Thanks for your help here.
Unfortunately, the dealership didn't provide much more insight. You guessed 100% correct; they did suggest a new cushion/sensor. No codes came up.
Looking at the seatbelt operation you sent me, it's entirely possible the seatbelt is simply detecting there is weight on the seat, but not specifying detected a weight (since it's designed goes off for both adults and children).
The reality is, it may actually need to have the seat cushion/sensor replaced as one unit. The "airbag specialist" had the matt and sensor separate from the cushion. I've never heard of anyone just having the sensor/matt without the cushion, and he was able to flip through 2 in the span of 10 days. I wonder if they're after market.

I guess it goes back down to my two options I had previously; try to return or get the emulator.

If I have the emulator in and something OTHER than the occupancy sensor is malfunctioning, the cluster will tell me right? Just want to clarify this is just for the weight and it doesn't interfere for other warnings - such as collision occupancies and the like. Safety is my big concern and, to be honest, I don't even feel safe with them replacing the seat cushion since the same problem can occur as so many G37 customers had this issue.

 

Everything I have ever read regarding this issue all points to replacing the OCS with the cushion as a whole. Maybe there is some hidden calibration between the mat and the cushion, I do not know. Due to the exorbitant price most folks opt for the emulator which, as I have mentioned previously, keeps the passenger airbag in a "always armed" state. And, yes, even with the emulator installed, if something else fails when the SRS control unit does it "self check" (ie. satellite sensor, crash sensor, etc.) the warning light on the gauge cluster will stay illuminated and/ or will flash.

This will explain when the OCS will enable/ disable based on the lower light:

Unfortunately, only you can decide how comfortable you are driving the car with a potential SRS issue. As you are not a DIY'er, options get costly and limited.

If it were me, and you truly like/ want to keep the car, I would try the emulator. If the issue persists, then I would try finding a used seat bottom and swapping that out (with the emulator)- but, then again, I am a DIY'er who does most of my own repairs/ work.

Again, it all traces down to your trust level with the car. Wish I could be of more help. Please let us know what you finally decide.

 

Once again thanks for all your help.

I just spoke to the dealership who sold it to me and they were surprisingly pretty cool about it. They said on Monday they'd try to find a junk seat and if nothing happens, we'd take it from there.

I do like the car, but there is something about the emulator that worries me; if something were to happen, I'm just not sure what would happen investigators/insurance found it. It's silly because it's probably more trustworthy than the seat's working occupancy sensor - why on Earth did they make these so complicated? You'd think "AIR BAG DEPLOYED IN EVENT OF CRASH" would be one of the most basic functions a car could have...

Thank you!

 

The whole point of the Occupancy Sensor system was to prevent airbag-related injuries to children, expectant mothers and smaller adults. In some "minor" collision events there were cases where the actual force/ impact of the airbag deploying caused more severe injuries (even deaths) than would have reasonably occurred from the actual accident/ event itself had the airbag not deployed.

This system is nothing new as my old 1999 beater pickup has it where I can manually turn off the passenger airbag with the ignition key. The technology just evolved and became more complex which translates to costly. Plus, the government requires the system just as they do the dual-stage deployment system. It is what it is, as the saying goes.

I understand your reticence in driving the car with a questionable SRS issue. Having met a airbag face to face many decades ago, I am all for that technology. Hopefully the selling dealership will make it right for you.

 

In theory, wouldn't just getting something like this do the trick (assuming it works)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/175723869705

 

In theory, yes, it should work. That is the route I would take, but again, I do my own diagnostics and repairs.

Any luck with the selling dealership?

 

The seller on Ebay said
"I don't see this sensor on the seat unless it's somewhere inside, but yes everything worked well on this car"
Would the sensor be inside (not the thin matt, that's of under the cushion, but the actual black box)? I'll have to have him look.

 

I looked at the listing you provided as best I could and it appears that is what you need. I would ask the seller two things:

1- provide a close up of the wiring connector itself:

and,
2) trace the other end of that cable and see where it terminates. This is the way it should look:

Which matches the "mat" that the "tech" replaced (2x) as noted in post #12 above.

There is no "black box" in the traditional sense.

 

After plugging in airbag360, the seatbelt light on dashboard would emulate if the passenger seat belt is not clicked in. I brought a seat beat extender that is always connected to the passenger seat and now the seatbelt doesn't emulate.

 

Can you provide a link or point me to what you are talking about? (For my curiosity, at least)

Edited to add: found this G37 Belt Extender through a simple giggle search. Admittedly I've never heard of these things and it appears it would work.

See, even us old farts can learn new things once in a while.