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My heated seats saga . . . Update
- Marlon
- Lifer
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- Location: Lancs.
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My heated seats saga . . . Update
I bought a pair of electric M Sports heated seats from a forum member in January. I’ve had them fitted and have to say they’re in excellent condition, and give great support on spirited drives – way more comfortable than the standard seats.
Although the seats have the heated elements, my face-lift Zed isn’t pre-wired for heated seats, and so began the search for wiring looms and a centre console with additional switches. I managed to find a centre console fairly easily on eBay, but the wiring looms were a different matter! BMW no longer sell retrofit looms for the facelift Z4, and I found it impossible to source second hand ones from breakers
Forum to the rescue: I am greatly indebted to Fishy Dave who was also looking to retrofit heated seats to his M roady. He researched the discontinued Z4 retrofit looms and matched them to BMW X3 retrofit looms, which he then sourced from the States - he even labelled them up for me and posted them on (full story here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83970 ). Also a big thanks to Mr PT for providing the Z4 retrofit instructions
My Zed is booked in at my Indy’s tomorrow. I will give the garage the retrofit instructions together with the labelled up X3 looms and the new centre console – I’ve already discussed the job with the mechanic who’s going to attempt it. The key to whether this works is the retrofit looms from the X3: It looks like they have all the correct cables and pin connections, but we won’t know until they are physically wired into the Zed.
So its fingers and toes crossed
Although the seats have the heated elements, my face-lift Zed isn’t pre-wired for heated seats, and so began the search for wiring looms and a centre console with additional switches. I managed to find a centre console fairly easily on eBay, but the wiring looms were a different matter! BMW no longer sell retrofit looms for the facelift Z4, and I found it impossible to source second hand ones from breakers
Forum to the rescue: I am greatly indebted to Fishy Dave who was also looking to retrofit heated seats to his M roady. He researched the discontinued Z4 retrofit looms and matched them to BMW X3 retrofit looms, which he then sourced from the States - he even labelled them up for me and posted them on (full story here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=83970 ). Also a big thanks to Mr PT for providing the Z4 retrofit instructions
My Zed is booked in at my Indy’s tomorrow. I will give the garage the retrofit instructions together with the labelled up X3 looms and the new centre console – I’ve already discussed the job with the mechanic who’s going to attempt it. The key to whether this works is the retrofit looms from the X3: It looks like they have all the correct cables and pin connections, but we won’t know until they are physically wired into the Zed.
So its fingers and toes crossed
Last edited by Marlon on Fri Apr 08, 2016 5:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
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- Member
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My heated seats saga . . .
I've got the sport seats but their not heated and in the winter I wish they were, all the stress will hopefully be well worth it in the end
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- Member
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My heated seats saga . . .
What would we do without the tinternet hey
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- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Yeah,Marlon,the sports seats are good,I never felt the standard seats should have been fitted by BMW as it's a sports car,and sports seats should have been a given,lol.
Nice upgrade when it's done
Nice upgrade when it's done
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Black 2005 3.0i NOW SOLD(and missed)
- MACK
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Glad your finally getting it sorted, it seems ages ago you bought your seats now. Stellar work on the part of fishy dave and mr PT to make this happen. So glad my 05 came with these as standard so when I put the sports seats in it was plug and play.
I've never understood bmw's decision to alter the loom in later cars. Makes all sort of potential dealer retrofit options such as cruise a pain in the arse.
I only have cruise on mine due to info gleaned from this forum and actually only bought the car because I knew I could retrofit it relatively easily. Then I got a pleasant surprise when I discovered my 05 had the pre wiring so it was far easier than I thought it might be! I had thought on purchase I would have to do some wiring.
I've never understood bmw's decision to alter the loom in later cars. Makes all sort of potential dealer retrofit options such as cruise a pain in the arse.
I only have cruise on mine due to info gleaned from this forum and actually only bought the car because I knew I could retrofit it relatively easily. Then I got a pleasant surprise when I discovered my 05 had the pre wiring so it was far easier than I thought it might be! I had thought on purchase I would have to do some wiring.
Silver 05 3.0i SE
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Mods inc - F/L Xenons Clear Ind Rear Lights M Sport Seats & Wheel Eibach/B4 3.64 DIFF (SOLD)
White E89 20i M Sport
Mods inc- B12 kit, M3 Arms, 18" Zito 935's with PS4's, Decat & Remap, Switchable Exhaust Flap (SOLD)
- Marlon
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Probably cost, damn annoyingMACK wrote: . . .
