I'm planning on installing fixed-back bucket race seats (OMP or Recaro) in a 991 S, along with a rollbar and harnesses. Is it possible for the car to then be coded so that the stock seat airbag warning light is off, but all the other airbags work properly? What about the passenger seat weight sensor--can it be coded so the passenger front airbag is still operational despite the stock seat being gone? Can the dealer do this coding, or is it best handled by a capable indy shop?

Thanks in advance.

 

I tried to get this done and no indy or dealership could make it happen (I also think that from a liability standpoint the dealership would not want to deactivate the airbag alert). You can always take the instrument cluster apart and disable the airbag light but it is not an elegant solution...

I think that by default all other airbags (other than in the seats of course) will still work.

 

That's annoying. I could probably be ok with the airbag warning light on, but I would absolutely want to make sure that all other airbags are functional.

 

I have a 93 928GTS in addition to my 991. On the GTS I changed the steering wheel, deleting the airbag entirely. In order to get the light out I installed a 3 ohm resistor in the connector that originally connected to the airbag. The resistor fakes out the airbag controller, making it believe the bag was still there. Worked like a charm and cost me less than a dollar for the resistor.


Now with that all said, I have no idea if the 991 system works on the same principal. However trying different resistors should not hurt anything.

 

A few guys that are technically well versed in P-cars have told me that other airbags would keep working 'by default'. Imagine that your seat airbag fails (which would trigger the same alert as when you install a bucket seat), Porsche would not deactivate all other airbags and leave you less protected in case of an accident.
The only potential issue is about the passenger weight sensor and the front passenger airbag. Would the car, in absence of a weight sensor, consider that a kid is seated in the car and prevent the airbag from deploying even if the seatbelt is buckled?

PS: I have also read (on other brands forums) that people are using resistors to fool the car and make it believe that the side airbags are still there. Worth investigating.