Chad05TL

After several weeks of beating on this airbag indicator issue after the TypeS cluster upgrade, and after figuring out how the new HDS tool works, and finding a laptop from off lease, and all the experimenting with the SRS unit as well as the rabbit hole I got into which lead me to the ODS/OPDS unit, and swapping passengers seats, I FINALLY got the airbag light to go off! I was really excited when it went off like a month of issues just went bye-bye and I am still very happy about it. The airbag light has been an issue since probably 2007.
Interesting facts about the fix:
You need a HDS tool to “Initialize” the new OPDS/ODS unit and to do any troubleshooting. It can be tricky just doing the initialization alone.

I had to replace my front impact sensors ($35 each). Not sure if it was pre-existing, but I never had an airbag light until this mod. So, likely an incompatibility between the UA6 and UA7 systems. Fortunately the pinouts are the same going into the SRS unit and the connectors down at the front bumper are the same. So that helped. Only the HDS tool was able to tell me that the system had more than 1 reason to flash the airbag indicator. Or you can go to the dealer to have the new OPDS/ODS unit initialized. Either way, it will be an easy $100. But in my case, the dealer would not have been able to do it unless I paid him to swap the front impact sensors too (which means down time and mega $) So I got the tool. Just try not to get it directly from China. Go through a US seller like on ebay.

For and 04-06 TL (UA6), Of course you will need to replace the SRS unit with an 07/08 (UA7) SRS unit and move 3 pins, and you will need to replace the OPDS brain in the passenger seat. The UA6 HELM ETM calls the ODS brain the ODS unit. But the UA7 HELM ETM calls the brain OPDS unit. The UA6 and UA7 HELM ETM call the OPDS sensors by the same name. The sensors in the seat talks to the OPDS/ODS, and the OPDS/ODS talks to the SRS unit. And the SRS unit talks to everything. Which is why there are many pins on the SRS unit. So LABEL every wire before you cut! Be prepared, and by some cable labels from FRY’s or somewhere. I uses silver duct tape and scotch tape. That wasn’t the best choice. Frys has real cable labels. (And you definitely need some kind of labeling system for any splicing that I mention below. But you may not have to splice if you get a nice quality passenger seat to replace the one you have. Read on below.)

The SRS unit requires a splice on 3 wires. The FCAN (2 wires) moved positions and the “airbag off” indicator (near hazzard switch) pin moved positions. And 1 wire is deleted on the UA6. You need to buy some female wires like this to insert onto the new pin in 1 of the SRS connectors. I removed the black cover off the female side with wire cutters, and stripped the other side of the wire and tied it to my new FCAN wire going to the cluster, and I enlarged 1 pin hole (p21) on the SRS connector, just very slightly with a drill bit and then slid it through the connector socket and manually put the little female end over the pin directly on the SRS unit, then wiggled the connector into position and snapped it closed.








The easiest way to swap the OPDS/ODS unit is to get a passenger seat from a local salvage yard. If the seat stinks too much (odor) like the one I bought, then you can splice into to the seat cushion sensors (OPDS sensors). First I initialized the 07 seat.. Then I removed the seat and put the ODs unit in my 05 seat, and splice in the seat sensors. So I did it both ways. Splicing the seat sensors requires time and patience. I labeled 6 of the 7 wires on both sides of where I did the cut. The splicing is down on the seat back.. There is also 1 sub-harness that is “removable” from the seat. You need that mini harness. You may be able to buy it from Acura. (not sure). With that mini sub-harness there is no other PINOUT changes that you need to make on the OPDS/ODS unit. All the changes are internal to the seat and performed in that little sub-harness. There are 4 connectors that come out of the floor harness on the 05 TL. But 1 is left disconnected. The other 3 have identical pinouts as the UA7’s. So, that was a great thing! So a uA7 seat is completely plug and play with an 05 TL, just leave disconnected the wire shown below. The only reason you need to do any splicing on the seat itself, is IF you do not buy a good used replacement.
[IMg]
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DNey-Ao3-ZE/VJu299qQ77I/AAAAAAAABco/xCRHOBHXic8/w719-h540-no/Image5.jpg[/img]

See, the seat cushions have the sensors glued to them, and they are under the seat covers, so all that would have to be removed. But I wouldn’t do that. Just take apart the seat and you’ll see what I mean. Heavy c-clamps hold that cover on the cushion. And getting that cushion back into place so it looks nice will be difficult to say the least. I started to do that then I reverted.



