XSeries-forum

As a newbie, one of the first mod's I'm hoping to carry out is to change my interior for heated seats.

I'm hoping to get the seats from a breakers, but is there any obvious visual signs by looking at a set of removed seats, as to whether they are heated or non-heated seats?

You have to check to see if the plug is present underneath at the module.

Thanks Bomber,

I've haven't got my car here to have a look and compare at the minute, as its in the garage being LPGed, but;
Does that mean there will be two connectors (one for the memory function and one for the heater element) or just one which is different to just the memory function?

Mine currently has the memory seats, but I wanted to retrofit the heated/memory seats.

Be interested to see how you get on , and how much a pair of seats are .
It's the one option that's missing from mine which I'd kill for . Really miss
them as last 3 cars I've owned all had them .

You'll need to get the centre console switch panel as well , coz the un-heated
seat cars don't have the switches , but do have the wiring .

We did this mod to Jeegnesh's car last year.

Car is a Sport version but had no heated seats. So a saved search on eBay yielded a centre console switch for £45. Then just the new seats which were sourced again from eBay but stated they were heated.

Without going into too much detail the swap worked out to £45 minus his fuel costs to get the interior.

Thx Sanj , did you replace all the seats , or just the fronts ??

[quote="redzed"]
Thanks Bomber,

I've haven't got my car here to have a look and compare at the minute, as its in the garage being LPGed, but;
Does that mean there will be two connectors (one for the memory function and one for the heater element) or just one which is different to just the memory function?

Mine currently has the memory seats, but I wanted to retrofit the heated/memory seats.
[/quote]

All seats are different and I'm not familiar with your seats unfortunately but usually there will be a control module under each seat with various connections depending on spec, the seat heating wire will disappear into the seat at the rear of the base, you can also sometimes see a connecting wire in between the main seat base and the extendable leg support as these are usually heated as well.

You'll find in pretty much a circumstances the E53 is well pre-wired for everything so the wiring in the car should be there. The seats you trying to source should have the wiring and plugs visible for the heating elements. Rear bench has 2 (one for each side) sticking out the bottom (near the back).

[quote="ChrisLux"]

Thx Sanj , did you replace all the seats , or just the fronts ??
[/quote]

Bought a whole set including cards and rears and then swapped out just the fronts. Stupidly easy mod to do, as long as the seats you buy as defo heated!

Start with saved searches and get familiar with the pricing. Hoping the warmer climate (which we'll never have) may help reduce prices.

[quote="Sanj"]


Start with saved searches and get familiar with the pricing. Hoping the warmer climate (which we'll never have) may help reduce prices.
[/quote]

Amen to both 

I've done this mod (see my 'How-to').  On my 2004 E53 there was only one connecting plug that did all the connections for both the seat movement controls and the supplies to the seat heating elements, so in that case it was not possible to tell easily just by counting the plugs (i.e. there was only one plug).

Looking for a connection between seat base and backrest would be more fruitful but I'm afraid I don't recall whereabouts the wire runs - maybe a current owner can help.

Very simple mod though: 5 bolts/nuts, one plug to unlatch and remake and the central control module changeover which takes about a  minute.  Total time for the whole job under an hour)

Go for it!
Peter T