Impala Forums banner

Leather interior swap?

19K views 42 replies 11 participants last post by  rrwhit49073 
#1 ·
Hey guys.. back from the dead here after losing my password in a alcohol-laptop related incident... :beer:

Anyways.. Ive always wanted to switch out the stain-catching and dust-trapping cloth seats in my 07 impala for a leather interior.

I've researched a little and apparently some guy had an issue on his passenger side with wiring?

Also, I made some calls to people parting cars out and they told me they could not sell me the front two seats because they have airbags in them (is this just a NY state thing) ..?

This is the first I've heard of this, and now I am doubting where it can be done. What do you think? Is this possible?





PS: I had an 03 trailblazer I swapped leather seats in to with no problem... my passenger seat in that was not powered originally (just like the impala) and the new powered seat worked fine because there was a harness already there I just plugged the new one in to. Is it foolish to believe that the impala will be similar?
 
See less See more
#2 ·
on my 2010 cloth seats the connectors on my driver powered seat were the same as the non-powered seat on the passenger side. this was for an LS cloth interior. same of the plugs on both seats. granted i was only adding die electric grease to get rid of an airbag light but i wondered if the swap was possible as well.
 
#3 ·
Have you found a way to get the seats out of a donor car without power?

I was in the junkyard and the seat had been moved to cover up the bolts so I could not undo them.

I certainly hope the leather swap is possible!
 
#4 ·
I just swapped out the cloth for leather in my 2006 Impala yesterday. The problem I'm coming across is the passenger seat was originally manual and the leather seats are power. The plug in for power is there, however, it does not have power to it. Any ideas??
before
after
 
#5 ·
Very nice Swap Blk on Blk.... About the Wiring. There should be a 25amp C Breaker under pass dash. Should be from the fuse box down to a Spliced area before it gets to the first connection. That splice goes to D1 connector for Drivers and E1 for passenger side. From there it goes to the seats. I am not sure if your connection isn't plugged in or if the splice of the wires were not made. That would be the area I would take a look at. I guess maybe look to see if that 25amp C Breaker is installed or not as well. Should be marked in the Fuse Box.

James
 
#7 ·
Very nice Swap Blk on Blk.... About the Wiring. There should be a 25amp C Breaker under pass dash. Should be from the fuse box down to a Spliced area before it gets to the first connection. That splice goes to D1 connector for Drivers and E1 for passenger side. From there it goes to the seats. I am not sure if your connection isn't plugged in or if the splice of the wires were not made. That would be the area I would take a look at. I guess maybe look to see if that 25amp C Breaker is installed or not as well. Should be marked in the Fuse Box.



James





Thanks James! This is what I have for a fuse box. There is one open spot but it there's nothing to support a fuse there. I'm wondering if we will need to hard wire it to the driver's side. They're also supposed to be heated seats and I'm not sure how I would make that work either without the switch to turn them on and off.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
Ok, if the wire is there and working for the drivers side, the passenger side is tied into that wiring. It could be that the connector isn't plugged in or spliced. About the heated seats the switch is on the dash with the heater controls. You may need to find a donor car for the part if you didn't grab it. Also hate to say it but may be controlled by the BCM. Love the 00 to 05 they are in the seats. Although my wife hates it she keeps turning it on when she gets in the car. Only on the 00 not a problem on 03 think because 03 sits higher.

Sent from my VS880 using Tapatalk
 
#9 ·
Looking it over there are 2 Types I just found for batt2. In Type One there is no connection for the Passenger Seat. So then my wonder would be if there wasn't any wiring for it then why would the wire be there... However the second type shows that the connection for Passenger is before the connector for the drivers seat. If you don't have the Passenger wires tied into your car wiring I would Tie it in to make it work....

I am not 100% sure about the Wiring for heated seats. That is an area that I haven't had to work with. The last car I did a Swap on had heated seats already. Also looking over both Wiring for Batt2 both show Heated seats going to a Mod, That could be the seat it self or the switch for the heated seats.

