Upgrading seats

Discussion in 'MINI' started by Goldsmithy, Sep 16, 2016.

  1. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    Jan 30, 2015
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    I found a set of seats with heat and lumbar support for a 2005 R52. I want to upgrade. Can anyone tell me if the stock wiring harness contains the necessary plug. I am looking for plug and play :) If not, how hard is it to add the necessary wiring? As always, TIA for any help or info.
     
  2. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    Dec 22, 2009
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    The wiring may already be there, but for sure you'll have to add the switches.

    Pull one of your seats out and see if there are extra unused plugs?
     
  3. Crashton

    Crashton Club Coordinator

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    I don't believe it is a plug & play. A friend put seats from a 2005 in his 2006 & the he had issues with the airbags in the seats. I'll reach out to him & see if he can remember what the issue & fix was. He's an old fart like me so he may not remember as it was a while ago. :)
     
  4. caseydog

    caseydog Well-Known Member

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    The only car I have ever owned that was truly Plug-and-play was my 2008 Volvo XC70. That did NOT make adding anything any cheaper, since the plug-and-play stuff was Volvo only, and required a $150 reprogramming of the computer. Yeah, it was true plug-and-play, which made it easy, but I paid for it in spades. Adding a trailer hitch and wiring was a piece of cake -- and cost me about 900 bucks if I wanted it to actually work.

    I can't imagine your seat change will be any easier. My advice is to make sure you have all the answers before you spend any money. Otherwise, it can be one of those, "for another 100 bucks, it'll work -- several times over.

    You can also get a throw pillow for your lower back for a few bucks at Target. :biggrin5:

    CD
     
  5. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    I would have guessed that 2005 to 2006 would be no problem but if'n you were going to/from a pre facelift I think there is a difference because of the passenger seat weight sensor.
     
  6. ZippyNH

    ZippyNH Well-Known Member

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    Production date of the 2005 matters....
    My November 2004 production car, but 2005 model year facelift MINI did NOT have the weight sensors in the passangerside seat....
     
  7. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    Good information !! :Thumbsup:
     
  8. Goldsmithy

    Goldsmithy MINI Alliance Ambassador
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    Thanks for all the feedback...I am not going forward with this project. I know too many gremlins would be ready to cause me untold problems.
     

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