Updated my seats. Major PITA. Things you should know.
08-05-2017, 10:53 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
Updated my seats. Major PITA. Things you should know.
So my 2007 seats with 130k miles are falling apart, the support lattice actually broke (Pic 1); mostly on the drivers side but I figured if I am going to refresh them, I might as well do both. Hopefully this information is useful for someone.
The plan was to buy a pair of lower mileage used seats, swap them in, rebuild mine, put them back in and resale the ones I buy. Great plan, but boy oh boy, there are many things that I wish I had known before hand.
First off, my car is a 2LT with sport seats, power with lumbar and side bolsters on both passenger and driver side, NO heat, NO memory. The first set of seats I went look at was from a grand sport and was described as "power seats." When I went to look at them, I realized they were power movement only and both driver and passenger seats. I guess along the years they changed things up and it was not possible to get the power bolsters and lumbar without having heated seats.
Since I wasn't willing to give up the extra adjustments, I figured, no big deal, another set will come up. And another set did, from a newer grandsport, about the same 20k miles on them, and with power everything and heated, and $200 cheaper to boot.
What I didn't realize at the time is that the seats (at least the driver's seat) also had memory. So when I pulled my seat out, put in the new one, plugged in the harnesses that were applicable, I try to move the seat and nothing happens. The lumbar and bolsters work, but not the movement. This is a royal pain because I needed it to move so I could get to the back nuts to secure the seat. So out the seat comes so I can hotwire the motor to move the seat on the tracks. (Pic 2) Note, it actually is showing the paper clips in the terminals to move the rear motor up and down.
After the seats are adjusted out of the car, I do some searching on the forum and find that the memory module will create a problem and the only solution was to pull the harness from your existing seat and use that on the new seat, only plugging in the pigtails contained on the old harness. (Pic 3) I managed to remove my original harness and the new seat's harness without cutting or removing any of the ty-wraps. I left the side airbag/seatbelt harness alone on both seats. I transfer the new harness, install the seat and everything works!
I tighten everything down, go to buckle the seatbelt and BAM, it doesn't fit.
So at some point the seatbelts were also changed! My seatbelt was wider than the buckle on these grandsport seats. So I go to swap the buckle and it comes as this whole pretensioner setup that has a stupid thin 21mm nut of sorts to remove it. And it also has the seatbelt wiring pigtail and goes back to the airbag pigtail (large yellow connector). They also used horrible electrical tape to secure it on the 2007 that literally melted. (Pic 4).
The new seats have a simple connector between the yellow connector and the seat belt pretensioner. (Pic 5) Much to my dismay, my 2007 seemed to be hardwired between the connector and tensioner, so I ended up having to remove that harness from my seat to use or so I thought. So I traced the wire up to the side airbag, saw that it did not have a simple connector so I removed the clip and pulled the terminals. (Pic 6) As it turns out, this wasn't even necessary. Nor was the part where I rewired the pins from my original seatbelt pretensioner unit (Pic 7) because I released after it was all done that the damn large yellow connector splits into to halves.
Anyway, when all was said and done, I was successful, but that was a lot harder than I thought it would be. So hopefully others can learn from my missteps. Also, I have the 3 volume Helms manuals and the index SUCKS, at least for me. Try and lookup seats or power seats or something similar. Can't find the damn thing at all. I had to look in the table of contents to get to it.
The plan was to buy a pair of lower mileage used seats, swap them in, rebuild mine, put them back in and resale the ones I buy. Great plan, but boy oh boy, there are many things that I wish I had known before hand.
First off, my car is a 2LT with sport seats, power with lumbar and side bolsters on both passenger and driver side, NO heat, NO memory. The first set of seats I went look at was from a grand sport and was described as "power seats." When I went to look at them, I realized they were power movement only and both driver and passenger seats. I guess along the years they changed things up and it was not possible to get the power bolsters and lumbar without having heated seats.
Since I wasn't willing to give up the extra adjustments, I figured, no big deal, another set will come up. And another set did, from a newer grandsport, about the same 20k miles on them, and with power everything and heated, and $200 cheaper to boot.
What I didn't realize at the time is that the seats (at least the driver's seat) also had memory. So when I pulled my seat out, put in the new one, plugged in the harnesses that were applicable, I try to move the seat and nothing happens. The lumbar and bolsters work, but not the movement. This is a royal pain because I needed it to move so I could get to the back nuts to secure the seat. So out the seat comes so I can hotwire the motor to move the seat on the tracks. (Pic 2) Note, it actually is showing the paper clips in the terminals to move the rear motor up and down.