Other Options I have done for power seats and heated seats were on a car that did have the option and added a switch to the drivers door seeing it only was drivers seat they added heat and power too. I would think in your install a Donor car with both heated seats switch being there already might be the best option.

 
#10 · (Edited)
Looking over the connection for the heated seats as well. I see there is a Serial data going from the Hvac controls on the dash to the drivers side of the seats. There is a Heated Seat control mod there in the drivers seat that works both the Driver and passenger seat. Looks like when you find your Donor car, you may want to look into taking the data cable as well with the heated seat controls. This wire is then going to a 10 pin connector C3 that is only connected at pin 6 going to the Drivers seat. Also from the Drivers seat Mod there are 4 connectors in this Mod.

C1 is bottom 6Pin. Pin 1 empty Pin 2 Light Blue goes to Passenger back heated Seat Element, Pin 3 Pink to Drivers Seat heated Element, Pin 4 Empty Pin 5 Purple to drivers seat back heated Element,

C4 is Next one on Module (Mod) Pin 1-8 Empty Pin 9 Yellow Black Drivers side heated seat Element. Pin 10-19 Empty Pin 20 Grey Passenger Seat heated Element.

C3 Is GMLAN Sensor Data Cable Pin 1-5 Empty Pin 6 Dark Green to Splice Back SP205 Clipped to inner Structure to right of Steering column, From there to the HVAC Module center of dash.

C2 Pin 1 Battey + To I/P Fuse Block in right front kick Panel Red/White Pin 2 Black to Ground below Driver door opening rear of left A pillar Pin 3-5 empty Pin 6 yellow Temp Sensor Low ref Driver seat heated element, Pin 7 empty Pin 8 Pink Temp Low ref to Passenger Seat heated Element



 
#11 · (Edited)
Wow you have put a lot of time, thought, and research into this!! Thanks so much! I'm going to print this off and see if my hubby understands it [emoji1] I would love to have the seats heated but I'm wondering if it might be too much of a headache. I will see what he says! The donor car I found might get crushed soon so I will need to make a decision fast... Not that there aren't others out there but this one is nearby


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#12 ·
Wow thanks for all the info! Im going to pick up a leather interior today... hopefully i can figure out how to make the passenger side work. @ImpalaGal, did you manage to get your working?
 
#13 ·
Ok so all the seats are in. As to be expected the heat did does not work nor does the passenger side forward/backward thing.

Although I ran into a problem: The service airbag light came on. My old seats did not have airbag, the new ones do. So why is that light on?
@Revo2Maxx2016
 
#14 ·
I am not 100% but it could be that there is a Missing Airbag Module that may be needed for the side airbag that isn't already installed in your car.. If I am not mistaken it is installed in the door of the car... I will try and find some info about it and post it as soon as I can find it...

James
 
#15 ·
Thanks James that'd be great!

As for the power issue I believe I can just splice into the red/white wire and run that to either the drivers side for power or to somewhere else with power and then just splice into the black (ground) and ground it to the frame and it should work... does this sound right to you?
 
#16 ·
Yes Bringing power from the drivers side to power the passenger side is how it could be done... Question? Is there no wires there already for the seat just not showing any power? I ask because it could be that it was wired but they didn't put the connector under the passenger side dash together. If there was a Connector there I would look under the dash passenger kick area for the wires and see if there is a male and female connector that isn't connected... Test the wire that is going towards the back and at the seat and see if it is for the seat... I am not saying this is the case but if there is a connector there...

I will look for the info on the door still.. Post asap..

James
 
#18 ·
I do have a harness there coming out of the floor. It appears that it is missing the thicker red/white wire and possibly a few others. Thoughts? Thanks for the info :beer:
 
#17 ·
Can't find any extra notes. All I can find is in the door I said Module I meant sensor and there is a Module that is mounted under the seat. 06-08 is rather complex as most systems area. Not an area that I try and work with.

i would say have it checked. could be that it needs to be reset or your system told that it is even there... I know there have been newer Impla LTZ that had some service air bag message do to a Clock Spring issue a few years later seat belt related sadly could be any number of things...

