Fitting GTI/R32 seats from a scrapyard/breakers...Advice!

[Flying_Squad]

Does anyone know if there are any implications when fitting seats off a car that has been involved in a side quarter panel impact that has activated the front airbags at least?

I'm looking for some GTI seats to retrofit in the Golf, but a mate from VW put me off and warned me that if the airbags have gone off at all in any part of the car, the seats will carry an airbag fault.

I'm sure people have installed seats from car breakers and salvaged cars so what's the deal? Can it be succesfully done?

[Gene Hunt.]

Can't you just fit the air bags from the standard seats ?.

[jaydubveedub]

Surely if the seat airbags have gone off then the sides of the seats (fabric or leather) will be split? As far as I know they are designed to do that when the 'bags go off.

I might be wrong, but would have thought you could re-code the car so that it doesn't recognise having side airbags fitted?

Someone else might know - but I always thought the optional recaros available on the R32 (and later the GTi) didn't have side airbags due to the design of them???

[kingbilly]

correct...recaros don't have side airbags

[Flying_Squad]

I was thinking the same thing about the seat airbag deploying, surely it would render the seat useless thereafter, as there would be a tear.

So I guess if only the front airbags, both driver and passenger deployed, then any fault code which may appear, could be sorted via VCDS.

Does anyone know how much a set of GTI/R32 NON Recaro seats would be worth, used, but in good condition?

[Gene Hunt.]

I was thinking the same thing about the seat airbag deploying, surely it would render the seat useless thereafter, as there would be a tear.

So I guess if only the front airbags, both driver and passenger deployed, then any fault code which may appear, could be sorted via VCDS.

Does anyone know how much a set of GTI/R32 NON Recaro seats would be worth, used, but in good condition?

.........when side airbags go off it's the stitching that is designed to split,so a good car interiour repairer should be able to do a good repair.