Disconnecting battery required for seat removal? Leather install

I'm going to have the seats out of my truck for 6-8 hours while doing a leather reupholster, in a perfect world, I'd like to just disconnect the seat wires and pull the seats.

Is it necessary to disconnect the battery to not trigger air bag light?

Also open to tips from those of you who have done leather and worked with the seat sensors and airbags... I've done this on other cars but not w toyota's

 

if i was gonna disconnect any airbag wiring i would first remove the battery terminals...call me crazy if you like but i wouldnt want one going off in my face....it would be quite a suprise !!

 

I've dealt w air bags before, on my BMW, Ford and Porsche... they aren't a big deal or anything to get nervous about, but all require different precautions. None have blown up yet. I know that some cars require disconnecting the battery so it doesn't trip the system, others don't. This is my first toyota.

I'm sure someone here has pulled their airbag seats from their cab before. if I don't hear first hand experience then I'll just disconnect the battery but I'm not yet convinced its required other than pulling the harnesses and waiting a few minutes.

 

Not sure if it is required but I disconnected prior to removing my seats so I don't have any firsthand experience NOT disconnecting the battery. I didn't do much research but it was called out in a seat install thread I reviewed.

 

I followed this thread when I installed my leather.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/technical-chat/89333-diy-leather-interior.html

 

Airbags have CADs. CAD's are sensitive to electrostatic.


To the op I wouldn't be worried about power so much as I would shunt the plug when you remove.

 

Homers truck had no seat airbags... I don't think the 2005 does either...

Thanks Will, thats prob the course I'm going to take, even though I'd rather not. I'll have a bunch of stuff ill have to set back up once I reconnect the battery.

I just don't see why the airbag controller would log a fault and trip the light if I unplug them and plug them back in while the truck is off w the doors open... Seems like it might be an unnecessary step.

Yes, I have caps for the plugs too.

 

Correct me if i'm wrong, but as long as you disconnect the wiring harness from the seat (assuming you are talking about the airbags in the seat of course) then there would be no signal to cause the seat airbag to go off. My seats do not have the airbag so I cannot definitively say whether you will have an issue with those.

If you are talking about the airbag in the dash/steering wheel, I did not disconnect my battery terminal and completely removed both front seats with no issue.

I also used
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tec...-interior.html when installing my leather and had no issues with the steering/dash airbags while only disconnecting the wiring harnesses under the seats.

All that being said, I did not drive my vehicle while any of my seats were removed, not did I attempt to reupholster while the seat was still in the vehicle. Good luck with it, I love the leather.

 

I unplugged mine before I removed my seats. Not worth taking a chance.

 

Since the SEAT is what is being removed, you should not ever have to worry about an accidental deployment. Those on the Tacoma are positioning sensors. The wires from the seat are to let the computer know if someone is sitting their, and other information such as if the seat belt is latched or not. This is NOT going to cause a deployment.
This being said, if you disconnect a POSITIONING sensor you sill set a warning code, and the system will disable itself based on system parameters. Some manufacturers such as Cadillac have an actual airbag built into the side of the seat, but the Tacoma is not one of those from what I have seen.
Now if these ARE the airbags in the seat, then you will want to be cautious, but as you said, if you never turn on the key, and dont apply voltage to the connectors, you will be fine.

 

OK, did a tiny bit of research and yes, some of the Tacoma trucks DO come with airbags built into the seat itself. Proper precaution is to disconnect the battery according to Toyota.

 

Thank you bill!!

 

I think it was on the Sport models. A little search about seat covers on WetOkoles site will tell ya for sure.

Were you ever a maintainer or do you just drive the metal tubes?

 

My '09 has seat airbags

 

Brian, I'd never go near an airplane w wrench!
Just drive em', doing my part to keep the mechanics busy...

My base has seat air bags and sensors. Looks like from what u guys are saying I'll trip the light if I don't disconnect the battery before I pull the seats out.

 

So does my 07.

 

the verdict is in... "executive" whos been battling a rattling passenger seat in his 2012 double cab has removed his seat, with the battery connected, and it did not cause an airbag fault light. exactly the info i was looking and hoping for.

my katzkins should be here next week will update the katzkins thread. thanks guys.

 

I disconnected mine when I pulled mine out since it literally takes less time to do so then it does to type the question in the first place lol.

 

yeah ive removed mine many times with no problem, I very rarely disconnect my battery on any electronic install, definitely not removal of seats

 

thanks gents.
i understand in a perfect world removing the battery is just the smart thing to do...
however i will admit to my laziness, and lack of not wanting to reprogram my remote start, head unit, and radar again

im not worried about setting them off... i just wanted to be sure i wouldnt trip the fault light.
steering wheel, no doubt disconnect the battery... but i had a suspicion with the seats...

EDIT and Follow up... 9/15/2012

Left the key out of the ignition, did not disconnect my battery, disconnected the seats, Removed them, and reinstalled. no airbag light or airbag faults.