Sorry I couldn't be more help.
James
 
#19 ·
Well looking at the Drawings for the Power Seats. It looks like there is a or should be a Red/White at both the Drivers and Passenger side but that is with the RPO Code AG2 and could be why it was not present in your harness there... I am not sure how it is Lettered but it looks like the RED/White would go to D on the Seat Adjustment Switch in the Passenger seat.

Also looking at things. I am wondering if your Airbag issue isn't related to the Drivers Side but that the car don't understand the the seats for the passenger side. Thinking about it there is a Switch that is in the seat to turn on and off the Passenger side airbag? If there was someone in the seat while the car is running does the light on the dash for passenger side air bad work while in seat and or while seatbelt is engaged?

About the Heated seats? Did you get a Heated seat Module from a donor car? Installed in dash? There is info from the seats going to the BCM as well for the heated seats. While the donor car may have had the KA1 RPO could be the BCM in your car don't understand that info without the option being added if able from a TECH 2 Device.

I am sure last thing you want to do is take your door panel off, But if you were to take your door panel off on the drivers side you will find close to the lower part of the door to the left of center a Wire connector that is where one of the Side Impact Sensor goes. Could be taped up into the inside of door. Without side impact air it was empty but wiring present... Same for Passenger side door as well around same place... If that donor car is still around I would yard them from the car as well...

PS there is also a Heated Seat Fuse it is 20amp may want to make sure it is there as well..
James
 
#20 ·
So i took what you said and I did an experiment.

The service airbag light comes on immediately upon startup. The airbag indicator for the passenger side, for lack of a better word, (little light above radio) is always showing the passenger side airbag is off.

whether there is somebody in the driver seat or not , the little "buckle seatbelt" icon on the cluster comes on if the belt is unbuckled. No change when it is shifted into gear or placed in park.

there is no change in anything whether or not there is someone in the passenger seat. no changes if the belt is buckled or not.

Could it be that the car (the computer or whatever it is) just doesn't recognize the new seats and i have to get it reflashed with the TECH 2 thing you mentioned?
 
#21 ·
interestingly enough, i remote started my car and the airbag icon on the dash was lit up then too! even though nothing else on the cluster, including the rpm/speed/fuel/temp needles, was on.

very strange.

@Revo2Maxx2016
 
#22 ·
About the RemoteStart, I am not sure about the in and outs of the OEM RS. Seeing I don't care for them and choose to install an Aftermarket. IT has been a while since I have used the one in my 12 Burban, I can look to see what it does, If I remember it dont show anything on the dash when OEM RS is being used until I put in Key and turn it on... I know on all the Aftermarket RS that I have installed, It turns on the car with all things in dash showing as it would if you started it with a key... But being there is a issue with the Air bag it should show up...

It looks like but please don't quote me on this, That the Airbag passenger switch goes though the Heated seat circuit. I can't find a diagram for the non heated seats as of the moment to see where it was in the normal seats. It could be that it don't notice the new seats being there with different type of Wiring in the seats. GM Tech Tool may be needed to complete your swap.

Thinking about something I said in a earlier post. In your Door if you have the Curtain airbags the sensor should already be in the doors. so scratch needing to take it from the donor car as I think in 07 was standard in all trim levels. 06 had some extras in that area but I think was only for the Seat Side...

James
 
#23 ·
I think you might be on to something James. I think that you're probably right in the fact that the computer doesn't realize the seats are there because the wiring is in a different place, which would explain why the passenger side power doesn't work. I wonder if I were to add power if it would recognize the seat and get rid of my airbag light.

About the GM scan tool, would that be able to go in and reprogram my car's computer to accept the new seats?

