Seats with Memory Function

[mbonder]

I'm looking at a set of seats that are from a later model e34 that had memory. My car is a 1990 that has power seats, but no memory.

Can I run the memory seats in my car, will the harnesses hook up?

I don't care about having the memory function, but the seats need to retain all of their functions!

Thanks for the help.

Matt

[ltflint]

You will need to pick up an intermediate harness from a memory seat car, but they will work. I have a set of memory sport seats in my car (that did not come with memory seats).

[mbonder]

Can I get the harness through the dealer or will I have to scrounge around the junkyards?

[AquilaBMW]

Don't do it... trust me on this.

[mbonder]

Care to elaborate, the seats that I'm looking at are in excellent shape!

[Layne]

I'm interested in hearing this story as well. I'm planning to install E32 memory sport seats along with the mirrors and electric adjust steering column if possible.

[4U2NV FLC]

+3 bad experience?

[ltflint]

Don't do it... trust me on this.

Why not? The seats bolt right in. The passenger seat is plug n play and the driver's seat needs nothing but the intermediate harness from a late E32 or any E34 equipped with memory seats. Best bet is to pick one up from a junkyard. I have no idea what something like that would cost from the dealership, but I am sure it would be cost prohibitive.

Actually getting the memory function to work with the column and mirrors is a bit more work. You will have to purchase memory mirrors. Not sure about the column. I just wanted to get the sport seats to work (along with the heat). I do not have the memory function hooked up in mine, but the seat works well. Very easy to do.


I'm interested in hearing this story as well. I'm planning to install E32 memory sport seats along with the mirrors and electric adjust steering column if possible.

Haven't seen E32 sport seats. Pics?

[Layne]

You will have to purchase memory mirrors.

Unless I already have them. :stickoutt In fact, I have an entire E32 at my disposal. I'm not sure about the column either, but I figured why not give it a whirl.


Haven't seen E32 sport seats. Pics?

No pics currently. Apparently they are pretty rare. I read that the option was very expensive.

[AquilaBMW]

Care to elaborate, the seats that I'm looking at are in excellent shape!

I just converted my touring from Comfort Memory seats to Sports Memory seats. As Flint says, the passenger seat was plug and play other then the bowden cables that I messed up.

The driver's seat on the other hand is a pain. Right now, I can't get the seat heat to work, the memory and also the thigh extensions. The connectors were different underneath the seats. The Comfort seat has additional connectors including one I am sure is power as it has Red and Brown wires in it. Also, the polarity on my Passenger mirror has somehow been reversed so now up is down, down is up, etc.


+3 bad experience?

Major PITA!


Why not? The seats bolt right in. The passenger seat is plug n play and the driver's seat needs nothing but the intermediate harness from a late E32 or any E34 equipped with memory seats. Best bet is to pick one up from a junkyard. I have no idea what something like that would cost from the dealership, but I am sure it would be cost prohibitive.

Actually getting the memory function to work with the column and mirrors is a bit more work. You will have to purchase memory mirrors. Not sure about the column. I just wanted to get the sport seats to work (along with the heat). I do not have the memory function hooked up in mine, but the seat works well. Very easy to do.

Haven't seen E32 sport seats. Pics?

The driver's side is the one with the issue as it has the memory function on it. How did you install your's - please let me know. Right now, I have installed the driver's seat. However, my Comfort memory seat had more connectors than the Sports Memory seats. I have two more connectors that have no where to go. I guessed one of them might be for the Lumber support in the comfort seat - not sure. I was able to plug in the main harness so basic functions work. However, the thigh extension does not work on the driver's seat. The Heat does not work either as well.

I was thinking of taking the electrical box from the Comfort seat, but I would still have extra connectors with no where to go. In all honesty, I almost switched back to the comfort seats - less hassle.

