Seat changes and certs

[barryogen]

Having made a few plans for my car, I figure a set of nice front seats to hold me and the mrs a bit firmer is a good idea.

I don't plan on making it a full on race car, so comfort is still king, but I have been given the option of some seats that were made for a different version of my car, I've sat in them, they are exactly what I'm after(almost exactly like WRX seats), except they have airbags on the sides of them, which my car and the current owners car, have no provision/wiring etc for.

Now, the current owner of the seats has a car the same as mine, and got declined a warrant for not having them certed, but from reading all I can find is info pertaining to not changing the mounts, which this wouldn't.

[Leon]

abbreviated-

LVVV Certification is note required provided that:
The seat is either an OE seat from another vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and
-the seat is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and
- the anchorage or operation of seatbelts is not affected, and
- the releationship between seat, seat occupant, and location of the seatbelt anchorages is not affected, and
- the vehicle is not fitted with airbags in that seating position

[crazed_silvertop]

You could have the airbags taken out?

Don't do it yourself.... they use explosives to set them off (some off them) and you could take a finger or two off

[pidge]

Since the car presumably has dash or steering wheel mounted airbags for the driver and passenger, then you cannot replace the seats without a cert:

LVVV Certification is not required provided that:
...
- the vehicle is not fitted with airbags in that seating position

[the fallen303]

abbreviated-

LVVV Certification is note required provided that:
The seat is either an OE seat from another vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and
-the seat is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and
- the anchorage or operation of seatbelts is not affected, and
- the releationship between seat, seat occupant, and location of the seatbelt anchorages is not affected, and
- the vehicle is not fitted with airbags in that seating position

according to that, the setup in my supra, using a fixed back bucket seat, and custom made fixed position bracket, that is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, should not need a cert? haven't been able to find anywhere that the seat must remain adjustable? if it is adjustable, it must still work, doesn't say that it has to be adjustable...

[crazed_silvertop]

abbreviated-

-the seat is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and

according to that, the setup in my supra, using a fixed back bucket seat, and custom made fixed position bracket, that is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, should not need a cert? haven't been able to find anywhere that the seat must remain adjustable? if it is adjustable, it must still work, doesn't say that it has to be adjustable...

Your custom made bracket would count as an anchorage i believe

[barryogen]

abbreviated-

LVVV Certification is note required provided that:
The seat is either an OE seat from another vehicle or of a known and reputable aftermarket brand, and
-the seat is fitted to unmodified OE seat anchorages, and
- the anchorage or operation of seatbelts is not affected, and
- the releationship between seat, seat occupant, and location of the seatbelt anchorages is not affected, and
- the vehicle is not fitted with airbags in that seating position

Thanks for that.

The first four points are fine, as in it bolts into the OE bolt as it is meant for this car, just a few option grades up.

The vehicle is fitted with airbags(steering wheel and in dash for passenger, but as these seats retain the stock seating position, I would have thought they would be fine.

Might just take them into a cert guy and ask, probably easier :)

[Mr Revhead]

i believe some cars use sensors in the seats in conjunction with the airbags.

[Lloyd]

Cert rule used to be that in a 2 door you had to have at least one reclinable seat for rear passengers (assuming there were seats there). And if you have made a bracket for it then its no longer and OE seat really as you have modified it so you'd probably have to cert that anyway. In which case you'd need it to be able to recline.




As for Daves issue with Airbag seats, you have a drivers airbag so you'll need a cert for seats being changed. And you'd want to get those other seats retrimmed so they dont say SRS on them

[barryogen]

As for Daves issue with Airbag seats, you have a drivers airbag so you'll need a cert for seats being changed. And you'd want to get those other seats retrimmed so they dont say SRS on them

Thanks for that Lloyd... they would have to be re-covered anyway... currently they are a horrid blue with red... :roll: The Japanese have odd tastes in "style"

[Lloyd]

And take the explosives out while you're there... and keep them for later

[barryogen]

took a few pics of them to a local cert guy...

His official answer was...
the the airbags should be removed if they are not plugged in... once removed, as it mounts on the original mounts, the seating position doesn't change, and they came as OEM replacements, no cert needed.

His un-official answer.
Get them covered in stock looking covers, put them in, realistically the wof guy isn't going to notice as all he's going to check is that the air bag light goes out and the seat belt works.

As I'm going to need certs for things I'm doing anyway, I'll have them included.