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AndrewMilne
27th July 2019, 05:57 PM
Hi All,

D2a TD5 Auto, built Sept 2003.

I understand that the Auto Trans ECU is located under the front passenger seat.
Also under that seat is a black metal plate, or shallow box, which has nothing mounted on top of it (but with bolts for doing so).
I presume that the Auto Trans ECU is situated underneath this plate / box.

I would appreciate knowing:

1) Is the Auto Trans ECU in any way delicate / fragile, or could the metal plate / box that it resides under safely be removed?

2) In order to remove it, does the seat have to be taken out, or can it be done (no matter how fiddly) with the seat in place?

3) What is the purpose of the twisted pair of orange wires that run from a harness on the floor beneath the seat, up to the underside of the seat squab?
My vehicle does not have heated seats; do these wires provide input telling something else (BCU?) that there is (or is not) someone sitting in the seat?

I would like to remove the black metal plate/box in order to gain storage space under the seat, such as I have on the driver's side.
BUT: Don't want to risk damaging the Auto Trans ECU if this is a likely result.
Could restrict what I put under there to relatively light and soft gear like snatch strap, tow-rope, torch, jumper leads .....

Any insight into this would be appreciated.

Cheers,
Andrew
John_D4
27th July 2019, 06:27 PM
I mounted my solar controller under the seat. I screwed it to the plate that you’re talking about. I didn’t remove the auto ECU as there was enough room around it to allow me to allow me to drill and screw safely.

Removing the day is dirt easy and makes working in that area so much easier.

Not sure which wires you are talking about off the top of my head, but you might be talking about the seat heater wiring. Land Rover pre wired the sunroof and seats just in case.
Bohica
27th July 2019, 06:56 PM
The orange or yellow? could be the air bag sensor.
AndrewMilne
27th July 2019, 07:11 PM
I mounted my solar controller under the seat. I screwed it to the plate that you’re talking about. I didn’t remove the auto ECU as there was enough room around it to allow me to allow me to drill and screw safely.

Removing the day is dirt easy and makes working in that area so much easier.

Not sure just what you mean here, John.
Can you pls elaborate / clarify?

Not sure which wires you are talking about off the top of my head, but you might be talking about the seat heater wiring. Land Rover pre wired the sunroof and seats just in case.

A twisted pair, both orange.
Come from a thick bundle of wires on the floor, branching off that near the rear RHS (inboard) corner of the seat mount
AndrewMilne
27th July 2019, 07:22 PM
The orange or yellow? could be the air bag sensor.

ORANGE (https://www.australianunity.com.au/) to my eye.
Both wires in twisted pair are the same colour.
They branch off a thick bundle on the floor under the Front Pass seat, at a point that is near the Rear RHS (inboard) corner of the seat mounting, then pass up to the underside of the seat squab.

It occurred to me that they might connect to a switch that closes when the seat is occupied, open when not.

But sitting in the passenger seat with the engine running and seat-belt NOT done up, the seat-belt warning light on the dash does not illuminate.
So seemingly not for that purpose.

Could be to tell SRS whether or not a passenger is in the seat.
In which case important not to damage.

But might just be (superfluous) seat-heating provision.
In which case it wouldn't matter.
alien
27th July 2019, 07:41 PM
If you want to spend the time the auto ecu could be relocated creating more room for your proposed storage system.
Moved My Auto Comp. (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-2-a/86519-moved-my-auto-comp.html)
twr7cx
27th July 2019, 08:26 PM
ORANGE (https://www.australianunity.com.au/) to my eye.
Both wires in twisted pair are the same colour.
They branch off a thick bundle on the floor under the Front Pass seat, at a point that is near the Rear RHS (inboard) corner of the seat mounting, then pass up to the underside of the seat squab.

I believe they're to do with the seat belt tensioner as part of the safety systems - airbags.


That plate above the Auto ECU is what the factory amplifier and DVD player is mounted on in higher spec models such as my 03 D2a HSE.
John_D4
28th July 2019, 07:43 AM
A twisted pair, both orange.
Come from a thick bundle of wires on the floor, branching off that near the rear RHS (inboard) corner of the seat mount

Should have read ‘removing the seat is dirt easy and makes working in that area easier’
Tombie
28th July 2019, 06:01 PM
The orange wires feed a signal to the vehicle airbags that the seat is occupied or otherwise.

At its age the loom may be a bit more fragile so take care...
AndrewMilne
28th July 2019, 06:13 PM
The orange wires feed a signal to the vehicle airbags that the seat is occupied or otherwise.

OK - I thought that might be the case, but wasn't sure.
Thanks.

At its age the loom may be a bit more fragile so take care...

Thanks Tombie - I can well imagine that being the case!
Sounds like good advice.