Thread: Electric Seats - have I done something dumb?

Originally Posted by Classic88

Hello All,

I recently sourced a full set of good condition leather seats for my 1988 Classic Highline.

My car has manual seats, the replacements are electric. I assumed that wiring them in would be a fairly simple job for an auto-electrician (I can't quite get my head around electrickery and wiring) but having looked around on Google for advice, it seems that it may be a hell of a job for the driver's seat because of the memory function.

I was wondering whether anyone had tackled this and might have some advice - can the memory elements simply be bypassed and the switches hardwired to the motors? Should I try and find a passenger side switch (minus the memory) and fit it to the driver's side? Or would it simply be easier to swap the covers and put the leather on the existing manual seats currently in the car? I do prefer electric seats for their greater adjustment control.

TIA!

Assuming you also have all the wiring and the memory module, then I can see no reason why you couldn't wire them in. IIRC, the memory does not function if the car is moving (although you can make seat adjustments, of course). So, presumably, there is a feed from the fuel injection computer and perhaps somewhere else, like ABS module if you need to have the brake pedal pressed at the same time. I'll look through the manuals and work it out for you. But I would have thought that all you need is a fused power supply and a bit of soldering up new connectors.
Do you know which model year your donor seats are from?

Originally Posted by DieselLSE

Assuming you also have all the wiring and the memory module, then I can see no reason why you couldn't wire them in. IIRC, the memory does not function if the car is moving (although you can make seat adjustments, of course). So, presumably, there is a feed from the fuel injection computer and perhaps somewhere else, like ABS module if you need to have the brake pedal pressed at the same time. I'll look through the manuals and work it out for you. But I would have thought that all you need is a fused power supply and a bit of soldering up new connectors.
Do you know which model year your donor seats are from?

Thanks DieselLSE. As I understand it, because my car was a non-electric seat car, it lacks the seat memory module/Body Control Module and so the driver's seat can't simply be wired in without a lot of relays etc which sounds like it will cost a lot more in labour than it is worth. I have tracked down a wiring diagram for doing this but I am really not electrically-minded/confident enough to tackle myself unfortunately.

Mine is a non-ABS model so I am guessing it has a less sophisticated ECU. I am wondering whether locating a non-memory driver's seat switch and associated wiring harness might be a workround as then it should be able to be wired straight in in the same way as the passenger's seat apparently can be.

The classic didn't have a body control module as such. All you will need is the seat memory control and the wiring looms. You're bound to find these on a wreck or from someone on this forum. I'll be selling my seats soon Sad Demise of an Exceptionally Good LSE and if the buyer doesn't need the memory control module and wiring then you can have them.

Originally Posted by DieselLSE

The classic didn't have a body control module as such. All you will need is the seat memory control and the wiring looms. You're bound to find these on a wreck or from someone on this forum. I'll be selling my seats soon Sad Demise of an Exceptionally Good LSE and if the buyer doesn't need the memory control module and wiring then you can have them.

Thank you very much. Let me know what your buyer says. Or I could make you an offer in the meantime.

Originally Posted by DieselLSE

The classic didn't have a body control module as such. All you will need is the seat memory control and the wiring looms. You're bound to find these on a wreck or from someone on this forum. I'll be selling my seats soon Sad Demise of an Exceptionally Good LSE and if the buyer doesn't need the memory control module and wiring then you can have them.

If not too concerned about the memory function (for both the seats and the electric mirrors if you have those too), you could just set up for seat adjustment via stand alone switches. I've elected to separate out the mirrors on mine and they are now operated via a d2 electric mirrors switchgear.

Now to get my seats electrical adjustment working properly! My prior electrical guru pulled out much of the wiring looking for a connection fault, then used unmarked white wires to play with connection options, then had a stroke and had to close down his business. An acquaintance of his (mechanic) is currently trying to put it all back together, without the benefit of coded wiring looms or loosing the EAS functionality etc.

Gavin, do you have any more info on the d2 mirror switchgear? I need to get my mirrors going again on my lse

Originally Posted by gavinwibrow

If not too concerned about the memory function (for both the seats and the electric mirrors if you have those too), you could just set up for seat adjustment via stand alone switches. I've elected to separate out the mirrors on mine and they are now operated via a d2 electric mirrors switchgear.

Now to get my seats electrical adjustment working properly! My prior electrical guru pulled out much of the wiring looking for a connection fault, then used unmarked white wires to play with connection options, then had a stroke and had to close down his business. An acquaintance of his (mechanic) is currently trying to put it all back together, without the benefit of coded wiring looms or loosing the EAS functionality etc.

Thanks for the advice. I am considering trying to track down a non-memory switch and wiring in the hopes that that might be more of a 'plug and play' option. For the time being I may put the seats in and just adjust them by applying current directly to the motors so they are set where I want them. The missus can't drive manual so the driver's seat doesn't need moving. Would be nicer to have them fully functioning though!

Hi All,

I'm going the other way and will convert my 91 Vogue SE to manual seats.
I've picked up a set from reasonable Rangie manual seats in a light tan .... mine are chocolate brown and will re stain them to suit .... one of the many things on my list to do
My current my seats are missing the switches that were placed stupidly next to the seats.

I've researched trying to buy them but they are rediculously expensive if you can find them new and second hand ones off a wrecked Rangie I been told I'd have
more chance of picking the 6 winning lotto numbers.

Ive also been told that the switches were also used on Volvo's but I'm unsure of the model and I've not seen anything that remotely matches them on ebay.

Others have also posted on this Forum that in most cases the small battery housed in the computer circuit board (for memory) leaks and damages the circuit board
in most instances.

Replacement batterys can be purchased (ebay) and research on this Forum is worth a look Classic88 if you want to head down that path.
For me 25 year + electrics arnt the most reliable but I understand people wanting to keep thier classic original .....I'm normally one of them.
Gavin - we need to do a meet up ..... my opologies as Scouting takes up a lot of my spare time ..... your wheel sensors and wheels are still on the rolling chassis

Happy to meet at your mechanic anytime and he can check the wiring in my Rangie which I believe its all original and may be able to compare the colour coding on
mine to yours if that will assist him and you.

I don't believe I have any power to them and like Classis88 I'm not the best with electrical wiring in any shape for form hence my prefrence to go manual.

That being said I did get all my windows running and operational ....but that was more good luck than actual competence.

Cheers

Baggy