E90 Airbags

[Rob J]

Hello,

I am converting a pre-face lift (2005) E90 330i into a track car

The interior is monstly strippedup to the wind screen (front rear) pillars where I now encounter airbags on each corner

Can anyone advise how to safely remove all of the airbags and explain how to prevent the airbad warning light from coming on in the process?

All info greatly appreciated

Many thanks

Rob

[E-bmw]

Remove battery (ensuring you have any stereo codes etc) then remove airbags.

At each final connection point you need to insert a 2.2 ohm resistor across the terminals of the little plug on the wiring loom.

ONLY when you have done all of the above do you replace the battery & you should hopefully have no warning lights.

[Rob J]

Great, thanks for your advice

However, I just read that car will fail an MOT if airbags fitted as original equipment have been removed

Surely this will be an issue for virtually every track car with an aftermarket steering wheel...

Does anybody have experience with this??

Thanks

[E-bmw]

You need to check the EXACT wording as I think you will find it is more like any car with airbags fitted as standard must not display an airbag fault.

[Rob J]

E-bmw said:

You need to check the EXACT wording as I think you will find it is more like any car with airbags fitted as standard must not display an airbag fault.

My original wording was from the manual on gov.uk

Section 7.1.5 - Airbags

"a.An airbag fitted as original equipment obviously missing" - constitutes a "Major" MOT failure

https://www.mot-testing.service.gov.uk/documents/m...

[AlwynMike]

......so refit the standard wheel for the MOT. Don't have to connect it, and no fault light showing.

[Rob J]

AlwynMike said:

......so refit the standard wheel for the MOT. Don't have to connect it, and no fault light showing.

And the airbags in each of the four roof pillars?...and the passenger airbag in the dash (although i guess this is not so easy to check whether it is still there or not)....

Also unsure if the steering wheel airbag is not connected whether the fault light will come on for start up and then go out again (which will be checked for MOT)

[Rob J]

E-bmw said:

Remove battery (ensuring you have any stereo codes etc) then remove airbags.

At each final connection point you need to insert a 2.2 ohm resistor across the terminals of the little plug on the wiring loom.

ONLY when you have done all of the above do you replace the battery & you should hopefully have no warning lights.

Thanks for the advice E-bmw, unfortunatley I am neither experienced or gifted in these more technical matters; would this literally just be a case of inserting a resistor into the terminals and making sure they have contact with the wiring, or would they need to be soldered in or attached in a more robust way?

Cheer for any advice you have!!

[E-bmw]

Rob J said:

E-bmw said:

Remove battery (ensuring you have any stereo codes etc) then remove airbags.

At each final connection point you need to insert a 2.2 ohm resistor across the terminals of the little plug on the wiring loom.

ONLY when you have done all of the above do you replace the battery & you should hopefully have no warning lights.

would this literally just be a case of inserting a resistor into the terminals and making sure they have contact with the wiring

That is exactly what it is, I put a bit of electrical tape round the whole thing then to keep it in place and protect from any short circuiting on anything else.

[Rob J]

E-bmw said:

That is exactly what it is, I put a bit of electrical tape round the whole thing then to keep it in place and protect from any short circuiting on anything else.

Cheers!! Resistors on order!

[E-bmw]

Rob J said:

AlwynMike said:

......so refit the standard wheel for the MOT. Don't have to connect it, and no fault light showing.

And the airbags in each of the four roof pillars?...and the passenger airbag in the dash (although i guess this is not so easy to check whether it is still there or not)....

Also unsure if the steering wheel airbag is not connected whether the fault light will come on for start up and then go out again (which will be checked for MOT)

If you leave the resistor previously inserted in place then just swap over the wheel it will be fine as the 2.2 ohm resistor registers the same resistance as the airbag actuator & the Airbag warning light does exactly what it should do in a working system.

[Rob J]

E-bmw said:

If you leave the resistor previously inserted in place then just swap over the wheel it will be fine as the 2.2 ohm resistor registers the same resistance as the airbag actuator & the Airbag warning light does exactly what it should do in a working system.

Cheers - so technically this soluiton will work

But I am still confused about the guidance given in the MOT handbook. There are definately many, many cars with OEM airbags removed that have valid MOT's

Do the testers just simply make an expemption if its a track car (but then how do you define what is/isn't a track car etc...)

The reason I am a little hung up on this is that I live in Germany and need to travel back to the UK to get an MOT, so I need to be as certain as possible that I will get a pass - otherwise a logistical nightmare will ensue to make changes during the short period I will be in the UK and get re-tested in time for tunnel booking back to sasauge land....