Retrofitting Electric Seats

[Lyons]

I imagine this will be a long shot, but would anyone know about retrofitting electric seats without memory function? If the car comes with manual seats but electric lumbar, are the plugs different on fully electric seats? I expect the pins will be different on the seats, but a lot of manufacturers install the same wiring on every car so I’m curious if the seats would just be plug and play?

In my head they shouldn’t need coding if the wiring is there already? Does an electric seat require a module (again for the seat itself, not memory).

Thanks!

[sapphireblack]

Probably a lot of hassle and expense if possible, just for electric movement. With memory functions electric are always worthwhile less so without.

You could look on realoem via your vin number to see what options we're available at the time yours was built.

[Lyons]

Only car shopping at the minute, but very few G01’s have electric seats.

I’m not bothered about the memory, it would be easier to fine adjust with electric movement than manual though.

If it’s just a case of swapping the seats then it wouldn’t be deer at all. That’s why I’m keen to know if it’s as easy as that.

[X5Sport]

The wiring harnesses are not standard. There are different versions depending upon what additional options the electric seats have. These all have different part numbers compared to the manual seat versions - of which there are again several depending upon options like side bolsters and lumbar supports. Hard to tell if the connectors are different or just what’s pinned up within them, and where they go back to in the main harness.

Pre-2019 there should be a few about at least, but BMW removed powered seats from a number of models (or limited options) once the chip shortages took hold during the pandemic. It’s still a problem today.

The E53 used to have a pretty much standard wiring harness installed but that changed as a way of saving weight and cost (to BMW rather than us).

With the approach of subscription based options, maybe a standard harness will return?

[Big Bad Boris]

So the E53 had a standard wiring harness, was this carried over into the F25? It would be nice to add heated, electric, memory seats to our 2013 M-Sport… if as the OP says they are largely “plug and play”.

[StuBeeDoo]

So the E53 had a standard wiring harness, was this carried over into the F25?

I suspect not. On ETK a replacement harness for an F25 is listed as being "individual". I.e, if you want a replacement you have to supply your VIN and the new one is built to order.

[Big Bad Boris]

Sounds like that would make the whole idea prohibitively expensive, adding that to the cost of replacement seats and fitting