Seat change from manual to electric?

Denboy · February 1, 2016

Hi. Could anyone please tell me if fitting electric adjustable seats in place of manual seats is a straight forward arrangement? Would the electrics be plug and play? I've got non leather manual seats and I'd like to change to electric leather.

Thank you in advance.

steve2006 · February 1, 2016

Hello and welcome to the LOC.

Lexus do seem to fit the same wiring looms to all models and then use what is needed, I know on mine the plug is there to fit the rear massage seats even though they are not presently fitted.

What I suggest you do is have a look under the seat, maybe remove the 2 rear fixing bolts to allow the seat to lift up a little and see if there are any spare plugs under there bearing in mind they may be stuffed under the carpet or other covers. Be very weary of any yellow plugs/sockets they are normally related to the airbag system so leave well alone.

If the loom is present it should be plug and play as the controls are all on the seat, seat heaters are a different matter as the switches are remote.

There may also be specific fuses missing in the fusebox which will need fitting to power the seats.

chris_abr · February 2, 2016

I've done it on mine. If you get the middle heated/cooled seats control panel, the heated/cooled seats also work.

Denboy · February 2, 2016

Thanks Chris. I already have heated seats. Does that mean that the looms are already there and everything is as simple as plug and play for electric and heated?

chris_abr · February 4, 2016

Yup. Get the panel next to the armrest with the heating/cooling controlls, there's a plug already there to plug the panel in. It'll work straight away.

Seats have the same plugs (as far as I remember, 3 wires on driver seat, 2 wires on passanger, never checked why one less on the passanger seat, but everything works anyway).

Do remember to unplug the Battery and wait 10 mins before disconnecting and then connecting the seats as there are airbag connectors there.

The only thing I'm unsure with the seats is whether the memory settings work as I never bothered with these, but I think the plugs are already in the doors (there's one spare plug on mine), so it should also be plug and play.

With the exception of automatically adjusted steering wheel column of course, as thats a manual.

Also, the plastic seat mounting bolt covers from manual wont suit the electric seat, so you might wanna get a set.

I never bothered, as with the usual seat positions and the rear carpets moved close to the front seats you cant even see them anyway.

gsinky22 · February 9, 2016

I've just done this mod today. Fitted leather heated/cooked seats to a 250 that had cloth manual. All of the wires were present including the console switches. The drivers side has 3 multiplugs, which were an exact swap. The passenger also had 3 on the loom, however the seat only has two female plugs. The driver side works, but I cannot move the passenger side. Can anybody shed some light on this?:)

gsinky22 · February 9, 2016

Ignore that last message. Finally figured it out. There is a connector that attaches the two males together. Working perfectly:)

Denboy · February 14, 2016

After the replies on here that this was a straightforward plug and play replacement I bought a lovely set of leathers to fit.

Only to find out that the main attachment points to the floor are different and don't match the front seats?????

I've attached photos of the difference.

Any ideas anyone???

Shahpor · February 14, 2016

Can you unbolt the rails from the old ones and fit to the new seats?

gsinky22 · February 14, 2016

That can't be right. All of the bolts should line up. Are you sure these are from a mk2? As I said, I changed mine last week. It is definitely a plug and play. I didn't even have heated seats, but the multiplugs were all there. Worked straight away:)

Denboy · February 14, 2016

I wish I could just change the rails but they are a different size (width) and attached to the electrical mechanism.

chris_abr · February 14, 2016

What car, and year have you got? It was definitely a straight swap on my MK2 2006 220D. The seats came from an IS250 2008 too, so they should be compatible across the MK2 range.

looking at this, your new seats seem to be from a different car. Can you show an overall photo of them?

gsinky22 · February 14, 2016

Do you have a photo of the whole interior? I really don't think these seats are from a mk2.

Denboy · February 14, 2016

This is the whole interior

Denboy · February 14, 2016

I think I was given the wrong seats!!!!

gsinky22 · February 14, 2016

Defo the wrong seats mate. The backs look correct, but can't say what the fronts are from. eBay purchase?:(

ColinBarber · February 14, 2016

The fronts look like Avensis seats

gsinky22 · February 14, 2016

12 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

18 minutes ago, ColinBarber said:

The fronts look like Avensis seats

Yep, they're from an avensis mate. Just googled avensis seats and they are the same:(

johnatg · February 14, 2016

I agree - that seam on the back part should be curved like on the rear seats and the controls are different (eg no recessed panel on mine). Other subtle differences too.

gsinky22 · February 14, 2016

Defo avensis mate:(

Denboy · February 14, 2016

Yes. Just spoke to the seller and he's gonna change them for the right ones. His workers gave me the wrong ones!!!!!

150 mile round trip!!!!!.

Thanks guys!!!!!

chris_abr · February 14, 2016

I'd ask them to compensate you for it. Whether by a freebie (heat/cool seat control panel?), or financially. That shouldn't have happened. Did you get the rears too? I'm guessing these dont fit either?

gsinky22 · February 15, 2016

I think the rears are the correct ones that he has, judging by the look of them:)

johnatg · February 15, 2016

Yes - I reckon they stored a set of Avensis seats and Lexus seats together and got confused about which went with which. The rears are Lexus seats, the fronts Avensis. Hope someone hasn't gone away with an 'Avensis' set with Lexus fronts!