Driver Seat Retrofit

[Yn5Id3r]

Hello everyone ,

Hope you are all well.

I have a question which I`m hoping some of you enthuziasts will be able to assist with.

I have recently bought a Mercedes E class W213 , with standards seats . ( electric up/down , backrest ) , manual seat adjustment for forward / back.

I am missing the lumbar support , and I have seen I can buy a seat with the build in function online , from a car just like mine that had the upgrade.

Now all that means is the seat itself has another button on the side ,for the electric lumbar support.


Now I would assume it would be a pretty straight forward replacement , and all the connectors would fit as per my current driver seat , as it only has the extra 1 function.

My question is , does anyone know if this would require a extra connector from the car ? ( personally I assume the chair only needs the power supply , once it has it , it is distributed to all necessary elements so would not need another connector which I would be missing ? )

Thanks,
Alex.

 

[ianro]

I'm hoping someone responds as I would love to retrofit memory seats.

 

[Petrol Pete]

Hello and welcome . Fitting a seat with an extra 12V driven function on it would probably not be difficult, just a matter of getting 12V supply connected from an existing 12V function under the seat . You may have to fuse it separately.

From what I have seen on this forum in the past adding memory packages to cars that came from the factory without them is quite a different matter . It can be done but is expensive.

 

[ianro]

Cheers, I was hoping as above, that as it only adds 1 function then it would be straight forward. Maybe not

 

[Duffy3074]

I've done the same retrofit on my previous W212
You need to get both seats, the controllers are built into the base and the wiring is quite different, you need to connect both seats to the canbus hub to the right of the drivers seat and code 3 seperate controllers. You also need to change both front door cards to include the required seat switches. It's not a 5 minute or simple job.

 

[ianro]

Cheers for that, I imagined I needed a new seat and door switches, didn't realise both seats and the loom potentially, bummer.

 

[mioba]

Mercedes never provide looms for additional features not fitted as standard at build.
Why would they, the person who ordered the car gets what he paid for.

 

[ianro]

Actually saves money by using the same loom in every car.

 

[DSM10000]

Actually saves money by using the same loom in every car.

No it doesn’t or MB etc would do it.

Mercedes, like other manufacturers offer cars in packaged specifications meaning that there are cost savings on building

Optional extras are added to the vehicle by fitting additional wiring looms and canbus controllers as required

 

[Hectors Dad]

I don't think the lumbar support is actually connected to the CANBUS.
As it is mounted on the seat itself, there is no requirement for a signal to be sent to activate it, it is a direct connection.
This means you wouldn't need both seats or new door cards.
I did the memory seat retrofit on my W212 and remember the lumbar support working before the car was coded to use the memory option.
My assumption is that as long as the replacement seat uses a manual forward and back lever the same as the original but also has the motorised lumbar switch / support, then it will be plug and play.

 

[ianro]

I don't think the lumbar support is actually connected to the CANBUS.
As it is mounted on the seat itself, there is no requirement for a signal to be sent to activate it, it is a direct connection.
This means you wouldn't need both seats or new door cards.
I did the memory seat retrofit on my W212 and remember the lumbar support working before the car was coded to use the memory option.
My assumption is that as long as the replacement seat uses a manual forward and back lever the same as the original but also has the motorised lumbar switch / support, then it will be plug and play.

Thank you for the rare positive post on the original topic.

 

[DSM10000]

Thank you for the rare positive post on the original topic.

Where have you had negative posts?

No one has said it's not possible or do not attempt it have they?

You asked for information and people with more knowledge on this subject responded with helpful comments and offering methods that would let you do what you proposed in either an integrated or non integrated way.