SRS Light Sensor Pad

[The Pan Man]

Just put down the phone from a good MB Garage £488.00 to replace the sensor all in price. Car is a 53 plate E-Class. Having read some of these posts I have a question for the people who have done this job them selves. Do you (if within sensible distance of Warwickshire) fancy doing another one for a cash consideration. Where would I buy the pad from. Have seen some on a German website.

 

[jamesmc]

Sounds pretty pricey at £488.00!
I am assuming we are talking the passenger seat sensor pad here.
Locally the seat sensor pad cost me around Euro 90 (Just under £70.00) from my local MB parts shop. That was with 13% discount and then taxes added.
Can't be much more than that locally from your local MB parts shop.

Wow! That's over £400 they want for labour!

 

[triumph]

sensor bypass

You can get a little black box that will bypass the pad in the seat allowing the airbag to be active all the time you are driving
cost is about £100. EASY DIY JOB JUST SOLDER THE THREE WIRES TO THE BOX
I do have a spare box at present
only thing is you will not be able to put kids in front with baby seat
small price to pay

 

[jaymanek]

why would you buy a box for the sake of safety...

besides the seat pad is around £80 and fitting is 30 mins work for anyone that can untuck a leather cover!

 

[triumph]

What? where is the the saftey issue. all it does is make the airbag active when no one is in the seat.

 

[Autofix]

What? where is the the saftey issue. all it does is make the airbag active when no one is in the seat.

Mercedes baby seats work with the sensor, i.e. the system detects the baby seat and disables the airbag. Even if the current owner knows about the mod maybe a future owner may not.
It is possible to turn off (code out) the seat sensor. I will not do it for anyone however. I know the star does not have the option but it can be done.

 

[triumph]

With the amount of problems with this type of sensor in the seat I would not trust it anyway. don't put your kids in the front is the answer.
I bet half of Mercs with this design say airbag off on dash panel

 

[Aussie Nick]

I think this is a stupid bit of design. Its obvious this is a common fault and Mercedes should do something about fixing it for free.This is not simply a rust issue but a safety issue.

 

[rpalmeida]

The seat sensor (in europe) has 2 functions
a) occupency sensor
b) child seat recognition

Not all cars have (b) , it is an option in some markets, or has been. For instance in MY07 in UK the child seat recogntion became an option, not as standard on UK cars. A bit later in the year they made it standard on UK car. All the 'airbag off' lights etc were there, just the sticker on the end of the dash said it didnt have airbag off.

I changed the sensor (under £100) and re-coded the airbag sensor (star cant normally do that). As has been said above, it was about an hours work to take out the seat base pad and install the new combined sensor.

I'd ask an independant to quote for the job

Richard

 

[wacuna]

I need help

You can get a little black box that will bypass the pad in the seat allowing the airbag to be active all the time you are driving
cost is about £100. EASY DIY JOB JUST SOLDER THE THREE WIRES TO THE BOX
I do have a spare box at present
only thing is you will not be able to put kids in front with baby seat
small price to pay

Hi Triumph, I know this thread is old but I need to know where to buy the black box ti bypass the pad. Thanks for all your help.