Technical Removing front seat

[Phil R]

I am wanting to remove the front seat on our 2015 Panda Cross 4x4
I believe i need to disconnect the battery
negative then positive and then unplug the seat electric

i assume connect back positive then negative
when do i reconnect the seat plug ?
also will all settings be erased ?

Thanks

 

[Big gerry]

Hi connect the seat before you put the terminals back on the battery some settings will be lost but if you are running the genuine stereo I think it keeps the stations

 

[The Panda Nut]

I have taken the seats from our 1.2
I removed the battery and then unplugged the seat electrics. Did the seat job, put the set back, plugged in and reconnected. Nothing required any resetting. If the car is disconnected then the ecu doesnt know the seats been out for a stroll. It all worked as it should after. If you switch on / drive without the seats you will get warning lights.

 

[WitleyPanda]

When seat came out for re upholstering, did not disconnect the battery, just ignition off.

 

[bugsymike]

When seat came out for re upholstering, did not disconnect the battery, just ignition off.

I think it is more for safety in case undoing/reconnecting seat sensors and airbags in seat etc. in some cases triggers the airbags, which apart from the costs can be fatal to the operator.

 

[WitleyPanda]

I think it is more for safety in case undoing/reconnecting seat sensors and airbags in seat etc. in some cases triggers the airbags, which apart from the costs can be fatal to the operator.

Panda 2012 + : airbag in seat?, occupancy sensor yes, crash/g sensor elsewhere.

 

[bugsymike]

Panda 2012 + : airbag in seat?, occupancy sensor yes, crash/g sensor elsewhere.

I was taught to disconnect the battery and wait for at least 30 minutes before doing anything involving air bag circuits and even then the advice was to work from outside the car leaning in, as if airbag triggered unless sat properly in the seat people have been killed doing it.
Don't get me wrong many people get away with it. The things is"do you feel lucky"!

 

[WitleyPanda]

I was taught to disconnect the battery and wait for at least 30 minutes before doing anything involving air bag circuits and even then the advice was to work from outside the car leaning in, as if airbag triggered unless sat properly in the seat people have been killed doing it.
Don't get me wrong many people get away with it. The things is"do you feel lucky"!

But no airbags in seats…? …that’s my point…. If you worried about the seat, are you going to disconnect / discharge for any interplay with the electrical/electronic systems? Changing a bulb. Fully understand direct circuits, you did not want to be on the flight deck when the big radar turned on.

 

[bugsymike]

But no airbags in seats…? …that’s my point…. If you worried about the seat, are you going to disconnect / discharge for any interplay with the electrical/electronic systems? Changing a bulb. Fully understand direct circuits, you did not want to be on the flight deck when the big radar turned on.

Advice is offered you don't have to listen to it, it was only learnt from over 50 years in the motor trade!

 

[JayAre]

Is there a way of finding out which Panda 312/9 models have seat airbags?

For the front passenger seat (only) I believe there is an isolation switch to disable all airbags, but I’ve never looked for it

 

[bugsymike]

Is there a way of finding out which Panda 312/9 models have seat airbags?

For the front passenger seat (only) I believe there is an isolation switch to disable all airbags, but I’ve never looked for it

Many makes of car have it written on the seats, but usually when looking under the seats you can see where the wiring plugs go. Often one to the seat occupancy sensor, another to a seat belt tensioner which tightens the stalk in event of an accident these are fairly normal connections so if you see more, then possibly air bags in sides of seats which is less common and used to protect in the event of side impact.
Whatever type you have is usually safe to work on if you follow what I mentioned about disconnecting the cars battery as the airbags need an electrical source to trigger them, often from a capacitor which is why you have to give it time to discharge.
If you needed to electrically weld the frame of the seat it may be something to be aware of , I am not sure.
However the general warning I gave at the beginning, was with regards to dashboard and steering wheel airbags discharging.
The advice I gave earlier is readily known in the motor trade, so didn't justify the strange ramble from WP about "Changing a bulb. Fully understand direct circuits, you did not want to be on the flight deck when the big radar turned on."???
Comments like that do not help when trying to give safety advice, especially when that advice is commonly accepted good practice in the Motortrade.

"Most car service manuals recommend removing the airbag fuse and point out its exact location so that accidental deployment can be avoided specially when doing repairs on the dashboard. Now you can carry on the repairs without any worries and even connect the battery back"

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

But no airbags in seats…? …that’s my point…. If you worried about the seat, are you going to disconnect / discharge for any interplay with the electrical/electronic systems? Changing a bulb. Fully understand direct circuits, you did not want to be on the flight deck when the big radar turned on.

