$20 Electric seat ECU bypass fix

[FisherX]

So my drivers seat in my 95 soft dash has never worked since I've had it. It has never really worried me, but now it is up for sale I thought I'd have another look at it.

So the original ECU battery was fried and the circuit board was totally knackered. I got another one a couple of months ago that didn't look to bad, but it was fried as well with all the tracks under the battery gone.

So what I tried was to take the wiring harness from the passenger side and have a go and see if it would work in the drivers side. With a little screwing around IT WORKS.

So the wiring harness from the switch to the large blue connector and the power / earth feeds is needed. So the first thing you have to do is connect the positive and negatives to the harness. The connector from the passenger seat is a 3 pin (2 positives and 1 negative) and the drivers seat a 4 pin (2 positives and 2 negatives). I made small jumper leads from the 2 positives (the colours match, White Red and White Yellow on both) to the harness and the 2 earths I connected together and fed into the black terminal post.

The next thing to do is open up the back rest connector that goes into the seat switch and swap the large power terminal to the blank hole in the connector. Now move on to the other connector that does the lower seat. Swap the 2 large ones around and also the 2 small ones that are side by side.

And that is it your electric seat works again manually. Still mirrors don't work yet but I'll have a look at that later.

Oh and the $20 part is now you have to go find another wiring harness for the passenger seat. [thumbsupbig]

[gavinwibrow]

And that is it your electric seat works again manually. Still mirrors don't work yet but I'll have a look at that later.



And don't forget you can get a D2 electric mirrors switch (apparently you need the extra connector) and connect up for non memory electric mirrors.

[aussiebushman]

Well done! I used a slightly different approach by simply bypassing the ECU on the driver's side only, while leaving the passenger side untouched. This does not fix the mirror adjustment but no big deal. It is also probably not as elegant as your fix but it works.

If anyone want detailed instructions, PM me an I'll send a MS Word file with pictures of each stage

[Baggy]

Hi All,

I've done a early Christmas shop for myself at Jaycar to do aussiebushmans conversion for front drivers seat on my 92 Vogue SE.

I've no switches on either seats and fining any S/Hand switched on Ebay or someone wrecking a 1992 Rangie in Perth is very scarce ... believe me I've looked.

I started today and looked under the drivers seat ..... attached a 2 x photo's .... I'm I right to assume the ECU's been removed??

I still have to check (wishful thinking) the plug (picture 2) has power to it or is it as I've marked the power lead to the LH front passenger seat from the now Non existent ECU unit.

Apologies for wording in photos ... done before I re read this thread and it being referred to as the ECU

Could I tap into that large plug as a power source?? if so its probably worth still doing conversion although I do have a (good) pair of 89 - 90 manual front seats in a Beige (same) leather style in the rear of my 2 door Rangie
that I purchased to convert the 4 Dr to manual seats (and redye to match existing chocolate colour later) but I thought I'd give aussiebushmans conversion a go first.

Existing sheep skin covers will hide the colour difference and the previous owner has done modifications already to remove some of the questionable luxury features (headlamp washers, transfer case etc) so its not like I'm
butchering a untouched example although I do like to keep them original as possible.


The existing seat swabs are very rough missing leather and foam sections ... doesn't effect seating on them and the existing sheepskins do hide the worst of it.


What I've purchased in switches and wiring won't go to waste ....


Appreciate your thought ....


Baggy

[aussiebushman]

Hi All,

I've done a early Christmas shop for myself at Jaycar to do aussiebushmans conversion for front drivers seat on my 92 Vogue SE.

I've no switches on either seats and fining any S/Hand switched on Ebay or someone wrecking a 1992 Rangie in Perth is very scarce ... believe me I've looked.

I started today and looked under the drivers seat ..... attached a 2 x photo's .... I'm I right to assume the ECU's been removed??

I still have to check (wishful thinking) the plug (picture 2) has power to it or is it as I've marked the power lead to the LH front passenger seat from the now Non existent ECU unit.

Could I tap into that large plug as a power source?? if so its probably worth still doing conversion although I do have a (good) pair of 89 - 90 manual front seats in a Beige (same) leather style in the rear of my 2 door Rangie
that I purchased to convert the 4 Dr to manual seats (and redye to match existing chocolate colour later) but I thought I'd give aussiebushmans conversion a go first.Baggy

Actually, the lack of an existing ECU makes the job easier - not harder. All you need is an earth and a live 12V feed (preferably switched, meaning it is only live with ignition "on") The plug you mention may be OK - just check it with a multimeter so you are sure it is suitable. If not, under the central cubby there are other options, including the feed to the cigar lighter.

