Front seats swap

[Marcin Z]

Hi all,

My car has manually adjusted front seats. If I wanted to swap them for electric ones, is it as simple as getting the old ones out and then putting the new ones in? I'm just thinking if it's the same electric harness (plug/socket) etc, or if it would require any more invasive work? 

Thanks.

[Magnet]

Hello Marcin,

Manufacturers are now canny, and are quite happy to screw harness manufacturers to the wall to save a few pence by not incorporating more wiring and plugs  than are needed for your model specification. Having said that, with your age of car??
So you will need to move your seat back as far as possible, and see if you have ‘spare’ plugs anywhere within that area. If not, you are likely to need to make up some harnessing and plugs. 
Removing seats:-always leave the battery disconnected for 30 mins, before disconnecting any under seat plugs - to minimise the risk of setting any bags off.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

[Marcin Z]

Hi Gareth,

I think you might be on to something. I've just had a look at the wiring under my "poverty speck" seat and there is a gap between the red and black plugs. There is a space there for what looks like another plug, but sadly no socket. I have a sneaky suspicion that a car with electric seats would have a socket in that gap to correspond with a harness on electric seat. Photo added for clarification. 

Marcin

[Magnet]

Sounds about right Macin, so you now have to decide whether all of this is worthwhile. 
It could well be that the additional connection/s are actually wired under your not-used socket, in which case it may be as simple as plugging in the additional plug which would come with the replacement seat -? 
At least you are now better armed to ask the right questions. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Marcin Z]

Gareth, in all honesty, it is not worth the hassle in my opinion. I was just considering the swap if it was simple "plug and  play" thing, but it does not look like it (at least not in my car). And I don't fancy making any changes to the wiring harness. So I'll just keep my old seats.

Thanks for your replies.

Marcin

[Magnet]

That’s fine Marcin. You could ask the seller for photo of the plugs that come with the seat - they may just match your sockets - but understand the ‘is it worth it’ consideration. 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Marcin Z]

Fair point. There is always the possibility that the missing connection is perhaps just for heated seats, which, sadly, mine is also lacking.