Salvage yard Seat. I made inspection but decided to gut it, rather than use it.




You can splice if you have to. If you chose to splice then you will need to acquire a mini sub-harness that comes on the 07/08’s. Try to splice in the middle of the wire. These wires have connectors on the ends that plugs into the OPDS/ODS unit. And I needed those connectors because the connectors are different from UA6 to UA7. I only spliced because this seat I acquired from Salvage stinks and the color was a tiny bit off. Mostly it stunk.




If you splice, make sure the Shield is reconnected.. Its very tricky!







SRS unit taps the FCAN behind the speedometer. It does not matter where you tap. The FCAN is just a bus. Like a serial bus.



You will need both UA6 and UA7 HELM ETM’s. I have a spare 07 HELM for sale for $50.


After the installation and splice and clean-up!



Initialization process:
If you do the initialization of the ODS unit yourself, then you need to do this:

Make sure the seat bottom and the seat back and full forward.
Make sure you do not have any other DTC’s on the SRS unit otherwise the airbag light won’t go off if you generate other DTC’s during the conversion..
Make sure you re-connect the shields on the shielded wire (behind the seat) if you do the splicing procedure on the seat sensors, or it will fail.
Make sure you initialize the seat weight sensors first, then initialize the OPDS unit. (you will need about 50-70 pounds of known weight… like dumb bells for the SWS init.)
Follow the other on screen condition requirements

Added info:
The seat weighs about 70 pounds.





TPMS works too!. And mileage is correct...

Chad05TL

I said "You need to buy some female wires like this " here is the link

Premium Female/Female Jumper Wires - 40 x 6 ID: 266 - $3.95 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits

Chad05TL

This shows a little more what it looks like

alexb92

Kudos for doing this, but this looks like way too much trouble just for a new cluster.

Chad05TL

Short version:

This is what you need: (2 options)

Option 1:

a) Used SRS unit from 07/08 SRS (install 1 white wire, and splice 2 others, delete 1)
I got this for $46 and you might need to have it reset by a service on ebay for another $40. Supposedly, if the previous car had a major wreck and certain front air bags blew, then Acura recommends to replace the entire SRS unit with new. But I had someone reset it from ebay as a precaution. I thought certain codes were permanent and that would make the airbag light stay on forever, but I cannot confirm.
b) 07/08 Seat from local Salvage. Completely plug and play. ( I got this one for $119, picked up locally) You will not connect the yellow harness on the floor board above.


Option 2:

a) New SRS unit for $200+ or do option 1a above.
b) Buy a OPDS/ODS from 07 08. I bought 2 on ebay for $35 each. Mine is presently working with the Base TL ODS unit but I have a feeling it will also work with the typeS ODS unit but I cannot confirm because I didn't try it.
c) Buy a Sub-harness; 81166-SDB-L00, Link
d) After step c, splice the remaining 3 connectors that run from the OPDS to the seat cushions as seen above.
e) you need the connectors for the new ODS unit!!! I got them off the salvage seat. Not sure if you can buy them anywhere. If it was not for those connectors, then everything else can be spliced or installed.


ps: I hope that link is correct. I am 99.9% sure it is correct because that is the only other thing that plugs into the OPDS besides the seat cushions. Plus it is Y-'d with 2 little pigtails that connect to 2 little motors on the rails. So, it looks accurate in the picture!

Hope I am not forgetting anything!!


Oh Link was messed up from above.

Floorboard! (leave yellow wire disconnected. Other 3 are plug and play)

kocyk123

Hey OP! Was it Above and Beyond Group Therapy in the background by any chance?

Chad05TL

Anjunabeats Worldwide 189 With Mark Pledger

teamG720

Hey chad check PM

kocyk123

Ahhhhh Anjuna.... Mmmmmmm!!!!