Look again at the instructions and pictures I sent you. The switches themselves do the work and all three (four if you want the headrest to move too) can all be fed from a single power source that is screwed into the connector bar. The latter distributes the power to each switch - see picture. The single power and single earth wires at the top of the second picture are the ones to join to the power and earth feeds

If you make up the leads first and make sure everything is insulated so no live wires can touch each other - or an earth wire, there is nothing you can really do wrong. Again. a multimeter is your best tool to check. If you do not know how to use one, there are instructions on YouTube - look for "how to use a mutimeter".

[FisherX]

G'day Baggy,

Looking at your pictures I'm thinking the large connector looks like the Electronic Air Suspension computer connector and the white one I think is the engine ECU diagnostic plug.

The seat ECU is mounted up under the bottom of the seat it's self. It will have 4 plugs coming out of it, the blue plug with yellow's and green's is the one for the motors. A four pin square plug with 2 black, a white/yellow and a white/red that's your power and ground. The other 2 plugs have a bunch of small wires coming out of them and they are the feedbacks for the memory and mirror functions, you don't need to touch those ones.

You'll probably need to unbolt the seat to get to them.

But if you have manual adjust seats at home I'd be looking using them. Electric seats might be a nice to have but are a PITA.

[Baggy]

Hi Everyone,

Had a bit of downtime with Christmas and I'm recovering from eye surgery.

FisherX - could be .... Air suspension - the previous owner has removed the air suspension and its running on coils.
He's also removed spray washer on one side of the bumper .... its missing the water reservoir (the gas converters sits in that area) and I can see cut wires underneath the bumper ...it really is a dogs breakfast.

I'll need to check under the seat to see if the ECU's there..

aussiebushman - I'll investigate if ECU's there ..... if not I'll maybe go down the cigarette lighter route.

My original intention was to keep her as original as possible hence using auusiebushmans easy switch conversion ... he really has explained the process well but in hindsight she's already been butchered.
I'll pull off the seat covers tomorrow and have a really good look at the seats .... from memory the seat swabs were crap, but I will check the seats overall and decide from there.

I did buy the manual seats when they came up from Gummy about 18 months ago as they were in good condition abet a different colour but the same style.
I have googled redyeing the manual seats to match the back seats (dark brown leather) and there are a few English Leather suppliers who will supply a dye colour matched to a sample you supply them.

While these manual seats are already out (in storage) it may be easier to order dye colour, clean and redye the manual seats while driving the car as normal and then swapping them over.

Agree with FisherX electric seats are a PITA.

It will all hinge on how bad the seats really are ..... I'll take a few photo's

Thanks once again,

Baggy

[superquag]

Don't waste time on the seats. Replace the headlight washer/wipers, gas struts for the bonnet (see Gavin Wibrow and 'Bessie') or even re-do the back window, first, but ...

From someone who did the hard yards in replacing seat ECU battery and damaged PCB, (It all worked as designed when we parted...) IMHO the only advantages of electric seats are *"wow" factor and finding that ideal adjustment point midway between the (manual) notches IF you're really THAT precious !
My preference for a Classic would be manual CLOTH seats, not the poorly executed electric leather abominations.

Lots of folk believe that 'Leather = Luxury'.

In the Beginning it was the reverse. Leather was provided under the chauffeur whilst "Lord" and his Lady reposed upon FABRIC (Wool, Linen ?) covered seats in the rear of Sir's Royce.
In short, the then-cheap leather was a hard-wearing and economical covering for pleb seating. Don't forget that T-model Fords had....Leather, as did every other car since...
This was later replaced with plastics / vinyl materials and eventually, "Fabric" inserts could be ordered in your Holden Premier / Fairline, - after those pesky Japs did it first and spread the contagion to "everyday" cars, and with predictable results... Not for nothing is there a Biblical injunction warning about mixing types of materials in the same garment / use. (wool, silk, linen, cotton, leather)

I've sat on both in all seasons and Classic Cloth felt way better in all conditions. But a 'looked-after' leather seat will outlast and by a significant margin. - As will the manual mechanism(s)

Anyway, how often do you need to adjust the seats, - and return to the exact same position ?

(I rarely used the driver's seat controls on my old Crown, - but often moved the rear seat to pacify or amuse the kidlets. [biggrin] )

James the Wiser...
PO of The Lady Sarah. - 95 Classic with working EAS and memory seats/mirrors

*Actually, I've not yet found a rougher, lumpier or less satisfactory powered seat in any car before or since.
(I'm sure such a creature exists...) Wife's Magna is superb, even the old Crown was smooother & quieter, front and rear seats...[bigwhistle]

[superquag]

BTW, that box pictured is the EAS / air suspension.... the wizardry that deflates your wallet. Seat ECU is bolted to the underside of seat frame.

[FisherX]

As has been said the cloth seats would be my preferred option. The leather is hot in the summer and makes a lot of noise with the creaking and rubbing.