[Layne]

Sounds like you don't like wires very much. :stickoutt

Did you find the memory harness that everyone says you need? That sounds like your problem. I haven't seen one yet to know how to hook it up. Probably just plugs into a connector block somewhere and runs under the carpet. Just pull out the old and and replace it with the memory one I'm guessing.

[ltflint]

Not even that. Intermediate harness plugs into the memory seat on one end and into the regular seat harness under the carpet.

Like the picture here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=17128509&postcount=1

The white plug at the bottom of this picture plugs into the body harness that the comfort seats plug into. It's located under the carpet, under the front seat. All of the other plugs plug into the memory seat. There is also a brown wire with an orange stripe that is not a part of any of the plugs. This wire goes to ground. Once you do that, the seat and seat heat should work. I've done it in two different E34's that did not come with memory seats.

[mbonder]

Well, I guess the question now becomes--who has an intermediate harness they'd like to sell to me?

Seems like as long as I have that I should be able to get everything to work.

Update: Just checked out realoem, and indeed there is an intermediate harness that connects vehicles with the memory function to the body harness.

Unfortunately, this wiring is NLA so anyone looking to convert will have to source a junkyard harness to make it work.

[demetk]

How did you install your's - please let me know.

Not sure if this helps at all but here's my wiring hookup for the driver's e32 memory seat that I installed into my e23. All I needed for memory functions, heated seat option and lumbar support option to work were those 8 wires. The other wires that I just snipped off were for the other car memory options like mirrors and those I didn't need

The reference I used was the ETM for the e32 seats. If I didn't have the car harness connectors, I would have just found an off the shelf 8-pin connector set, both male and female, and just hacked the seat wiring to the new connectors.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c375/demet_/e23/e32_seatswiring.jpg

[AquilaBMW]

Sounds like you don't like wires very much. :stickoutt

Did you find the memory harness that everyone says you need? That sounds like your problem. I haven't seen one yet to know how to hook it up. Probably just plugs into a connector block somewhere and runs under the carpet. Just pull out the old and and replace it with the memory one I'm guessing.

You said it... me no likey wires at all. The car already has the memory harness as the original seat has memory functions.


Not even that. Intermediate harness plugs into the memory seat on one end and into the regular seat harness under the carpet.

Like the picture here: http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showpost.php?p=17128509&postcount=1

The white plug at the bottom of this picture plugs into the body harness that the comfort seats plug into. It's located under the carpet, under the front seat. All of the other plugs plug into the memory seat. There is also a brown wire with an orange stripe that is not a part of any of the plugs. This wire goes to ground. Once you do that, the seat and seat heat should work. I've done it in two different E34's that did not come with memory seats.

To update my story (Sorry OP), the seat heat works. It worked when I took the car out. So... I have heat. I have basic functions - forwards, backwards, head rest, incline, etc. I cannot extend the thigh extensions - seems like there is no power going to them.

Thanks for the picture. Please help me clear this up a bit more. Are you suggesting I remove the seat harness from the Comfort seat and use that to connect the Sports seat into the car? I disconnected the Comfort seat from the harness / wires coming from under the carpet.

[mbonder]

Ask away, I would like to know the answers as well, even if its a slightly different question than I had.

[AquilaBMW]

Here is the connector in my Touring for the comfort seat with memory. It does not match up with the Sports Seat. Can I replace this connector?


http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww171/ElaineBeemer/CindaParts075.jpg

[Mark185]

I'm looking at a set of seats that are from a later model e34 that had memory. My car is a 1990 that has power seats, but no memory.

Can I run the memory seats in my car, will the harnesses hook up?

I don't care about having the memory function, but the seats need to retain all of their functions!

Thanks for the help.

Matt

Matt, I live in central NJ and can probably help you rewire the memory seat to work in your car. I have repaired 5 E34 seats in the past year and am pretty familiar with the wiring harnesses on both memory seats and non-memory. I converted a memory sport seat for my car but I had the benefit of a non-memory sport seat wiring harness to make it easy. Your car will be a little more difficult because the thigh bolster motor will probably have to be custom wired. It is still doable if you want to give it a try. PM me if you want to come to my place some weekend and I will help you figure out where to cut and solder.

