the broken one.

[davhamm]

They just need the pad and the black control module attached, so they can reverse engineer what signals to send out. So yes once you get your replacement, if no one has sent one in yet, just pull the black pad and control box off the foam and send it to them.

I also need to check that the output of that module goes to the Airbag Control Module and not through any other modules. Will check schematic later today.

[Helios]

I also emailed Airbag 360 about making a bypass module for us. I'm glad they had a positive response in at least attempting to manufacture a solution for our cars.

Since I don't drive with young kids, Yes I would rather have an airbag always active, then one that is never active.

More importantly you could then wire in a switch which would deactivate the emulator and effectively give you a manual switch to turn off the airbag. So switch on emulator in loop, airbag on, switch off emulator not connected fault sensed, airbag deactivated and light would come on.

+1 about not having young kids riding with me and rather have the airbag enabled plus I now have aftermarket seats. However, you may not be able wire a switch to activate/ deactivate the passenger airbag. Doing so may result in the airbag warning light from once again illuminating and disabling the passenger airbag until the light is reset with a Tech II. Although, I hope that is not the case.

[Rockchops]

I'm guessing their "enable" makes the airbag pop at full blast. Considering we have multi stage airbags this may not be the best solution.


Sent from an abacus

[NormSky]

TS is famous now!
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/09/gm-not-recalling-solstice-sky-airbag-failures/

[DaveOC]

Query:  Has it ever been determined that when the passenger presence module fails and produces the error codes, does the error condition affect (disable) only the passenger air bag or does the error condition affect (disable) both the driver and passenger air bags?

I don't think I have ever seen this question answered with any degree of certainty on any Kappa related forum. 

(Disclaimer: Note that this doesn't mean it hasn't been answered, but only that I either haven't seen an answer or don't remember seeing a definitive answer.)

.

[TomatoSoup]

I have not seen that answered either

[DaveOC]

I have not seen that answered either

Thanks TS!

.

[Gentleman Jack]

Famous TS!!!!

[TomatoSoup]

I will now be charging 5c for every piece of advice dispensed on this forum.  GJ will be my "collection dept." (I will be supplying him with a brand new Louisville Slugger.)

[Gentleman Jack]

[davhamm]

Query:  Has it ever been determined that when the passenger presence module fails and produces the error codes, does the error condition affect (disable) only the passenger air bag or does the error condition affect (disable) both the driver and passenger air bags?

I don't think I have ever seen this question answered with any degree of certainty on any Kappa related forum. 

(Disclaimer: Note that this doesn't mean it hasn't been answered, but only that I either haven't seen an answer or don't remember seeing a definitive answer.)

This is one of the odd things that seems to keep trying to grow legs. But from an engineering sense makes little sense. The sensor is not a dumb sensor it has a circuit board and logic, It communicates to the Air bag control module. It is highly unlikely that the seat sensor on the passenger seat failing and setting a code, would then have the car deactivate the drivers side airbag. From so many engineering/safety reasons this would not be a good idea.

About the only way to prove this would be to see or be in a Kappa with a bad sensor when it gets in a front end accident that causes the airbags to deploy.

[Robotech]

davhamm, I know you and I have talked about this a bit through PM and what you shared with me there is a pretty solid answer. If there have been accidents where there has been an SRS light illuminated and yet the driver's air bag still deploys, that kind of answers the question.

Of course, I just got to thinking about this, it is kind of odd if the default setting for the passenger side airbag if there is a failure in the passenger side sensing system is to NOT deploy the passenger airbag in case of an accident. Would seem to me if you can't tell if someone is sitting in the car or not that you should default to the system behaving as if someone is there...

...though, I guess they are taking the precaution of a small child or infant being in that seat and having the airbag deploy would be a worse scenario than having an adult in that seat and the airbag not deploying.

[Sky4Two]

I had this problem at 12,000 miles. It was repaired under warranty. Still, it seems I can expect to have this problem again. I'm notifying the NHTSA & GM that I intend to press for a recall. I had no idea that this is a common problem. I also endured the Ignition/Switch recall. Perhaps an internet blitz on GM is in order. We can influence future buyers of GM to look elsewhere for their next car. I'll start with the notification of family members. The fact that GM is partially owned by the Auto Workers Union, does not help our cause.      Sky4Two