simplycurious_7

Due to a back issue, I have been exploring the possibility of installing an after-market seat into my Acura TL type S (year 2008). Has anyone had experience with this. As I understand things currently the considerations from an electrical perspective are as follows:

-side air bag (if the new seat does not have one, how do I ensure that the sensor for the airbag doesn't continually go off)
-sensor for the distance that the seat is from the steering wheel (this sensor is in place so that the steering wheel air bag will know which velocitiy to employ at, does anyone know how to contend with this in an aftermarket seat?)
-seat belt engaged sensor
-passenger seat pressure sensor

Any experiences with these issues would be most welcome. Thanks.

Bearcat94

Check the past couple pages of this thread. Not quite the detail you're looking for, but maybe a start.

Also PM Inaccurate, the thread owner. I think he has contended with some of these issues in "modifying" his TL.

HQTL6SPD

Recaro makes the best racing seats, Nice choice!

You should search for user Inaccurate or ACCURATEin. They both have been through most of these issues, therefore can both help you out. Good luck!

BLACKURA_NY

iTrader: (6)

yea ACCURATEin def. has aftermarket seats..

ayethetiense

id be interested in taking the type S seat off your hands. Im looking for a stock seat that has thicker bolsters to craddle me in the seat. my 04 seat has crappy bolsters.

let me kno ya?

Inaccurate

The OP did a great job of identifying the obstacles. I wish that I could offer a solution. I often thought of this dreaded scenario of trying to installed aftermarket seats and how to keep the factory restraint system functional. I am just glad that I did not have to deal with this scenario.

I now rely on the racing restraint system with no regards to the oem restraint system. Thus, I am not able to offer any help to the OP. However, I will offer the following warning. Do not do anything to cause your SRS light to go on. If you disconnect a single item from the oem seats (as correctly identified by the OP), the SRS will indicate a malfunction by lighting the SRS warning light. Do not do this because your airbag system would never indicate that there was a malfunction (and the SRS system breaks often in our cars) when there was a bona fide problem with your airbags. And more importantly, the oem restraint system (in particular the air bags) is not functional when the SRS light is on.

simplycurious_7

Thanks for the reply Inaccurate. When you installed your seats how did you 'trick' the system (for lack of a better word) into thinking the sensors were ok. I'm no so concerned with maintaining all of the functionality, however I don't want to have any of the system lights flashing. So as an example:

-the side air bag, I do not have to have. How do I keep the sensor from engaging?


-the sensor that judges the distance of the seat from the steering column, I don't think i have to have, but I would want the air bag from the steering wheel to work.

simplycurious_7

I'm not sure the Type S seats will work in your TL. I spoke with a Dealer about this and he advised that the plug in from the Type S seat is different than the plug in from the regular TL.

Has anyone heard otherwise?

stillhere153

iTrader: (1)

I know for the racing seat installation on nissan they have a srs trick which plugs into the seats harness and doops the srs into thinking it is still there....

S PAW 1

[QUOTE
-the side air bag, I do not have to have. How do I keep the sensor from engaging?


-the sensor that judges the distance of the seat from the steering column, I don't think i have to have, but I would want the air bag from the steering wheel to work.[/QUOTE]

Is resale value important to you?
Just something to consider.

simplycurious_7

Thats an excellent point on the resale value. I've thought about that too and may choose to keep the original seat for that reason. Thus I can install a seat that will work for me, but have a few less of the features, then when I decide to sell, simply put in the original seat which should return everything to its factory setting.

the sad and frustrating truth is that I will sell the car if I can't find a fix. It is incredibly uncomfortable to me as is.

Thanks everyone for all of you input.

S PAW 1

I'm not speaking from experience, but I don't think the word "simply" will apply.
Your messing with alot of technical gadgets which we know little about when it comes to parts interacting with one another to make a complete system work.
I have an '07 TL-S, and find the seats very comfortable, even though I have alot of arthritis in my lower back. However, my wife was uncomfortable with the passenger seat on long trips. I bought her a combination lower back/seat cushion from TempurPedic, and she swears it is as different as night and day in comfort. Might want to give it a try. I have talked to others that also recommend the TempurPedic. Word: don't buy any other brand, they won't work as well, but they will be less expensive.
Good luck!

simplycurious_7

I would agree, there's nothing simple about this little project. I haven't explored the termpurpedic, I'll take a look. Is there a particular product.

S PAW 1

Yes....go to www.tempurpedic.com
Two pieces, the lumbar cushion, and the seat cushion.
I wasn't able to find at a local distributor, so I purchased direct about 6 months ago.
She loves them!

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

You can continue this disucssion in the other two threads you started regarding this issue. Thanks.