[mbonder]

Thanks for the offer. Will I have to custom wire it though. It sounds like if I get the intermediate harness out of a memory seat car I should be all set to go (as long as its out of a sport seat memory car).

Can you confirm this?

Matt

[ltflint]

Thanks for the offer. Will I have to custom wire it though. It sounds like if I get the intermediate harness out of a memory seat car I should be all set to go (as long as its out of a sport seat memory car).

Can you confirm this?

Matt

Should be able to use an intermediate harness from a memory seat car. I have a harness in my E34 Touring from a 1995 540i that had memory non sport seats. Heat and thigh bolster both work fine. Donor car did not have electric thigh bolsters. You should not have to do any custom wiring.


Here is the connector in my Touring for the comfort seat with memory. It does not match up with the Sports Seat. Can I replace this connector?


http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww171/ElaineBeemer/CindaParts075.jpg


Interesting. Does any of the harness match up? Really all you need to run the seat functions is the black connector at the top of the picture. The other is for the memory box.

[Mark185]

Thanks for the offer. Will I have to custom wire it though. It sounds like if I get the intermediate harness out of a memory seat car I should be all set to go (as long as its out of a sport seat memory car).

Can you confirm this?

Matt

Matt, my offer to help is based on an earlier post that states the intermediate harness is NLA from the dealer and may be hard to find in salvage yards. If you can find one, go for it. If not, let me know if you want help with a plan B.

[mbonder]

Got it. Yes, the harness is NLA, I checked that already (of course there couldn't be an easy way).

There are two yards local to me, I'm going to see what I can find. If all else fails I will let you know.

[AquilaBMW]

Should be able to use an intermediate harness from a memory seat car. I have a harness in my E34 Touring from a 1995 540i that had memory non sport seats. Heat and thigh bolster both work fine. Donor car did not have electric thigh bolsters. You should not have to do any custom wiring.

Interesting. Does any of the harness match up? Really all you need to run the seat functions is the black connector at the top of the picture. The other is for the memory box.

Most of the harness matches up. But I have at least two extra connectors in that harness that have no where to go. I will have to figure it out somehow.

[Layne]

Haven't seen E32 sport seats. Pics?

I did manage to happen across a couple pictures. The caption says the sport seats were always electrically adjustable. And I'm pretty sure the ones I have are buffalo hide. I haven't measured yet, but they appear to be fatter than E34 seats.

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/sean750/option_list/greyleathersportseats.jpg

It says this one is an Alpina B11 4.0 V8 Very poor color choice in my opinion.

http://bmwe32.masscom.net/sean750/option_list/alpinab11taninterior2.jpg

[mbonder]

First time ever seeing those seats, interesting!

[RVAE34]

Finally got around to doing this last week and here is the easy solution..

Take the back of the standard electrical driver seat you removed to do the swap. Pull the wiring harness out but label all the connections.

Then take the back off the sport seat and swap in the harness from the standard seat. There will only be a few leftover unused plugs in the sport seat itself. When you do that, you also have to remove the plug that goes through the side cover which has the adjustment controls. For some reason the sport seat control plug would not work with the standard seat harness. All seat harnesses have a plug for heat so everything will work except for the memory and the thigh support. I am sure I could figure out how to hook it up, but I just set it and forget it so I have two leads coming out of the motor and under the seat. I just use 12v from my jump box to adjust it once and then leave it.

This was much easier that trying to rewire the connector IMO.

[ltflint]

That's easier than residing the connector, but if you can score an intermediate harness it's even easier. You don't even have to take the seat back off and the thigh bolsters still work.

[RVAE34]

Ahh I just now realize what you mean about intermediate harness.... You mean a short extension to go from the car plug (non memory) to the seat plug (memory) Even better!

