Pre-facelift seats in facelift car

[mrscalex]

I think I saw somewhere a pre-facelift seat doesn't plug straight into a facelift wiring connector. Also the facelift is meant to have heated seats and the ones I'm putting in aren't.

Any advice or links to how tos please? Needs to be easily reversible as the proper seats will go in one day.

[bertiejaffa]

Have a look at the wiring diagrams. I have a set of both in my garage as I was considering putting preface lift seats in my old (facelift) 2.0l. The connectors are different but it is pretty easy to figure out which wires to join to which.

Not all facelifts have heated seats btw

[mrscalex]

Have a look at the wiring diagrams. I have a set of both in my garage as I was considering putting preface lift seats in my old (facelift) 2.0l. The connectors are different but it is pretty easy to figure out which wires to join to which.

Not all facelifts have heated seats btw

I was hoping some enterprising company manufactured converters. I think BMW use to for the other way round (facelift in prefacelift). No a problem though. I'm happy enough working off the wiring diagrams. I guess I just have to find the correct method of cable termination at either end to make a secure connection.

Mine does have heated seats but I guess that's not really an issue - just ignore the chassis side connections.

[Robert T]

The large yellow connector on the facelift appears to be a casing containing three smaller connectors. Whilst they probably all aren't the same as the pre-facelift ones on the seat, they will be more standard connectors and you may be able to make up matching connectors to replace those on the seat, leaving the car's loom intact.

Cheers R.

[bertiejaffa]

Maybe spurs fan has a Z3 he is about to scrap and can cut the connectors off for you? Still means splicing into the wiring though I guess to fit the new connectors. but it might be a neater job and make future removal of the seats easier?

[mrscalex]

Maybe spurs fan has a Z3 he is about to scrap and can cut the connectors off for you? Still means splicing into the wiring though I guess to fit the new connectors. but it might be a neater job and make future removal of the seats easier?

I have a pre-facelift breaker I can cut the chassis side connectors off. But I don't want to touch the destination car's harness. What I really need is the pre-facelift chassis connectors (to plug into the seat) wired back to back with the seat side connectors off a facelift. Then I have a converter cable. The reality is I won't be getting the seat connectors off a facelift seat...

So I will just have to figure out how to patch into the existing connectors without cutting. Unless I can find a supply of identical new connectors if they are generic or maybe even available from BMW.

I think someone is missing a trick not making a converter cable. BMW did one the other way but it's discontinued now. If I can get a supply of connectors I might go into production myself. The soldering is the easiest bit as I've been doing that for 30 years

[mrscalex]

Superb write-up of what to do here:

http://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/showt ... -newer-car

Just have to figure a neat way of tapping off the facelift chassis connector so it's totally reversible. No cutting or scotchlocks

[mrscalex]

Getting somewhere now.

Here is the connector. It looks like at least 3 separate connectors from the seat would plug in here.



The top comes off.



The cables magically disappear inside.



But can be released complete with internal connector.



So I just have to plow through RS components now looking for the correct internal connectors. They seem to be known variously as quadlok, MQS & TE and are most frequently used on stero systems. In fact I might even be able to scavy the parts off the breaker if they are used elsewhere. If not there are many, many variations in the quadlok system and over 500 parts listed on RS. What would be useful is a little selection box with common variations.

It would be icing on the cake to find the correct BMW outer (plastic) connectors to tidy up the whole installation and make a proper converter lead. From the 3 I believe plug in I think the middle one is a straight fit from the pre-facelift seat anyway. The 2 outer ones you can bet BMW would supply but I can't identify them on realoem. If anyone has a facelift seat out of the car they can read the part numbers off that would be great.

Otherwise finding the internal connectors is the important bit and I'll just cover them with tape.

[mrscalex]

The large yellow connector on the facelift appears to be a casing containing three smaller connectors. Whilst they probably all aren't the same as the pre-facelift ones on the seat, they will be more standard connectors and you may be able to make up matching connectors to replace those on the seat, leaving the car's loom intact.

Cheers R.

Yes, this is the approach I'm trying to follow as per my post above.

[Robert T]

The metal connector with the locking tab that you removed is likely to be common to many connectors. There are male and female versions and you could conceivably transplant them into a new socket casing and put the matching plug on the seats. I note that there are some larger ones for the higher current connections. If you are looking to preserve the connectors on the seats as well, then you could potentially do the same there, though they may be a different series to the facelift ones.

From looking at similar part numbers, it looks like it is a TE Connectivity AMP Micro Quadlok System (MQS) series connector. RS list quite a few of these here (uk.rs-online.com). The pins are at the bottom of the page, and if you can marry these up to those on the car (both size and gauge), then you would be able to use the housings from this series to make your own connector.

Interestingly te.com knows about both the black case and the yellow block, but they are both "restricted" viewing.

If you can get the AMP part numbers off the pre-facelift seats, then that would also help, as one of the connectors is similar/the same.

Cheers R.

[mrscalex]

The metal connector with the locking tab that you removed is likely to be common to many connectors. There are male and female versions and you could conceivably transplant them into a new socket casing and put the matching plug on the seats. I note that there are some larger ones for the higher current connections. If you are looking to preserve the connectors on the seats as well, then you could potentially do the same there, though they may be a different series to the facelift ones.

From looking at similar part numbers, it looks like it is a TE Connectivity AMP Micro Quadlok System (MQS) series connector. RS list quite a few of these here (uk.rs-online.com). The pins are at the bottom of the page, and if you can marry these up to those on the car (both size and gauge), then you would be able to use the housings from this series to make your own connector.

Interestingly te.com knows about both the black case and the yellow block, but they are both "restricted" viewing.

If you can get the AMP part numbers off the pre-facelift seats, then that would also help, as one of the connectors is similar/the same.

Cheers R.

I'll certainly be having a dig around RS. I want to find the neatest, most reversible solution and document for the wider benefit of the forum - just not sure what it looks like yet!