Seat Occupancy Sensor

[Digitalize]

Got an airbag light on in my 97 Z3, code reader came back with 001A, occupancy sensor. Ordered an emulator but no joy.

I’m also fairly sure my car doesn’t have a passenger airbag as there’s no stamping to indicate it having one on the dash. A previous owner fitted a different set of seats, possibly from a later car.

Anyone have any ideas for me?

 

[SV8Predator]

I asked the same question a week or so ago and got no response.

 

[Richard29]

Could be the BST. Might need a new battery lead. That runs back to front. These corode over time.

 

[Andyboy]

A previous owner fitted a different set of seats, possibly from a later car.

That's the likely explanation. A 1997 car has E36 tech and a different occupancy sensor to later cars. The facelift wide body cars have E46 style electronics. An emulator won't do anything - what seats are they?

I have a feeling single airbag cars don't have an occupancy sensor anyway, relying instead on a crash sensor at the front of the car.

The control module might be at fault. They are a PITA to replace, living under the centre console - another PITA to remove - in front of the gearlever.

 

[Digitalize]

They’re base model flat seats just in a different colour, not sure if theres a way to tell early/late seats apart like on E36s.

Yeah I was thinking with no passenger airbag there wouldn’t need to be an occupancy sensor, is it possible the 0001A code is being falsely identified and could mean something different?

The full description from an Autel diagnostics tool is ‘Seat Occupancy Sensor Coding’ if that at all helps. It reads the same with the seat plugged in or the emulator.

 

[Andyboy]

This is the connector on a pre facelift 1.9 - which I think had two airbags.

 

[Digitalize]

I just tried completely unplugging the module and it seems to have cleared and not returned! Seems odd to me but I’m not going to question it.

 

[SV8Predator]

I just tried completely unplugging the module and it seems to have cleared and not returned! Seems odd to me but I’m not going to question it.

Which module is this? And where is it?

 

[Digitalize]

The entire occupancy sensor under the seat, black box with a white plug going in and a black plug going out.

Time will tell but cleared the codes on the diagnostics and cycled ignition and it hasn’t come back yet.

 

[SV8Predator]

The entire occupancy sensor under the seat, black box with a white plug going in and a black plug going out.

Time will tell but cleared the codes on the diagnostics and cycled ignition and it hasn’t come back yet.

Lucky you! Hasn't made a blind bit of difference to mine.

 

[Digitalize]

I think where mine is non airbag on passenger side plugging one in confused the module.