I've never understood bmw's decision to alter the loom in later cars. Makes all sort of potential dealer retrofit options such as cruise a pain in the arse. . . ...
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- MACK
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Possibly but I would have thought it would have been cheaper to have their supplier just design/make/supply one loom for the entire platform. Probably make assembly easier for the workers if they are all the same as well.Marlon wrote:Probably cost, damn annoyingMACK wrote: . . .
I've never understood bmw's decision to alter the loom in later cars. Makes all sort of potential dealer retrofit options such as cruise a pain in the arse. . . ...
Silver 05 3.0i SE
Mods inc - F/L Xenons Clear Ind Rear Lights M Sport Seats & Wheel Eibach/B4 3.64 DIFF (SOLD)
White E89 20i M Sport
Mods inc- B12 kit, M3 Arms, 18" Zito 935's with PS4's, Decat & Remap, Switchable Exhaust Flap (SOLD)
Mods inc - F/L Xenons Clear Ind Rear Lights M Sport Seats & Wheel Eibach/B4 3.64 DIFF (SOLD)
White E89 20i M Sport
Mods inc- B12 kit, M3 Arms, 18" Zito 935's with PS4's, Decat & Remap, Switchable Exhaust Flap (SOLD)
- Marlon
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Yep - couldn't agree more Craig.craig3.2 wrote:Yeah,Marlon,the sports seats are good,I never felt the standard seats should have been fitted by BMW as it's a sports car,and sports seats should have been a given,lol . . .
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- patriot66
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My heated seats saga . . .
Don't forget it was built in America where sports seats are useless because nobody can get their big fat ar*es into one !Marlon wrote:Yep - couldn't agree more Craig.craig3.2 wrote:Yeah,Marlon,the sports seats are good,I never felt the standard seats should have been fitted by BMW as it's a sports car,and sports seats should have been a given,lol . . .
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- Yorkie Z
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My heated seats saga . . .
Hey mate hope it all gets sorted. To be honest if the guy has a decent grasp of electics it's a simple job .
A Dirty M///
- Marlon
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . .
Cheers mate, that's reassuringYorkie Z wrote:Hey mate hope it all gets sorted. To be honest if the guy has a decent grasp of electics it's a simple job .
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- Marlon
- Lifer
- Posts: 10899
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2015 11:13 am
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My heated seats saga . . .
I now have heated seats
Apparently the looms went in fairly straightforwardly, apart from the usual faff of having to dismantle half of the interior.
Huge thanks and respect to Fishy Dave, without whom this would not have been possible (details earlier in thread).
It took a long time and a lot of effort but was worth it.
I drove back from the garage with roof down and seat on full - I'd forgotten just how toasty hot they get
Before & after pics
Before:
After:
Apparently the looms went in fairly straightforwardly, apart from the usual faff of having to dismantle half of the interior.
Huge thanks and respect to Fishy Dave, without whom this would not have been possible (details earlier in thread).
It took a long time and a lot of effort but was worth it.
I drove back from the garage with roof down and seat on full - I'd forgotten just how toasty hot they get
Before & after pics
Before:
After:
Gone: 3.0si 2008 E85
911 997 Carrera S
- mr.tourette
- Lifer
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My heated seats saga . . . Update
seats
all worth it in the end... well done for seeing it through
all worth it in the end... well done for seeing it through
if its got tits or tyres..its trouble
- nb67
- Member
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My heated seats saga . . . Update
Great news buddy.
Finally sorted just as we hit Summer
Fingers crossed the indicator keeps behaving too.
Finally sorted just as we hit Summer
Fingers crossed the indicator keeps behaving too.
GONE - 3.0i SE. Sterling Grey. 2005.
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Gaptech RCH+, ZHP, Stubby. CDV Delete.
- David-H
- Senior Member
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My heated seats saga . . . Update
Looking good and will be useful (sometimes).
BMW Z4 3.0i auto ¦ Titanium Silver
107's : Drexler LSD
BMW M6 Gran Coupe ¦ Black Sapphire Metallic
DCT box with competition pack
Audi R8 4.2 Quattro¦ Grey metallic
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107's : Drexler LSD
BMW M6 Gran Coupe ¦ Black Sapphire Metallic
DCT box with competition pack
Audi R8 4.2 Quattro¦ Grey metallic
6-speed manual