‹^› ‹(•¿•)› ‹^›

Nice write up.

sreed16

I just put my Type S cluster in my 04 TL yesterday... I didn't get the airbag light ... I don't know why... Maybe the light just doesn't work on the cluster, but I've read that when you put the old one back in that the light remains on like its stored in the ecu or something, but when I put my old one back in, the airbag light is still off... The only light I have on the TYPE S cluster is the information light because I don't have a TPMS....

alan_rich

did you replace and follow everything in this write up or no? I want to put the 07-08 Base cluster in my 05 but I'm not clear on whether I'd need to do everything listed in this write up. I know the TPMS wouldn't work and I'd have to have a dealer program the milage but looking at a pic comparing the 2 clusters the wiring harnesses seem to be the same.... except on the 07-08 one there's an extra pin (5 pins instead of only 4) on the one that goes into the bottom right corner behind the fuel gage and shift indicator. If you went about it any differently then this write up would you please explain? Thanks.

Chad05TL

The plugs are the same on the speedo's. The difference is the way the airbag light is controlled. on the 05 (maybe 04 and 06 too) the airbag light has its own wire that connects to a pin on 1 of those plugs, and turns the airbag light on and off. but on the 07/08 that pin is inoperable, and there is no wire there. This wire on the 05 that controlled the airbag light was controled by the SRS unit on the floor behind the dashboard. So what Honda did was make a logical change to the SRS unit and deleted that wire. And since the SRS unit was already connected to the FCAN, and since the Speedo was also already connected to the FCAN, then all they had to do was make 1 logical change on the SRS unit and they could ride the FCAN rather than having that extra wire. So, yes if you are counting beans, then you want to remove as many wires as possible. So, they just manipulated the airbag light through the FCAN rather than running an extra jumper wire for it. The good news is that the 05 and the 07/08 use the same FCAn connection! So, there is no splicing needed at the speedo. The "only" change you have to make is get a new SRS unit which now sends the signal through the FCAN, because that is where the newer speedo is looking for the signal. Subsequently this is the same reason why the airbag light comes on and stays on unless you get a new SRS unit, and reset the SRS unit so it will recognize the OPDS in the passenger seat. Once all that is reset, then it will work. So all you have to do is install the SRS unit on the floor, and manually run 2 wires from the SRS unit to anywhere the FCAn can be located..I just tapped the 2 FCAn wires behind the speedo since they were accessible and identified on the schematics. And you need the pinout to the SRS unit, because they flipped 3 wires. hahha So you have to cut 2 wires and move 1. (I think). That will get you all the connectivity you need to operate the airbag light. Also you have to change out the OPDS in the passenger seat beucase the serial number won't match with the SRS, and it is hard coded, and so you have to get another OPDS for the seat. Then reset the system and it should work.. There is a little process for resetting the SRS unit and the OPDS.. The trick is that the bottom seat has to be pulled all the way forward, and the backrest has to be leaning all the way forward. Then do the reset process and you should be done.

Separately, the TPMS uses the FCAN too . So, just find any old place to tap into the FCAN. btw, the FCAN is a bus.. it doesnt matter where you tap in. And there is no resetting on the TPMS. Just install everything and wire it all up and you are done. but the wiring is a mini-nightmare. I used a cat3 or cat4 cable because 1 sheath had 4 wires in it. So, it made it easier to run the cat5 and keep it all organized. Just use thin cat3 or cat4. Cat5 will work, but it is thicker and its not necessary, and plus cat5 has 8 wires in it. Thats way too much. There are plugged holes in the floorboard to run from behind the seat to the initiators.. I put the external wires in a corrugated plastic tube for protection.. and appearance. I would get wire strippers. They will save you much pain. They cut and pull the rubber off. Like THIS.. Not like THIS. yuk!

Jamaica47

Is there anyway to do this without all these steps. Now that it has been a few years since you completed this. I read that someone placed Type-S gauges in without any Air bag light issues?

TechMechanic

Nice write up @Chad05TL . Any chance you can restore the photos and videos linked here? This information is so valuable for those of us willing to put the effort in to make all this work.

Chad05TL

I need to make a video and post it on youtube for monetization. I'm already setup on YT but I dont have the video put together. If you want to message me I will try to help.

Synchro

This is kind of hard to follow without wiring diagrams. Got a link to your YT?

You did this on your 2005 TL, but is it any different for a 2006?

Chad05TL

I don't have any videos on airbags. Maybe someday. But the 05 and 06 appear to be identical. The Helm service manual covers 04 to 06 but the electrical troubleshooting manual only covers 04-05. I think Helm may have renamed their ETM to cover 06. But I don't know for sure. They seem to be out of product on 1, and the other it is unclear what they have on their website, so it is hard to verify just now 8/8/21. BUT I think 05 and 06 are the same. But I have never tried it. So who knows if the connectors are the same, or if the part numbers are the same. Any time you mix a different opds with another srs unit, even if it is the same part number, the system will likely need to be initialized with an HDS tool. What are you trying to do?