The advice to disconnect the battery and wait applies to any part of the SRS system, which is not just seat airbags. All 4x4 Cross models (such as the OP’s) do have in-seat airbags. Generally options on other versions. The advice also applies to the seat belt pyrotechnic tensioners (that every Panda has at the base of the seatbelt close to the bolts used to mount the seat), and also of course to the various sensors to trigger these as well as the ‘main’ airbags. So no, of course you don’t disconnect the battery to change a bulb, but yes, you really should if removing a seat. That said, for any dismantling task it’s considered good practice.

 

[JayAre]

The advice to disconnect the battery and wait applies to any part of the SRS system, which is not just seat airbags. All 4x4 Cross models (such as the OP’s) do have in-seat airbags. Generally options on other versions. The advice also applies to the seat belt pyrotechnic tensioners (that every Panda has at the base of the seatbelt close to the bolts used to mount the seat), and also of course to the various sensors to trigger these as well as the ‘main’ airbags. So no, of course you don’t disconnect the battery to change a bulb, but yes, you really should if removing a seat. That said, for any dismantling task it’s considered good practice.

Oh dear, sounds like yet another formerly-simple task now requires high-level individual-car-specific highly trained technician skills. I had thought of looking into the driver side replacement of split leatherette (discussed in another thread) but car upholsters are not and cannot be expected to have such skills in order to remove seats in compliance with every conceivable technical requirement for safe seat removal+reinstallation, and without potentially compromising future seat safety and/or seat functionality such as:
- sensors
- heating
I understand the upholstery replacement work cannot be done in situ.
Shame.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Oh dear, sounds like yet another formerly-simple task now requires high-level individual-car-specific highly trained technician skills. I had thought of looking into the driver side replacement of split leatherette (discussed in another thread) but car upholsters are not and cannot be expected to have such skills in order to remove seats in compliance with every conceivable technical requirement for safe seat removal+reinstallation, and without potentially compromising future seat safety and/or seat functionality such as:
- sensors
- heating
I understand the upholstery replacement work cannot be done in situ.
Shame.

I get the sarcasm in this post… but

If you’re getting a seat repaired with a side impact protection airbag then you do want an upholsterer who knows what they’re doing.

If not repaired properly and to insure the seems fail properly on deployment of a side airbag then it can very easily injure the occupant of the seat in an accident.

Equally if the wiring of a seat has been damaged or is trapped in the mechanism of a damaged seat then again a short circuit can trigger an airbag

So yeah you don’t need specific training on each and every model of car you’re working on, buy you do have to understand some basic safety precautions and know what you’re doing.

 

[JayAre]

I get the sarcasm in this post… but

If you’re getting a seat repaired with a side impact protection airbag then you do want an upholsterer who knows what they’re doing.

If not repaired properly and to insure the seems fail properly on deployment of a side airbag then it can very easily injure the occupant of the seat in an accident.

Equally if the wiring of a seat has been damaged or is trapped in the mechanism of a damaged seat then again a short circuit can trigger an airbag

So yeah you don’t need specific training on each and every model of car you’re working on, buy you do have to understand some basic safety precautions and know what you’re doing.

sorry if it came over as sarcasm, not my intention
Upholstering is a craft skill - results by truly skilled upholsterers are amazing - and expecting the combining of these skills with those of an auto engineer with high level knowledge+skills of modern car systems+safety seems to me unrealistic
These guys probably learned their car upholstering craft on classics - MGBs and the like - where the seats are just seats, not repositories of complex electronic systems and explosive devices which vary across makes, and models, and years, and markets. Such people may exist, but they’re likely rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth…

 

[The Panda Nut]

sorry if it came over as sarcasm, not my intention
Upholstering is a craft skill - results by truly skilled upholsterers are amazing - and expecting the combining of these skills with those of an auto engineer with high level knowledge+skills of modern car systems+safety seems to me unrealistic
These guys probably learned their car upholstering craft on classics - MGBs and the like - where the seats are just seats, not repositories of complex electronic systems and explosive devices which vary across makes, and models, and years, and markets. Such people may exist, but they’re likely rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth…

These people come across all these things all the time and will have learned whats needed. Use an established craftsperson and you will be fine. As in all things make enquiries to avoid cowboys.