nhluhr

There are several stumbling blocks that prevent you from properly installing aftermarket seats in the 2006 STI. Namely, the new model has a number of new sensors and connectors to monitor when and how hard to deploy the airbags.

The following is a list of the connectors found on the underside of the seats:

Driver Side
-Side Impact Airbag
-Seatbelt Latch Sensor (two connectors)
-Seat Position Sensor (new for 2006)

Passenger Side
-Side Impact Airbag
-Seatbelt Latch Sensor
-Occupant Detection Sensor (new for 2006)

To successfully install the seats, you have to transplant all of these sensors and also simulate the presence of the side impact airbags with resistors.

-Side Impact Airbag - Easy to fool by simply placing a 3-ohm resistor in the airbag connector under each seat.
-Driver Seat Position Sensor - Easy to fool by simply unbolting the sensor from the stock seat and plugging it in under the new seat. This will simulate having the stock seat all the way back and will deploy the airbag with full force.
-Seatbelt Latch Sensor - This remains as part of the seatbelt and transfers over to the new seat when you transfer the seatbelt latch. It just plugs right in.

The real difficulty is the Occupant Detection System. Thanks to TRooper on Nasioc, we have a tutorial for removing the occupant detection system from the stock passenger side seat.
and here's a step-by-step of placing the occupant detection system into a Corbeau CR-1 passenger side aftermarket seat:


Here's the pressure bladder, removed from the stock seat. It's three layers - a felt pad, the bladder itself, and then a protective plastic sheet on top:


remove the rails from the new seat (if they were already installed):


this is the bladder, the seatbelt sensor, and the control module. The bladder and seatbelt sensors plug into the module:


peel back the upholstry to gain access to the bottom. On the Corbeau seats, it's a velcro flap:


This is the underside of the seat exposed. You will need to get the bladder between the pad and the springs:


On the Corbeau CR-1, you can lift up the seat-cushion a little bit and gain access to where you need to get the bladder:


Here, I am sliding the bladder into its new home from the gap in the seat-cushion. It's a tight fit so work carefully. You don't want to rip the nipple off the bladder:

Continue working the bladder into place from below to help guide it. Don't forget to gently pull the connector through:


Once into place, use zip-ties and the pre-existing slots in the bladder to secure it into place:


There is also room to mount the module to the underside of the springs using zipties:


Notice the springs are recessed up into the bottom so the module doesn't hang down much:


connect whatever sensors you can and dress the cables carefully with zip-ties:


close the flap over the module with the two sensors sticking out towards the seatbelt side:


replace the rails, routing the seatbelt sensor and plugging it in such that it won't hang on anything when you slide the seat back and forth:


Now you can reinstall the seat back into the car. You'll need to substitute a 3-ohm resistor for the airbag connector and then just plug the remaining connector from the module into the matching one in the car. Once reinstalled, you can test the operation by starting the car and leaning over onto the passenger seat and putting your weight on the cushion - watch the light in the clock assembly to ensure operation. It should go to ON once you have put some pressure on the cushion (and bladder).

When you're done, you'll be treated to beautiful seats and a much better seating position and lateral support:

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a.k.a. nhluhr on NASIOC

 

nhluhr

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a.k.a. nhluhr on NASIOC