Well Berkshires new Subaru dealer wasn't any help so your our final hope Fulham71. Or I'll have to make a trip to Maplin's.

C



[Edited by Charlie Boy - 11/5/2003 8:34:11 AM]

 

Has anyone swapped the side air bag style front seats in a MY01 for the bucket style? If so, how did you stop the air bag light from staying on (I believe you need a resistor) and did you have any problems with insurance / warranty because of removing the airbags?

Thanks.

 

Fulham71 has done this to his 01 WRX.It does indeed involve fitting a resistor as part of the fix though.....
He's selling his bucket seats now and you can find his For Sale post here

Good luck

Nick

 

Thanks Nick.

I have posted a reply in Fulham71's thread asking about the resistor but he hasn't answered - so I thought I'd ask on here.

 

I think he said you can get the fix from your subaru dealer quite cheaply.

Gordo

 

You're right, it does say that. However, I have spoken to Lucas of Mansfield & Beechdale Nottm who have told me that swapping the seats will invalidate any warrenty and possibly my insurance. The reason is that I am changing the factory fitted safety features of the car. When I asked about a risitor the reply from both was that they didn't know of such a part.

I'm beginning to think it's not worth all the hassle.

Thanks for your comment.

 

Don't give up that easily on it.They sound a bit of a sh1tty dealer who don't wanna help you cos you are trying to do something that's 'non standard'.For arguments sake,If you do change your seats,how will the insurance know if you put bucket seats in it? (After all,they are OEM fit ones that you will be installing.Just a thought!!)

Good luck anyway

Nick

P.S: A guy called Dave T-S put racing seats in his old 01 a while ago.He doesn't post here that much now as I think he bought a VX220 turbo but he should be able to put you in touch with the dealer he used to get the resistor! (Also,have you tried dropping Fulham an email to find out where he got his from?)

 

Thanks Nick.
I'll keep trying, & have sent an e-mail to Fulham71 as you suggested.

 

DJ

I'm hoping to fit Recaro's at Christmas and was wondering how you got on with fitting your new seats. Did you find the resistor to stop the air bag light coming on? if so where did you find them?

Also I've got one years warranty remaining so am bit worried about what Lucas Subaru said to you. Surly it would only void the warranty on the seats which in my case will be Recaro's anyway.

Any help welcomed

C

 

Hi guys the resistor is available from SUBARU & is fitted in my car now

I have just moved so everything is a mess but will look for the reciept & if I can find it I will post details


[Edited by Fulham71 - 10/29/2003 9:48:43 AM]

 

I haven't got round to sorting this yet. I'm self employed and picked up a contract working on a customer site, so I've been too busy. Probably won't be done this side of Christmas.
Fulham71 - If you do manage to find the details of the resistor that would be a great help. As stated previous, my local dealers offered no help at all.

 

Charlie Boy, What did the dealer say about the warranty?

DJ.

 

DJ

I guessed that Bulldog not knowing about the resister wouldn't know about the warranty side either (IM why did you close Lancasters!!!!!).I would think if we use the Subaru resister there would be no problem with the warranty on the rest of the car, how would the seats then effect anything else on the car.

I'm more concerned with the insurance side of things, but I cant see how it effects this either, my insurance co never asked me what seats I have in the car (airbag or non airbag). Are we all overly paranoid about these kind of changes, has anyone experienced problems regarding changing seats and insurance, think I may just stay quiet.

C

 

CB - I know what you mean about being paranoid. But I like to think I’m careful – not paranoid. I did speak to Churchill who were my insurers up till last month, and I was careful to explain everything correctly. Even that I wanted to change the seats for the other style of seat that were a no cost option at the time of ordering the car. Eventually after keeping me on the phone for ages, they said that if I changed the seats, they wouldn’t be able to offer me insurance. I’m now with Tesco, but haven’t asked yet. I did speak to Direct Line who would insure the car after changing the seats. The increase in premium was also negligible (I think about £20).
It’s up to you if you want to keep quite about it, but insurance companies use every means available to not pay up on a claim. You only have to give them the Reg No when getting a quote and they can tell you your cars details. They then ask if it’s been modified. If you reply no & it has, then technically you giving false information which invalidates your insurance. I don’t about you but I’m not prepared to risk losing so much cash over a pair of seats.
As for the warranty, I agree, if it’s a Subaru part then we should be OK.

Fulham71 – If you can’t find the receipt, please could you let us know the dealer, then I can give them a call. Thanks.

DJ

 

DJ

I've heeded your advice and talked to my insurers who say its ok as long as there fitted by an approved garage and not Joe Bloggs.

I'm with AXA, they seem to be ok with mods.

C

 

OK I have them now £25 the pair plus postage if anyone wants them !

 

Wow! £25 sure that's not some super resister made by NASA.

How much did you pay originally?

C

 

Hi Folks

Just recently changed my seats for the buckets in a my01, the resistor fix is available from Subaru, cost me £9.50 + vat each. When you get them it is basically a resitor block with 2 wires going into a connecting block. This connecting block does not acually fit the one you unplug from your sport seats, so you have to remove the wire with the spade connector attached from the block and then these push into the block which you unplugged from you sport seats. All will become more clearer when you do it, if i can sort anyone can. Anyway the part no. is 98299PA040.

Hope that helps, if you need anymore advice ask.

S.B.

 

S.B. - Thanks for your post. I'll be calling in at Lucas parts dept. in the next few days.

DJ.

 

Thanks for the help guy's. I'll try to post pictures when every things fitted.

C

 

did anyone need a pair of these ?

 

I was going to go for the Subaru approach, but unfortunately both my local Subaru dealers did not have the airbag resistor blocks in stock.

Not being the patient sort, I looked on these forums and also on NASOIC for a solution, and found an alternative, although somewhat more DIY, though cheaper solution.

I went to my local Maplin to try and purchase two 3.3 ohm resistors (this is essentially what's in the wiring block you buy from Subaru). However, Maplin didn't have these in stock, so I bought 6 10ohm resistors.
If you can source two 3.3 ohm ones it's just a matter of poking the ends of the resistor into each of the plugs left from the original seats and then securing the resistor in place using a surround, or tape, etc.

If you're less lucky like me then some soldering is required. You need to wire 3 x 10 ohm resistors in parallel, and then do the same as you would with the single resistor, i.e.


I personally electrically taped mine securely in place using a LOT of tape - not the most elegant solution, BUT it only cost £1 as opposed to £20 odd from Subaru, and the airbag light stays OFF.