E30 sport seats: Cloth vs leather

gervs · 04-12-2010, 12:43 PM

I just installed my newly aquired leather interior for my car and noticed that the leather sport seats have electrical connectors. My cloth sport seats had nothing electrical on them. What are these for.

Also, my floor had a wire comming from it which worked on one of the plugs.

These are the connectors on the seat.

This is what was just chillin on the floor after I vacummed about 4 inches of crud the PO left me (including lunch, mcdonald fries lol). So I connected this wire to one of the connectors on the seat, but I'd like to know if I need to install switches if they are seat warmers, fuses, etc...
Or are they just like a seat belt indicator thing?

**T.Dot_E30** · 04-12-2010, 01:17 PM

The connectors are for the heated seat option. Switches are usually on the center console by the e-brake handle. Most likely you have the wiring for them, but will need to cut your center concole or get some with the heated seat switches already cut out.

I think only one side had a second connector, I can't remember if it was airbag, or seatbelt related, but something along those lines.

gervs · 04-12-2010, 01:26 PM

Cool, I already have a source to get the connectors and switches for the heated part then. Gonna source them and hook it up. That's a pleasent suprise.

Still curious about that other one, singled out in the pics on the drivers side since it wasn't even an option on my stock cloth sport seats.

Ceeker · 04-12-2010, 01:41 PM

[quote=gervs;1409469]Cool, I already have a source to get the connectors and switches for the heated part then. Gonna source them and hook it up. That's a pleasent suprise.

Still curious about that other one, singled out in the pics on the drivers side since it wasn't even an option on my stock cloth sport seats.[/QUOTE

I believe the single one is for the seat belt light. As for pre-wiring..you may have got lucky with having a car with wiring already installed for heated seats and someone swapped them out for the cloth. But, e30's didn't get pre-wired as far as I know for heated seats. This was an option but you can get the wiring and run it as someone had done it on this site at some point.

propr'one · 04-12-2010, 02:45 PM

Yep, seatbelt and heated seats. I'd check the heaters work before you go to all the work of retrofitting them

gervs · 04-12-2010, 03:29 PM

Yeah gonna test it out tonight, might just go cut the plugs off the pick a part tonight so I can throw some power at them and see if they work.

So how does this seatbelt thing work? seing as it wasn't set up on my old seat. Is it just supposed to be a warning light or a chime to tell you to put your damn belt on?

E30M42cab · 04-12-2010, 06:35 PM

I've installed heated seats a couple times in E30's... pretty straight forward job. You may or may not have a fuse already in the fusebox. My advice would be to run the harness through the carpet from the centre console down under the carpet to each seat, and run the power up under the console and over the steering column instead of along the floor. There is already a ground under the dash next to the terminal block that the power connector plugs into. Install is soooooooooo much easier than pulling the harness from the donor car.

everlast · 04-13-2010, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E30M42cab

Install is soooooooooo much easier than pulling the harness from the donor car.

That's too bad since I have the harness in my car and no desire to rip the interior out atm.

E30M42cab · 04-13-2010, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by everlast

That's too bad since I have the harness in my car and no desire to rip the interior out atm.

It's especially fun when the carpet is wet and mouldy

It's actually not hard, just slightly annoying.

everlast · 04-13-2010, 09:15 PM

Can it be done with the carpet in place?

E30M42cab · 04-14-2010, 12:54 AM

For removal; Nope. Harness runs directly beneath the drivers side carpet from the switches to the door sill. then up through the kick panel, and into the terminal block. If the harness wasn't fastened to the floor with plastic ties, you might be able to pull it out, but it is fastened down. You don't have to remove the carpet, just lift it. No need to cut the carpet, or anything drastic like that. Carefully remove the door sill plastic, and you shouldn't have a problem.

craz azn · 04-14-2010, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E30M42cab

Carefully remove the door sill plastic, and you shouldn't have a problem.

I hate those white clips. They are buggers.

everlast · 04-14-2010, 01:15 AM

I *can* remove the carpet, I just have zero desire to. I'd rather get this car back on its wheels and drive it!!

gervs · 04-28-2010, 05:56 PM

I GOT HEAT!!!!!!!! that's gonna be nice tomorrow morning. I went to the yard today and go the switches and connectors, then fabbed up my own harness cause I was too lazy to get the entire harness from the donor car and just sliced away the components. Anyway, It's fantastic!