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'08 STI Seats in an '05 LGT - No airbag light


Nedrex

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First off, this thread has no pics.

 

I know, I know... kinda lame, yes. But if you're anything like me it's damned near impossible to stop every ten minutes while you're doing something to document it. So, it is what it is.

 

I'm posting this mainly because I did a fair amount of research here on legacyGT before doing the swap and didn't find a straight answer, so I figured it was only right to post one.

 

So, let me get this out of the way:

 

Yes, it is possible to swap 2008 STI seats (driver and passenger) into a 2005 LegacyGT AND retain proper airbag functionality. It isn't easy, but it can be done. I know this because my brother and I did it today. Here's how:

 

**This process involves tampering with the vehicles SRS system!! You are totally doing this at your own risk and should not even consider attempting this unless you have good soldering skills, especially in regards to cutting/splicing**

 

Driver's Seat

 

This one is actually a breeze. As we all know, the four bolt holes line right up and you need to swap over the seatbelt latch from the old LGT seat onto the STI seat. Note that there is a small U shaped proximity switch integrated into the LGT seat that detects when the seat is far forward. If the seat is very forward, this switch will prevent the airbag from going off and potentially harming the driver. In my case, being 6'2", this isn't a concern. Just the same this switch needs to be connected to the SRS harness to avoid warning lights, so simply drill out the rivets that hold it to the LGT and zip-tie it underneath the STI seat somewhere out of harms way.

 

From there you'll need to splice the old LGT side airbag connector onto the STI side airbag wire harness. I am nearly certain that polarity doesn't matter with these wires since both are identical yellow insulated wire (no distinguishing marks, etc) and really, all they are there for is to fire off the small explosive charge in the airbag... so polarity shouldn't matter.

 

Once this is done, install the seat in its new home, hook up the seatbelt, proximity switch and airbag connectors and check for airbag warning lights, etc. If you've done everything properly you should see no warning lights.

 

Passengers Seat

 

Okay, this one is quite the piece of work. I'm not going to do a step-by-step here (cause there's a lot of steps), but basically if this sounds like its too much for you, don't even try, cause it's not easy! Thank god my brother is a factory trained tech who's taken seats apart before.... otherwise I wouldn't have been able to get it done.

 

Simple stuff to start: seatbelt latch and airbag harness connectors get swapped over, just like the drivers seat.

 

The rest ain't so simple.

 

The thing with the LGT and STI passenger seats is that the seat occupancy systems are completely different and totally incompatible. Plus, the bottom of the LGT seatbelt is bolted to the LGT seat frame, but there's no place for this on the STI seat frame. This necessitates swapping the LGT seat frame (or base) onto the STI seat... or should I say the STI seat back and upholstery onto the LGT seat base? Oh well, you get the idea.

 

In a nutshell, you need to remove the STI seat back from the base, then remove the seat cushion and upholstery from the base. Do the same to the LGT seat and then fanangle the STI seat cushion and upholstery onto the LGT seat base (using many zip ties in place of hog rings, not to mention cutting holes in the STI seat leather upholstery so that you can zip tie it to the LGT base). You'll then need to grind the mounting points of the STI seat back a bit to allow them to mount on the LGT seat base... Oh and you'll have to cut away some of the metal of the reclining lever to allow you to bolt the seatbelt onto the LGT seat base (since you're now using the STI seat reclining lever with the LGT seat base, you'll find that the lever nearly totally blocks the bolt hole for the passenger side seatbelt). Finally you'll have to modify the plastic trim around the reclining lever since again you're trying to mate the STI reclining lever with the LGT trim plastic.

 

With that done, plop that puppy in its new home hook it up, bolt it down and check for airbag lights. Hopefully you see none.

 

So yeah, it's a doosey... if you're doing both seats that is. If you wanna keep it simple, just do the driver's seat! ;)

 

But the good news is that if you can manage to get it all together, it works! Just don't expect to re-use either of the LGT seats, they're both ruined now (one has no base and neither have airbag connectors).

 

Feel free to contact me with any questions, or just post them! Thanks

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good writeup.. can you make a quick measurement of the distance from the top of the seat base at butt occupancy position to the top of the headrest and also seat depth of the STI seats?

 

I'm 6'4".. the 05 LGT seat with extended headrest goes to the mid point of the back of my head.. if I get rear ended there's a possibility of neck breakage (which is highly undesireable imo)..

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I'm 6'4".. the 05 LGT seat with extended headrest goes to the mid point of the back of my head.. if I get rear ended there's a possibility of neck breakage (which is highly undesireable imo)..

 

I call BS. lol. I am 6'2 and the headrest completely flush hits my ears.

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I call BS. lol. I am 6'2 and the headrest completely flush hits my ears.

 

Call it whatever you want, but some people have longer/shorter torsos/legs/necks than others of the equivalent height, but you've probably got the blinders on such that you don't think azns are any taller than 5'8" either eh?

 

Pro tip: Look ahead when you're driving, then you wouldn't have any issues with your ears touching the headrest. :D

Edited by Claw
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Call it whatever you want, but some people have longer/shorter torsos/legs/necks than others of the equivalent height, but you've probably got the blinders on such that you don't think azns are any taller than 5'8" either eh?

 

Pro tip: Look ahead when you're driving, then you wouldn't have any issues with your ears touching the headrest. :D

 

As I reread the original post he made I realize he says mid point of the back OF HIS HEAD. The last part being the part I never saw. So my calling BS was saying its impossible for it to go to the mid point of his back, cause his head would be out the sunroof. So, I actually am still right by what I wrote. Even if it's based off a non existent statement..lol.

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  • 2 years later...

Instead of starting a new thread, I guess I'll bump this one from the dead...

 

I have an 07 OBXT, I'm interested in swapping 08 STI seats in. I currently have 08 LGT seats that work fine minus the airbag light which I'm told is on because the 07 OBXT air bag module doesn't communicate with the 08 LGT SRS in the seat. However I still have my 07 seats, so I'd be willing to take up the challenge of swapping around bases and such. Although I don't want to get half into this project to find out it won't work at all, so any input would be much obliged.

 

To make it simple:

Would 08 STI seats bolt in directly in my 07 OBXT, using the 4 bolts that hold them in. If not, how do I go about removing the base/rails of the seats. I've looked into doing this before when I swapping to 08 LGT seats but could not for the life of me figure out what bolts held in the black metal rails to the cushion part of the seat.

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  • 1 year later...

I found this on Yahoo Japan Auctions with the description saying it is for fitting GRB/GVB seats into BL/BP. GRB/GVB is the chassis code for the 08-14 STi.

 

fyoko_area847-img600x450-1408103096uccraa29739.jpg

 

Do the connectors on either side look right to do this?

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that looks right for the air bag, but in all honesty, that part (splicing) is super easy. how much was it? i'm start to plan the work for the passenger side seat. i dismanted the driver side lgt seat yesterday to see the inner working before i do the passenger side. i like to study as much as possible before i do work.
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that looks right for the air bag, but in all honesty, that part (splicing) is super easy. how much was it?

 

They are $30/each. I'm going from tan to black on the interior at the same time so I'm not sure if I'm going to keep everything so I can go back to stock on the interior. These would just make it easier to sell either set.

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  • 2 years later...
Sorry to revive this old thread. I'm considering replacing the occupancy sensor in the sti seat with the original 05. Shouldn't that about do the trick? The weight of the legacy seat is ungodly heavy and a majority of that comes from the base. Keeping that not only looks funky but it defeats the purpose unless all you're going for is looks.
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