Synchro

I was looking into putting an 07-08 gauge cluster in a 2006. I took a quick look at the 07-08 and the 2004 OEM service manuals, but the 2004 manual does not have the connector pin outs so it won't be easy to compare. Also, the 2006 is slightly different than the other years it seems.

The OPDS/SRS reset is not a problem. However, will a 07-08 SRS unit recognize and work with the 2006 modules?

Chad05TL

Which 2006 modules? Do you mean the seat OPDS which is part of the airbag system?
I doubt the 2007 SRS unit will work with the OPDS in the passenger seat(left arm). But I don't have an 06 ETM to verify the pinout.
Check part numbers between the 06 and 07, for the SRS unit and the OPDS. (acurapartswarehouse.com) If the part numbers are the same, then maybe the wiring is already setup..
I made no changes to the cluster connections when I upgraded my 05 to 07 TypeS. But I did have to alter the pinout AT the SRS unit.

Regarding wiring:
In 2007 The SRS unit talks to the Cluster through the FCAN, In 2005 the SRS unit signaled the airbag light to come on through a separate wire that was connected to the speedo cluster. (Pin 19, which was removed.)
However, the 05 (and after?) have always had an FCAN connection.(maybe 04 too, I dont know without looking) but the SRS unit was not on the FCAN.
The 07 SRS unit was reprogrammed to utilize the FCAN (on Pin 20 and 21) rather than the separate wire. That wire was removed from the harness
The airbag cuttoff light on the Hazzard button was then moved from 20 to 19. (I dont remember if I cut and splice (twist) the wire or if I pulled the pin out.. Some of these connectors have a release for each pin inside the connector. You have to use a micro screwdriver and press in until you hear it click/snap. But I dont remember now which method I used. That connector may not even have a release. I dont remember.
The net sum was 1 added wire for the FCAN. They added FCAN- to pin 21, and on my 05, there was no wire there.
So I barely barely drilled out the Pin Slot #21 and added a tiny pigtail wire.
I poked it through the connector, and side it onto the proper pin, the easily slid the large left yellow connector over the pin, and snapped it into place.
Then all you do is connect to the pigtail, and run up 2 wires to the FCAN which is located on the back of the speedo. Again that FCAN is already in the proper spot on the speedo side. So everything matches there. But you need to tap the SRS unit into the buss behind the speedo.
And that SRS unit, pin
After all the connections were made I still had to run through the initialization process with the HDS tool.

Chad05TL

When done, you may be able to reset any SRS codes this way. Some codes are sticky though..

Type-R

Basically the title says it all, all I’m trying to do is swap them. I saw the entire post and am really not trying to do all the steps documented. I also see a mix of information of whether or not the mileage is stored in the new cluster or whether the ecu kicks in and displays the proper mileage on the new cluster. But basically, what’s going to happen if I replace them and plug them in without doing all the wiring stuff? Thanks guys, appreciate it!

Synchro

The mileage is stored in the cluster. You will need to swap out the eprom chip that stores the mileage or get a cluster that has similar mileage.

You will have the airbag lights on if you just plug-n-play it.

Chad05TL

Odometer: [I think the right person has the ability to merely roll the odometer to a very close mileage. I found my guy on craigslist. It was a home type deal. It did not require any new chips.

Tpms: i think the 06 has tpms. So he should be ok there. The 06 as well as the 05 already has a connection to the FCAN or BCAN I cant remember which one it is at the moment. And I have not looked at the 06. I think it is the FCAN though. Which ever one the VSA is on. It's the same one.The 05 already had a connection to the FCAN, so the conversation just required a change to the srs sending unit since the fcan connection on the cluster side was already there.

The airbag may be the only issue for the 06 conversion. . But I will look it up to verify. It depends on whether or not the 06 SRS uses the FCAN to control the airbag light or if it uses a separate wire for the airbag light. The 07 cluster gets rid of that wire. But in order to do that on the 06 , the SRS has to be smart enough to put the airbag signal on the FCAN and not that wire. That will require a swap for the srs unit. And to swap the srs unit, it gets a bit hairy. I will let you know later tonight.



