seats & belts

[chrisfinlay]

Hello,

I was wondering how easy it is to remove and replace the seatbelts in a D8 406? I know it would involve dismantling the covers on the B pillar but I really don't know how to go about it. Mine are bogging (have been since purchase) and no amount of cleaning is getting them shipshape. I'd like to either give them a proper clean outside the car, or maybe replace them if necessary.

Second, I would like to replace the upholstered seats with leather. Same car (D8) - how easy are the seats to remove, and replace? I'm toying with finding a scrapped one and grabbing the seats from that if I can, I doubt anyone on the isle of man is selling any. I'd be happy with just front seats for now, though if I could replace the rear bench too that would be top notch. I have an LX model so no electrics in the seats needed.

[FarmerPug]

Well the seatbelts require taking off the b pillar cover, thats not too bad, it just involves pulling away the door seal and unclipping the cover, then you should have access to the seatbelt reel, its a tight nut but should come off. Then the seats require torx bits to get off, them nuts are stupidly tight and need a good bar to get off. As for putting leather seats in, they are usually also electric so it will also involve getting the ecu and wiring for the electric seats and getting it all in which is a bit fiddily, and if your putting in leather seats then you need to get the leather door cards to match it. Its a hard job but possible.

[omega]

Well the seatbelts require taking off the b pillar cover, thats not too bad, it just involves pulling away the door seal and unclipping the cover, then you should have access to the seatbelt reel, its a tight nut but should come off. Then the seats require torx bits to get off, them nuts are stupidly tight and need a good bar to get off. As for putting leather seats in, they are usually also electric so it will also involve getting the ecu and wiring for the electric seats and getting it all in which is a bit fiddily, and if your putting in leather seats then you need to get the leather door cards to match it. Its a hard job but possible.

as above but you dont need the leather door cards[they do look nice but are very hard to get hold off] and my exective doesnt have them and that came with leather seats as standard.
it might be a idea to read through "plods" thread as he has done this as its not a five minute job to change the seats,well its five mins to but them in its a few hours to wire them up!!!
also the seats are diffrent in a saloon from estate
if you need a set of belts i think i have a set.

[steve_earwig]

Check under the seats for extra wiring, my 2.1 had it all there so you could be lucky. pull off the bottoms of the door rubbers and take the trim off (which will make taking the b-pillar cover off even easier), then there's no chance you'll make a mess of them dragging the seats over them The torx holding the seats down aren't tight, they're locktited...

[chrisfinlay]

thanks for the input guys. looking like a daunting project

with regards to electric seats - my LX doesn't currently have them. I'm happy with manually adjusted - do the leathers have to be electrically done?

[chrisfinlay]

Actually, I remember when I was looking for something (forget what it was), I noticed under the passenger seat some wires going in. Given the lack of electric adjustment, or heated seats etc, I was confused as to what they were - but the wires for electric seats makes sense... this may actually be easier.

[omega]

Actually, I remember when I was looking for something (forget what it was), I noticed under the passenger seat some wires going in. Given the lack of electric adjustment, or heated seats etc, I was confused as to what they were - but the wires for electric seats makes sense... this may actually be easier.

i would check they are live as they might need activating.

[steve_earwig]

On a D8? I know all my heated seat feeds (which my car didn't have) needed were the switches:


There'll be wires for the seatbelt pre-tensioners, everything else is probably not connected.

[FarmerPug]

the doorcards arent hard to get off, as long as you have one off them tools to pry at them without damaging the clips then its easy enough, i did it on the day i got my car because the passengers electric window was broke, and i was suprised at how easy it was to take the door cards off