If I had a set of manual seats I would use the frames and fit the leather swabs and back rest to them, or what ever matches the interior. Wouldn't be hard.

I know this is off topic, but I put the EAS back in my RR and really it is a pretty basic system. Not that much that can go wrong with it. A new set of air springs and a rebuild of the compressor and valve block is less than $900 bucks and works fine. I don't know why you would put coils in a RR that came with EAS. When I got mine it had coils and the ride was horrible. (I think they were Discovery 1 coils)

[superquag]

As has been said the cloth seats would be my preferred option. The leather is hot in the summer and makes a lot of noise with the creaking and rubbing.

If I had a set of manual seats I would use the frames and fit the leather swabs and back rest to them, or what ever matches the interior. Wouldn't be hard.

I know this is off topic, but I put the EAS back in my RR and really it is a pretty basic system. Not that much that can go wrong with it. A new set of air springs and a rebuild of the compressor and valve block is less than $900 bucks and works fine. I don't know why you would put coils in a RR that came with EAS. When I got mine it had coils and the ride was horrible. (I think they were Discovery 1 coils)

What I like to see, a fellow masochist who relishes a challenge, swims against the Tide of popular opinion and does the impossible.
Part of the 'orrible ride may be the dampers for coils and air-bags neeeding to be different, some say completely opposite. Be that as it may, the ride on (1995) 'Sarah' was firmer all-round than the luxuriously agile '89 I first drove. Chalk and cheese in my opinion / horses for courses.

The EAS is a simple system, but 'why' it goes about doing what it does IS as advanced as the latest all-singing/all dancing current crop of computerized crappy cars.

[aussiebushman]

"noise from creaking and rubbing"??

Are you sure it is a Range Rover you are driving? There is so much "noise" in both of mine from the sports exhausts, rear seat mounts, spare wheel mount and/or sunroof rattles that you would need to have super hearing to pick up any noise from the leather! As for heat, do you not have/use the aircon?

To each his own, but in all my time with 8 Range Rovers (7 classics and 1 P38) I would never forgo the feel and comfort of leather - especially the P38 seats in my 91 Hi-line that were re-trimmed with butter-soft Connelly leather - not the rubbish used as OEM material

[FisherX]

Ha Ha, no my Classic is very quiet (except the wind noise at 100kph) and I can hear the creaking leather from the passenger seat especially when someone is sitting in it. The back seat used to rattle but after replacing the rubber bumpers on the bottom frame fixed that.

The hot part is, I was in Cairns until recently and the leather doesn't breath so the air con is nice and cold but your back and arse is still hot and sweaty.

But I guess it doesn't matter anymore as I have sold the Classic, and at the moment I'm waiting on a truck to pick it up and take it to the new owner. I now have a L322.

[aussiebushman]

Keep the leather seats and change the arse!

[Mercguy]

Every car bar my RRC has leather.

I am a believer that my RRC's Winchester fabric is far more suitable than leather in this application.

Anyone doing serious offroading will know exactly why I specifically chose a cloth interior over leather.

It's far easier to slide on a leather seat than the cloth.

The cloth is also still holding up after 27 years of sun and summer heat and abuse, so as far as I'm concerned, it's outperforming most RRC leather interiors.

If you want to ponce about on a highway, you can enjoy the leather just as much.

[DamonRRC]

Does this fix work with the original switch box and switches? Or do i have to get three way switches?

Many thanks, Damon.




So my drivers seat in my 95 soft dash has never worked since I've had it. It has never really worried me, but now it is up for sale I thought I'd have another look at it.

So the original ECU battery was fried and the circuit board was totally knackered. I got another one a couple of months ago that didn't look to bad, but it was fried as well with all the tracks under the battery gone.

So what I tried was to take the wiring harness from the passenger side and have a go and see if it would work in the drivers side. With a little screwing around IT WORKS.

So the wiring harness from the switch to the large blue connector and the power / earth feeds is needed. So the first thing you have to do is connect the positive and negatives to the harness. The connector from the passenger seat is a 3 pin (2 positives and 1 negative) and the drivers seat a 4 pin (2 positives and 2 negatives). I made small jumper leads from the 2 positives (the colours match, White Red and White Yellow on both) to the harness and the 2 earths I connected together and fed into the black terminal post.

The next thing to do is open up the back rest connector that goes into the seat switch and swap the large power terminal to the blank hole in the connector. Now move on to the other connector that does the lower seat. Swap the 2 large ones around and also the 2 small ones that are side by side.

And that is it your electric seat works again manually. Still mirrors don't work yet but I'll have a look at that later.

Oh and the $20 part is now you have to go find another wiring harness for the passenger seat. [thumbsupbig]

[RANDLOVER]

Ha Ha, ...
Happy birthday FisherX, hope you are having a laugh today.