I never could find anything like that when I bought my seats last year so I suppose if they are hard to come by, this would be the next best option and only takes about a half hour.

[ltflint]

That's it exactly. An intermediate harness out of a late E32 with memory seats or any E34 with memory seats will work. They don't have to be sports. The yards here are usually pretty well stocked with E32's.

[RVAE34]

Never seen such a harness in any E34. The car my seats came out of did not have it. The seat plugged directly into a connector on the car harness. There was no short jumper.

[ltflint]

All of the memory seat cars should have it. You have to follow the seat wire harness down under the carpet a bit. I got my harness from a 1995 540i automatic with memory comfort seats. I've seen several in 540's with memory seats in junkyards. If you follow the harness from where the memory seat plugs into the body harness under the seat, it will have a connector that looks just like the one on the passenger's side or on an E34 with comfort seats.

If you pull out a memory seat, you should see something like this:

http://i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww171/ElaineBeemer/CindaParts075.jpg

Keep digging under the carpet and you will eventually find a connector that this harness connects to on the main body wiring harness. This connector will look identical to the harness connector for a non memory seat. It is the white connector in the lower left of this pic of the intermediate harness:

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb311/ltflint/IMG_0417.jpg

[jehu]

If anyone is interested I can check my wrecked 540 with heated Sport Seats with Memory Function for this harness.. Since it is unfortunately likely the body is going to end up being taken for scrap I suppose I can extract this bit. I'll take a look next time I am up where the car is sitting ..

[ltflint]

If you take it out, be aware that both the side mirrors and the steering column are connected to this harness as well. You don't necessarily need those parts of the harness to make the seat work, but if someone wants to have all the memory functions work, they will need it all. It can be pretty time consuming to get it all unless the car is already pretty well gutted.

[jehu]

If you take it out, be aware that both the side mirrors and the steering column are connected to this harness as well. You don't necessarily need those parts of the harness to make the seat work, but if someone wants to have all the memory functions work, they will need it all. It can be pretty time consuming to get it all unless the car is already pretty well gutted.


Well the driver's seat and steering wheel are off and out .. If I take the passenger seat and center console out I can pull up the carpet.. what else? A pillar trim? Door sills?

[ltflint]

Door sills, kick panels and door panels should do it. There is one brown wire that is grounded under the back seat too.

[Layne]

I finally got around to harvesting the memory system from my parts e32. It's a ton of work actually. The memory harness goes all the way around the rear of the floorboard to reach the passenger mirror. It's under a plastic covering most of the way. You have to take out the window regulators to pull the harnesses from each door (not sure if I'll replace the full door harness or just cut the memory part off and install that). It aslo goes forward to the steering column. I pulled the entire power column and will attempt installing it in the e34. I'm also pulling the entire stereo harness which is even more work. It gets really tangled under the dash.

[540v8]

Hi all... reading this thread has made me sign up to give a little input to the subject... going to do this same mod to my 95 540i... if any help at all found that there are two types of memory seats and inter harness on uk spec cars with memory... pre face lift and facelift ( wide grill ) make sure donor seats and wires are from same age car... took ages to locate correct one and also get looms for doors and memory mirrors..not easy to locate in the uk....

[ltflint]

I finally got around to harvesting the memory system from my parts e32. It's a ton of work actually. The memory harness goes all the way around the rear of the floorboard to reach the passenger mirror. It's under a plastic covering most of the way. You have to take out the window regulators to pull the harnesses from each door (not sure if I'll replace the full door harness or just cut the memory part off and install that). It aslo goes forward to the steering column. I pulled the entire power column and will attempt installing it in the e34. I'm also pulling the entire stereo harness which is even more work. It gets really tangled under the dash.

That is a lot of work. For whatever reason, I didn't have to pull the window regs or door harnesses from the 540i I got mine from.