EU Spec fully electric rear seats retrofit...

[IT]

For some reason, here in the UK on the D2 we never got fully electric rears seats. The best you could hope for was a rather unhelpful electric headrest adjustment and electric lumbar support.... It filled a blank on the dashboard (middle button on right hand set of 3 facelift) and really, that was the best thing it did.... Other than that, it just increased weight.

On the continent on the other hand, they treated themselves to a far more useful setup. Their electric rear have the lumbar, and headrest, but also the seats slide backwards/forwards and tilt the base up and down. Now thats way more useful. Add to that the ability to move the front passenger seat forward using a button in the rear and things are looking a bit more limo-like. (this button was standard kit on the LWB in the UK, otherwise unseen pretty much)

Anyway, they say pictures speak a thousand words so here we go:

(1) The seats, with one rear seat elevated and reclined.....



(2) Under the surface. What it looks like when you remove one seat:




(3) Again, one seat removed




(4) Close up of the base and wiring




So, speaking of wiring... All these buttons in doors, heating elements and whizzy motors take quite a bit of wiring in. So, we took the entire loom from the donor car, and the seperated off the main loom to leave us with just the accessories:




(6) Then we unravel it all. Remove all the fabric tape, and start to extract just the cable runs we need for this project.



(7) - Finally, reduced to component parts



There are 3 in this box, and one other that I took out earlier. In principal, the 4 looms are:

Front passenger seat memory
Rear Heated seat connections with controls
Electric rear seat movement inc switches for driver side rear door
Electric rear seat movement inc switches for passenger side rear door

A few interesting points about this project. The donor car was a UK registered right hand drive S8, but it was originally delivered by a German dealer, hence the spec. Because this was an S8, these seats are of the 'sport' design, and hence will go nicely into my A/S8. Most fully electric rear seat installs are 'comfort seat' style from the LWB

The seat colour is platinum, which is 2000 was reasonably rare. It became more common in 2002 when more cars seemed to have a splash of platinum somewhere.

The donor car was one of the highest spec cars we ever dismantled: S8, Tv tuner, Full enhanced leather and alcantara with blinds. Bose, Rear seat entertainment, fully electric heated rear seats, tow bar, tyre pressure monitoring, passenger seat memory. The only items it was really missing was a sunroof upgrade, heated windscreen and xenon plus....

Note that the fully electric rear seats give two individual seats in the rear (similar to now available on D3) hence you get only 2 seatbelts in the back.

The biggest thing stopping me motoring along and getting these in is daylight, which you may have noticed is in short supply. That, and the weather makes for not much fun. Fortunately though I have picked up an A6 recently which is a real hoot to drive, so I can dismember my 8 for a couple of weeks and still be mobile.

There are a couple of major sections to this project:

Electrical: This involves removing all the seats, carpets and door cards and running wires all over the place

Mechanical: The seats physically attach in different ways. I have to create threads where there are none, and hacksaw (quite permantly...) away the brackets that hold the standard seats in place. No turning back after that. I also have to remove my LPG tank in the boot to get access to the rear bulkhead... GGrrr... More overhead... !

Cosmetic: It has a different carpet, different lower C pillar trims and different parcel shelf. These parts are all removed as part of the process so no major overhead, but, dont think if youre ever lucky enough to pick up a set of these seats, that getting the seats alone is enough to make it work and look good

My car is running great, and to be honest i'm not desperate to install this lot, but its now sitting in my garage and a full set of front / rear seats, armrests, carpets, C pillar trims and door cards (none of which can even be breathed up on by the kids, obviously) it getting to be a sizeable pain so the project must commence just to make room !!!

[PsYcHe]

Very nice... Wonder if there are any of the D3 equivalent sets floating about...

[Oli18]

Now that is a mod i like!!!!

Very cool Ian!!!

So, what's the deal with obtaining these then from a donor car? Can they pretty much ordinarily only be sourced from a LWB then? and what about the front passenger seat with button?...i take it that as the seat is not a recaro sports seat, you opted not to replace that?

As always, love the passion you have for modifying the interior of these fantastic beasts!

-oli

[Singh]

I have soo got first dibbs on that when you get rid of your '8, even if I have to buy the whole car to get it

[gninnam]

That, as they say in Wales, is lush

Looking forward to seeing these in place

[IT]

Originally Posted by Oli18

Now that is a mod i like!!!!

Very cool Ian!!!

So, what's the deal with obtaining these then from a donor car? Can they pretty much ordinarily only be sourced from a LWB then? and what about the front passenger seat with button?...i take it that as the seat is not a recaro sports seat, you opted not to replace that?

As always, love the passion you have for modifying the interior of these fantastic beasts!

-oli

Actually, the 'move the front seat forward' switch is one of the simpler upgrades.... Its basically a bypass that sits between the buttons on the normal seat, and the motor. So, when the rear passenger button isnt active the front seat switches are connected directly to the front seat motor, but when the rear passenger presses the button it switches the motor so its connected straight to +12 which winds the seat forward....

The donor car was an S8, so short wheel base & sports seats all round (lucky me) but ive not seen many other S8 / Sport varients in Germany with it fitted. You're far more likely to find it on a Long wheel base, but that causes problems because the carpet and lower C pillar trims wont fit as they are 8 inches longer


Without the 'bigger' carpet that comes with it, and modified lower C pillar trims then when the seats slide and lift, you will see exposed bodywork I guess....

[Mkoneman]

i want this soooooo bad, not that i need it or would ever use it, i get more use out of the rear seats the way there are wink wink haha

they are even in the right colour

are u taking a alcantara parcel shelf out when u fit the new one?

[IT]

Originally Posted by Mkoneman

are u taking a alcantara parcel shelf out when u fit the new one?

That alcantara shelf is the one from the donor car, I just fitted it early as its a quick win and makes me feel like I'm getting somewhere

Its a '4 seater' parcel shelf with no hole for the middle seatbelt, so I have not only not yet got my comfy individual seats, but I can now only take 3 passengers, not 4....

[PsYcHe]

Originally Posted by Mkoneman

i want this soooooo bad, not that i need it or would ever use it, i get more use out of the rear seats the way there are wink wink haha

What.. And risk getting something on them? :P

[Mkoneman]

Haha 2 words: wipe clean