After the seats are adjusted out of the car, I do some searching on the forum and find that the memory module will create a problem and the only solution was to pull the harness from your existing seat and use that on the new seat, only plugging in the pigtails contained on the old harness. (Pic 3) I managed to remove my original harness and the new seat's harness without cutting or removing any of the ty-wraps. I left the side airbag/seatbelt harness alone on both seats. I transfer the new harness, install the seat and everything works!
I tighten everything down, go to buckle the seatbelt and BAM, it doesn't fit.
So at some point the seatbelts were also changed! My seatbelt was wider than the buckle on these grandsport seats. So I go to swap the buckle and it comes as this whole pretensioner setup that has a stupid thin 21mm nut of sorts to remove it. And it also has the seatbelt wiring pigtail and goes back to the airbag pigtail (large yellow connector). They also used horrible electrical tape to secure it on the 2007 that literally melted. (Pic 4).The new seats have a simple connector between the yellow connector and the seat belt pretensioner. (Pic 5) Much to my dismay, my 2007 seemed to be hardwired between the connector and tensioner, so I ended up having to remove that harness from my seat to use or so I thought. So I traced the wire up to the side airbag, saw that it did not have a simple connector so I removed the clip and pulled the terminals. (Pic 6) As it turns out, this wasn't even necessary. Nor was the part where I rewired the pins from my original seatbelt pretensioner unit (Pic 7) because I released after it was all done that the damn large yellow connector splits into to halves.
Anyway, when all was said and done, I was successful, but that was a lot harder than I thought it would be. So hopefully others can learn from my missteps. Also, I have the 3 volume Helms manuals and the index SUCKS, at least for me. Try and lookup seats or power seats or something similar. Can't find the damn thing at all. I had to look in the table of contents to get to it.
08-06-2017, 10:19 AM
#2
Safety Car
Sounds like a real pain.
I think I would had just had my old seat reupholstered.
My second option would be to either buy the exact seats I had, or removed the upholstery from the seats I bought, and put it on my original seats. I would have swapped the upholstery as soon as I saw the seats I bought wouldn't fit.
Sounds like it all worked out in the end.
I think I would had just had my old seat reupholstered.
My second option would be to either buy the exact seats I had, or removed the upholstery from the seats I bought, and put it on my original seats. I would have swapped the upholstery as soon as I saw the seats I bought wouldn't fit.
Sounds like it all worked out in the end.
08-06-2017, 11:20 AM
#3
Race Director
While a PITA, you're now CF's go-to seat guy. Nice write-up, full of valuable & handy insights. 
Sounds like C6 had subtle MY differences w/ seats & you found 'em all.
Hindsight's 20/20 so would you do it the same way or as suggested above, go reupholster route?
Sounds like C6 had subtle MY differences w/ seats & you found 'em all.
Hindsight's 20/20 so would you do it the same way or as suggested above, go reupholster route?
08-06-2017, 11:38 AM
#4
Melting Slicks
I appreciate all the info here.
I wish cars only had manually adjustable seats. It's easier and quicker just to have some levers and push and lean the seat myself. The whole idea of electrically powered seats for movement and adjustment is pretty stupid.
The only dumber idea is electric door latches.
I wish cars only had manually adjustable seats. It's easier and quicker just to have some levers and push and lean the seat myself. The whole idea of electrically powered seats for movement and adjustment is pretty stupid.
The only dumber idea is electric door latches.
08-06-2017, 02:17 PM
#5
Safety Car
Thread Starter
I did the passenger seat this morning. Thankfully, since no memory, I didn't have to rewire anything. The seat belt pretensioner was a pain to get off though on the newer seats. There is evidence on the tracks that they were exposed to some kind of moisture so they were corroded a bit. As it turns out, the passenger seat rear vertical motor worked, but the gearbox it turns was damaged internally and didn't budge. It doesn't look feasible to fix so I just used vice grips and manually turned the screw to adjust the rear height.
In hindsight, I would have done this the same way, but I probably would have looked harder for 05-09 seats. Swapping those pretensioners was by far the largest PITA. Just bringing them in for reupholster wasn't going to be a good option for me. It is my daily driver and they needed a lot more than just new foam and covers. I have to change the support spring lattice and some broken plastic pieces. I also want to take it apart myself to really understand the design issues with the seat. I know some companies sell these extra foam pieces and jute pads to stop the spring from cutting the foam, but I know others that say that is a waste and you can just use a cut piece of plastic from a 5 gallon bottle instead of the jute pad.
In hindsight, I would have done this the same way, but I probably would have looked harder for 05-09 seats. Swapping those pretensioners was by far the largest PITA. Just bringing them in for reupholster wasn't going to be a good option for me. It is my daily driver and they needed a lot more than just new foam and covers. I have to change the support spring lattice and some broken plastic pieces. I also want to take it apart myself to really understand the design issues with the seat. I know some companies sell these extra foam pieces and jute pads to stop the spring from cutting the foam, but I know others that say that is a waste and you can just use a cut piece of plastic from a 5 gallon bottle instead of the jute pad.