As always thank you very much for replying, you are a huge help :beer: :eek:k3:
 
#24 ·
About the tool, I am not 100% sure. I know that the Tech 2 for GM can program things but I am not 100% sure with this being the case for your BCM. It sadly could come down to a issue where the BCM may need to be changed out and still programmed by Chevy...

Here is some Diagrams of your car. I am not sure if this will help but may give you a place to look...







James
 
#25 ·
I think the problem is that the BCM is looking for your PPS information in a different area then where the new Leather seats are sending the info...

I will give word of caution while working in this area with your Air Bags. One they are not cheap if damaged and or deployed. I can't find info about the normal seats to be able to find out where the info is going before the swap...

Sadly I think it is a BCM issue and I will say even having the Power for your power seats moved over there or the power for the Heated seats to work. I am not 100% happy with the idea of where the normal seats sent the info the BCM and where the new seats are sending the info.. I understand it is a way to make sure that the person in the seat also is in the seat belt. I think if you can't get your hand on a TECH tool that can check fault code in the Air bag system I would have a shop that can take a look at the system

I know of a person that has made a more complex update from a 04 LS upgrade to a 06 SS. However he didn't just take seats, He took everything from dash, motor, seats, All computers, even had to change out the Door wiring with the 06 wiring. The motor was a tight fit but was a direct bolt up - 1 top motor mount upgrade to fuel lines and took him almost 6 months to get it all setup. It blew me away to see the dash and insides of the 06 in the 04 let alone the motor... One of the things when you buy the whole donor car you can take your time to get things right....

Let us know what you end up doing...

Be safe
James
 
#26 ·
Ok so today I went to the pick n pull and got 2 different wiring harnesses for the seats.

However, one wiring harness has just the plug that plugs into the seat, and the the other has an additional yellow plug with it too. Does it have something to do with the airbags?

Other than the Bigger red/white stripes wire being the power, what are the others?

So my questions are: 1. what does the yellow plug do?
2. what do the wires in the black regular seat plug do?
3. will I be just able to just splice into the driver side harness to supply the passenger seat with power so it can move back and forth?

Thank you
@Revo2Maxx2016
 
#27 ·
ALL YELLOW PLUGS have been said to be tied into the Airbag system. Some not all have netting that covers the wires as a way to protect them from being probed by mistake. I am not sure if there was a time where they changed this and yellow plugs were now used in other places. In most cases I don't mess with any wires in yellow plugs I always just say Air Bag wires don't use...

About the other wires around the Black plug, The Red and White yes you could get the power from the other seat. I would like to make a word of caution. Make sure the splice is clean and proper. These can draw a lot of power and can get hot.

The other wires in the plug. There should be a data wire and control wires. Maybe take a Picture and write out the colors of the wires could help.

Always use Caution while working around air bags and their wires.

James
 
#28 ·
the pictures are from each side of the plug. I know the bigger black one is a ground, the bigger red/white stripe is power, however i have absolutely no idea what anything else does.
 
#29 ·
What I can say as a place to start and get your Passenger side moving. I would splice into your Drivers side RED/White, and then for the ground wire I would pick a spot that is on the Raised portion of the metal rails that is running from drivers to passengers side. Grind off or sand off the paint in a area that a good connection to body ground can be made. If there is a Ground bolt close enough I would just connect to that bolt, Just make sure it is free of rust and still makes good ground connection.. IF you scrap off or what not your own, Use a Star Washing and a Self tapping screw. Don't over tighten the screw so it don't strip out as it can make for a bad ground... If you don't have some sand paper or a wire wheel to scrap off some paint, you could also scrape off some paint with a knife or sharp object to help make a better ground for the system...

Lot of issues in things installed aftermarket wise is do to a bad ground. At times when you first make the connection it seems fine. Over the months and years is when things seem to go bad.. Also I know not everyone has Star washer laying around and if you can't find any one that sales them single or bulk, Home depot has a multi kit with Star and Lock washers for under 10 for over 700 pieces.

James
 
#30 ·
It has come to my attention that the pictures failed to upload. I am sorry.. gonna try again
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top