LHD to RHD Caravelle electric seat retrofit

[Richard Sullivan]

Hi, looking for some help with installing two captain seats I have bought. Existing seats are from a standard RHD T6 transporter (single + bench), non heated with seatbelt warning on drivers seat only. I have secured two single captains chairs from a LHD T6 caravelle (told 2017, but think they are 2019 due to date stamps on some parts). The caravelle (LHD drivers side) seat, now on the passenger side of my RHD is fully electronically adjustable and heated. The caravelle (LHD passenger side) seat, now the divers seat is just heated (seat belt warning cable).

My questions are

1. Are LHD (caravelle) seats fully interchangeable with my RHD transporter. I realise the drivers seat will only be manually adjustable, i've no issue with that. Are there any issues regarding safety and comfort? I'm proposing to install the passenger side seat (electronic) on a kiravan combined seat base and swivel, which is 40mm lower to adjust height for the swivel. Any issues?

2. I'd like to use the existing OEM heated seat elements, however I don't want to install the heat control unit and dash etc. Can I just wire the +12v to the ignition side via a switch (and fuse) on the side of the seat? If so, where is the best pick up for that? What about the temperature sensor? Can I just leave it not connected? No issues with having just on and off heat .

3. Going to buy a new seat belt buckle with a warning sensor/cable for the drivers seat and wire it in with the existing cable. Any issues?

4. I think I've worked out the wiring on the automatic seat (10 pin black plug). What is the best pick up point for the +12V supply on pin 6 (assume ignition side). Can I confirm Pins 3,5 and 7 are earth connections? Pins 8 and 9 are for the CAN bus, what do I do with these? Will they effect anything, for example if I don't wire up the seat belt sensor? Will I need to recode anything?

5. Would you recommend cutting the existing connectors of and install new ones or try to obtain OEM connectors?

Thanks for reading and apologies for being a bit of an essay.

Really appreciate your comments

Cheers

Rich

 

[Deaky]

Hi, looking for some help with installing two captain seats I have bought. Existing seats are from a standard RHD T6 transporter (single + bench), non heated with seatbelt warning on drivers seat only. I have secured two single captains chairs from a LHD T6 caravelle (told 2017, but think they are 2019 due to date stamps on some parts). The caravelle (LHD drivers side) seat, now on the passenger side of my RHD is fully electronically adjustable and heated. The caravelle (LHD passenger side) seat, now the divers seat is just heated (seat belt warning cable).

My questions are

1. Are LHD (caravelle) seats fully interchangeable with my RHD transporter. I realise the drivers seat will only be manually adjustable, i've no issue with that. Are there any issues regarding safety and comfort? I'm proposing to install the passenger side seat (electronic) on a kiravan combined seat base and swivel, which is 40mm lower to adjust height for the swivel. Any issues?

2. I'd like to use the existing OEM heated seat elements, however I don't want to install the heat control unit and dash etc. Can I just wire the +12v to the ignition side via a switch (and fuse) on the side of the seat? If so, where is the best pick up for that? What about the temperature sensor? Can I just leave it not connected? No issues with having just on and off heat .

3. Going to buy a new seat belt buckle with a warning sensor/cable for the drivers seat and wire it in with the existing cable. Any issues?

4. I think I've worked out the wiring on the automatic seat (10 pin black plug). What is the best pick up point for the +12V supply on pin 6 (assume ignition side). Can I confirm Pins 3,5 and 7 are earth connections? Pins 8 and 9 are for the CAN bus, what do I do with these? Will they effect anything, for example if I don't wire up the seat belt sensor? Will I need to recode anything?

5. Would you recommend cutting the existing connectors of and install new ones or try to obtain OEM connectors?

Thanks for reading and apologies for being a bit of an essay.

Really appreciate your comments

Cheers

Rich

View attachment 150953

1, I can't comment on whether the seats are interchangeable and comfort etc, although I have heard of people fitting the opposite seat and fitting a new seat belt receiver before.

2, I would definitely advise against this, you'd have nothing to stop the element over heating and causing a fire.

3, No problem doing this, it's only a switch

4, Pins for plug T10r are as follows, this plug connects to J810 Driver seat adjustment control unit which I presume is somewhere in the seat

1 - white - heated seat cushion element
2 - blue/white - driver seat temperature sensor
3 - brown - earth
4 - green/red - airbag control unit
5 - brown - earth
6 - red/yellow - 30a fuse in fuse holder F
7 - brown - earth
8 - orange/green - convenience CAN high
9 - orange/brown - convenience CAN low
10 - not used

 

[.50]

You really need to be very careful when swapping seats in and out of modern vehicles, especially from left to right.

Many seats have occupancy sensors in the base that can determine air bag deployment force based on the occupants weight, or not deploy at all if empty, as well as other things like stop start.

This may not be the case with VW Transporter, but it's definitely worth checking.

 

[Pauly]

If you have switched seats and they have airbags in then they will be on the wrong side of the seat ?

 

[dubber36]

If you have switched seats and they have airbags in then they will be on the wrong side of the seat ?

Surely a left hand side seat is a left hand side seat, regardless of where the pedals and steering wheel are? The same applies to a right hand side seat.

 

[Pauly]

Yeah i misread the post and thought they had swapped them over

 

[Richard Sullivan]

Thank you all for your comments.I will look into getting the heated seats wired in as they should be.

Just to understand the airbag system. Both seats have 'airbag' sewn into the top of the seat cover towards the B post. The drivers seat, which was the passenger seat on the LHD, only has three wires coming from the seat (see photo), which I think are the heated seats? Where are the wires to the airbag? they would,t tap off the (i assume) heated seat cable?

Are there any issues with leaving the passenger seat (electronically adjusted) airbag remaining disconnected? My existing seats don't have airbags so haven't made risks any worse, although would like them to work. This could be tricky as, I assume my transporter doesn't have the connections or capacity at the control box(es) etc?

Failing that, is there a good market for LHD seats generally?

Thanks again

Photo below

 

[Richard Sullivan]

Just has another look at T20r pin 4 (airbag). This cable appears to run to the seatbelt buckle warning switch? The cable is the same colour and size and I get good continuity. Is that possible or just nonsense ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

[Richard Sullivan]

Found the airbag wiring diagram. Appears to show pin 4 and 5 going to E45 'Driver side belt switch' coming from T10s (not r?). The colours of all four wires from the picture above match the diagram. If this is the case, can I leave this disconnected as its just a seat belt reminder for the passenger (my existing transporter doesn't have this warning on the passenger side)

 

[Richard Sullivan]

sorry E24 not E45.... must have been thinking about my body cream!!?

 

[Richard Sullivan]

Bump