QUOTE=Synchro;16760967]The mileage is stored in the cluster. You will need to swap out the eprom chip that stores the mileage or get a cluster that has similar mileage.

You will have the airbag lights on if you just plug-n-play it.[/QUOTE]

Chad05TL

verified: From what I gather from the Helm books, the 06 Airbag light is just like the 05. It requires a new SRS unit.. But you will have to do some pin moves on the first SRS unit Connector on the left (there are 3 connectors) and run new cabling from the SRS unti to the FCAN and tap into it. Then your airbag light will work properly. And the SRS unit will talk to it through the FCAN.

If you get a new SRS unit, then you will need a new ODS/OPDS unit that is mounted in the passenger seat.
Then you will have to "initialize" the SRS unit with the OPDS. But to swap the OPDS unit in the seat I think there is another subwire you can buy from acura but the main problem is the seat heater elements are pluged into the OPDS and they use a different connector than the 07/08 So you will have to splice.. That is what I did. Yes it was a maze of "do this, then fix that, then that caused another issue, then fix that.. and do this... And remove the seat covers.. blah blah blah... And when you remove the lower back panel from the seat, the clips break. So you will need to replace those too.. hahaha had enough yet? Btw, I used a HDS tool that I bought from ebay to initialize the new SRS unit. But the cool thing is , you can use the HDS to read a lot of stuff and clear codes and read codes. Oh you know what.. I forgot.. I also replaced the 2 front impact sensors. I was getting an error code on those too. At this moment, I do not remember if the front impact sensors were creating an airbag light, but I know they are connected through the SRS unit.. And I know I had an error on both of them. But I dont know if that was a problem with the airbag light because I just replaced them and the warning went away. You know, not everything causes a light to come on, on these TLs. You can have a stored code or error without a light. So ya, lots of work!

If you already have TPMS, then I think you will be ok.. as far as the connectivity is concerned. But when it comes to the electronics talking to each other (That is, tpms unit to cluster) I have not tested it.. Has to be tested. Check the part number to see if they are the same for 06 and 07

Consider buying HELM BOOKS!

Synchro

I was thinking about doing this mod, but I decided against it because I am not 100% sure the SRS will work if there is an accident. The other factor is that all the parts required will add up quickly.

Where can I get a copy of the Helm books?

Chad05TL

google it. helm manual

Synchro

You keep saying you spliced the wires, but couldn't you just re-pin the connectors? I mean, is it possible to remove the pins from the 04-06 connectors and just insert them into the 07-08 connector shells?

In summary, parts needed:

1. 07/08 SRS unit
   Base/TypeS part: 77960-SEP-A21
   
2. 07/08 OPDS
   Base part: 81169-SEP-A01
   
3. 07/08 OPDS sub-harness
   Base/TypeS part: 81166-SDB-L00
   
4. 07/08 impact sensor
   Base/TypeS part: 77930-SEP-P82

Chad05TL

Yes you need all those parts. But if you buy new OPDS and SRS units, they will have to be initialized together using the HDS software or some other device. Even compatible devices have to be "initialized" to work together if they have never been installed together...
OR just buy 2 used ones from the same car. It *might* work that way. Meaning, you may be able to skate by without the HDS software. Just make sure you connect the SHIELD for each heating element. If you don't it wont work. The OPDS will toss an error on the system. Almost forgot.. if you buy a USED SRS unit, it may have set a code in the SRS unit , if the car was wrecked!! And some of those SRS unit codes are hard set. Meaning, some you can erase and some you cannot. Now, does that mean the airbag light will come on if there is a hard code? To be honest, I dont remember. I know you can clear the codes with the HDS software but I dont remember if permanent codes will cause an airbag light. I am leaning to "no, it will not cause an airbag light".. but I do know the code remains forever. But that doesnt matter as long as the airbag light goes off.

As far as splicing vs. repinning the connector on the OPDS..
It has been several years since I done this, but yes you may be able to remove the pins from the old OPDS connector and put them in the new connector. Maybe after I did this job, I learned how to extract pins. And you can do it by pressing a tiny screw driver in the open slot adjacent to each pin and it should snap in place.. That snap indicated the pin is free to be pulled out. THen just push or pull out the pin and then remove the tiny screw driver..