Removing seat side airbags?! Easy?

[TDIfurby]

I (as a new know) going to be running mk5 Golf GTI seats in my fabia soon.  I am always keen to shed some weight so think that both of them having inactive side airbags is a waste of weight to lug around....

So, how does one remove them?  I am guessing it might involve removing the seat trim?  Any help would be very useful, thanks.

[Nasir]

Yes the seat trim would have to be cut open as they are embedded in. Can't imagine the fabric being hard though as the airbag has to rush out of there.

[TDIfurby]

"cut" open?  Damn!

Wasn't expecting that.  I was hoping the trim could be loosened off somewhere, perhaps underneath, and then it would slide off and reveal the airbag unit?  I have looked on ETKA and it appears the units are literally a long thin bit held on by just a single M16 hex bolt.  It's more the issue or removing / refitting the seat covers then to me.

Anyone retrimmed a GTI seat or has removed a seat trim for washing in a washing machine or similar?

[Nasir]

I'm not 100% but I assume so. You can feel the airbag in the side of the seat, don't see where it could come out from because the seat is sort of two pieces if that makes sense. I stand to be corrected though.

[TDIfurby]

Just looked at an exploded diagram of a seat on ETKA and I am also still none the wiser. 

[VC]

stop being a girl and just tw@t it with a shovel 

[ollie288]

stop being a girl and just tw@t it with a shovel 

[TDIfurby]

Ummmm, the idea would be to try and salvage them intact to sell on and recoup some of the outlay of the seats themselves.  Tw@tting with a shovel would perhaps not be wise. 

Weight thing as well too though as I imagine each one must weigh a couple of kg, knowing what my dashboard passenger bag is like.....

[vRStu]

Jase I think you'll need to remove the seat back cover and then they are bolted/screwed onto the frame.

They obviously come out of the sides when activated but when replaced the dealer would replace the backrest cover.

[TDIfurby]

Cheers Stu

ETKA didn't really tell me how the cover came off.  In an ideal world there would be PDF manuals for the mk5 GTI like there are for my fabia, and there would be a step by step guide to do this "repair" following airbag deployment - only I'm doing it before they deploy.

Did I read right there are two airbags, per seat?

[vRStu]

How about -

Disconnect earth strap of the battery
– Removing backrest rack from seat rack
– Loosen the backrest upholstery in the area of the airbag unit
– Remove screw ⇒ item 2
– Unplug connector ⇒ item 3
– Remove the air bag unit from the backrest rack ⇒ item 4

I've just mailed some stuff to your proflex account

[big al]

To be honest mate, if you are trying to shed a couple of kilo's it may be easier to just go for a massive $hit before you set a time,  or go for a bike ride. Sounds a bit too tricky just for so little!

[TDIfurby]

Thanks stu - received and interesting, although there is no guide to removing the seat cover, it helps for the unit itself a lot

OK, big al - you seen straight through me.    I just want the money for them....