SRS Orange Box

[merlin]

I'm changing out my airbag steering wheel for an M-tech II and want to disconnect the orange box to prevent the SRS light from coming on. Can someone please post a picture or pinpoint its location and how best to get to it? All I know is that it's somewhere left of the steering column and under the dash.

Thanks.

[BadAss95-530i]

i wouldnt call it a box exactly. More like a pain in the butt sort of...thing. Mine never matched anything in the pictures either, but it was the only orange item in the whole underside of the column. Im sure once you crack it open you cant miss it.

Edit: unless of course i never actually found the correct one...and i put myself is serious jeopardy dealing with only what i THOUGHT was it...

[merlin]

I think you stumbled upon the orange "connector" in the steering column. The box as I understand it is something different.

[Ross]

It's WAY up there to the left of the column. I think you need to pull down some big harness junctions first.
Be sure disconnecting will accomplish what you desire, it's no fun to get at.

[attack eagle]

yep. impossible to take a picture of.

trace the only wire from the column that DOESN'T go the the multiple harness connector locations and you will have found it.

silver box mounted inverted and horizontal almost directly above the kick panel, well to the left and behind the other column connectors.

[mottati]

mine was way up, to the left of the steering column, with two large orange connectors going into it, can't miss it.

[Jehu]

I'm changing out my airbag steering wheel for an M-tech II and want to disconnect the orange box to prevent the SRS light from coming on. Can someone please post a picture or pinpoint its location and how best to get to it? All I know is that it's somewhere left of the steering column and under the dash.

Thanks.

This recent thread may be of some help. I took pictures you'll see trying to ID the correct plug.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38901

Is the SRS Sensor what you want? Third pic down is under the back seat next to the Battery.

[merlin]

What is the purpose of this sensor under the rear seat? If I unplug it, would that achieve the same result of preventing the SRS light from coming on when I install the non-airbag steering wheel? Anybody knows?

As to the other box under the dash, anyone who tackled it thinks it might be easier to reach from top, i.e. from behind the instrument cluster?

Thanks guys.

[attack eagle]

what sensor under the rear seat?

there is a fusible link under there but no SRS sensor that i've ever seen.

Unless you 95s have a computer there (according to pics, not a sensor, sensors are on the strut towers... take a look) because of the dashtop bag?

[Ross]

AE, There is one back there.
Merlin, I'm thinking popping the bulb out of the cluster is your best bet. I think there is also an LED parallel with bulb you need to disable. Taking th ecluster out is peanuts compared to digging all those wire connectors to get at the "box".

[merlin]

Yes, there's an airbag sensor under the rear seat, just like the third picture above.

I'll dig around once I have the old steering wheel off. From the input in this thread, I think with a mirror and flashlight, there might be a 50/50 chance of reaching it from behind the instrument cluster. If I do succeed, I'll try to snap a couple pics and post back for everyone's benefit.

At least now we know the box is silver in color. Previous threads have mentioned it was orange.

Meanwhile, if anyone has more feedback, please pitch in.

[merlin]

Update:

I have not yet looked for the box under the dash since I'm still waiting on the replacement wheel to arrive in the mail.

But,

I came across the following while looking for an alternative to pulling the bulb in case the box remained out of reach. It seems you can wire a simple resistor in place of the airbag, fooling the system into thinking it is still there, thus maintaing functionality of the passenger side and no warning light:

http://www.gti-vr6.net/library/steering/airbag_light_ON_w_afterm_st_wheel.html


And this here seems to determine the value of the resistance at 1.8-5.6 ohms:

http://www.unofficialbmw.com/images/BMW_Airbag_Failure_Codes.pdf


What do you all think?

[Ross]

This looks like the best way to me. The connect or for the airbag is certainly easier to get to.

[attack eagle]

nice find!