The following users liked this post:
Landru (08-07-2017)
08-07-2017, 09:47 AM
#6
Le Mans Master
I did the passenger seat this morning. Thankfully, since no memory, I didn't have to rewire anything. The seat belt pretensioner was a pain to get off though on the newer seats. There is evidence on the tracks that they were exposed to some kind of moisture so they were corroded a bit. As it turns out, the passenger seat rear vertical motor worked, but the gearbox it turns was damaged internally and didn't budge. It doesn't look feasible to fix so I just used vice grips and manually turned the screw to adjust the rear height.
In hindsight, I would have done this the same way, but I probably would have looked harder for 05-09 seats. Swapping those pretensioners was by far the largest PITA. Just bringing them in for reupholster wasn't going to be a good option for me. It is my daily driver and they needed a lot more than just new foam and covers. I have to change the support spring lattice and some broken plastic pieces. I also want to take it apart myself to really understand the design issues with the seat. I know some companies sell these extra foam pieces and jute pads to stop the spring from cutting the foam, but I know others that say that is a waste and you can just use a cut piece of plastic from a 5 gallon bottle instead of the jute pad.
In hindsight, I would have done this the same way, but I probably would have looked harder for 05-09 seats. Swapping those pretensioners was by far the largest PITA. Just bringing them in for reupholster wasn't going to be a good option for me. It is my daily driver and they needed a lot more than just new foam and covers. I have to change the support spring lattice and some broken plastic pieces. I also want to take it apart myself to really understand the design issues with the seat. I know some companies sell these extra foam pieces and jute pads to stop the spring from cutting the foam, but I know others that say that is a waste and you can just use a cut piece of plastic from a 5 gallon bottle instead of the jute pad.
Passenger side was OK but installing the kit will extend its life. Driver bottom cushion is being replaced with new GM foam pad. That and the kit should outlast me.
Last edited by BADBIRDCAGE; 08-07-2017 at 09:48 AM.
01-13-2018, 09:13 PM
#7
I know this is old but can anyone tell me if it’s the front motor that controls the front and rear movement? I have a dead seat stuck in the rearward position. I tried to Hotwire it like the OP did but I think it’s just so corroded it isn’t working. I tried to jump straight to the little holes on that front motor and got nothing also. Looks pretty rusty in there. My only other idea is to cut the casing off the motor and try a direct approach. This is extremely difficult to say the least. any help would be greatly appreciated.
Last edited by JayzBentC6; 01-13-2018 at 09:14 PM.
01-14-2018, 08:35 AM
#8
Safety Car
Thread Starter
It is the forward motor that adjust front to rear movement. If you want to jump the wires on the motor, you really need to find the connector. Going straight to the motor will be quite difficult. I know it may be a royal PITA to get to the connector, but I have big hands and managed to find it and get it right about 40 mins of pushing and wiggling and struggling.
01-14-2018, 09:30 AM
#9
Race Director
I appreciate all the info here.
I wish cars only had manually adjustable seats. It's easier and quicker just to have some levers and push and lean the seat myself. The whole idea of electrically powered seats for movement and adjustment is pretty stupid.
The only dumber idea is electric door latches.
I wish cars only had manually adjustable seats. It's easier and quicker just to have some levers and push and lean the seat myself. The whole idea of electrically powered seats for movement and adjustment is pretty stupid.
The only dumber idea is electric door latches.
01-14-2018, 10:15 AM
#10
It is the forward motor that adjust front to rear movement. If you want to jump the wires on the motor, you really need to find the connector. Going straight to the motor will be quite difficult. I know it may be a royal PITA to get to the connector, but I have big hands and managed to find it and get it right about 40 mins of pushing and wiggling and struggling.
I got to the connector. And I was able to put clips in like the OP to hotwire. But the motor that control forward and rear movement is locked up. When I hit the power it just sparks like it’s seized up. The only motor that does anything is the front height adjustment. The rear height adjustment does nothing also. I may have to like I said attempt to cut the housing off with a dremel. And try and tap at the source. Or just cut the rod that runs through the motor and try and turn the rod manually on both sides. Really wish there was a manual release for these situations.
01-15-2018, 09:41 PM
#12
Yeah no doubt about that! Well I did manage to get the seat out. I had to cut the wire to the plug for the front motor. Then unbolt it from the little shaft covers. Then just rotate the motor counter clockwise. Took a long time to get it moved but it’s out. Will be replacing the track. But at least that nightmare is over.