seats

[PromiseKeeper]

I have a chance at possibly picking up a set of 60/40 seats out of an early 90's Caddy De ville. Some rough measurements look like they might work in my '80 C-10. (I'm sure some modifications will have to take place) They are electric, have lumbar, heated....the works.   Looks too good to be true...what am I missing? Anyone done this before? Thanks!

Scott

[heavychevy91]

Sounds like it might work. With the right brackets anything is possible. check the length of the lower seat cushion compared to stock. I think the caddys have big seat bottoms. Let us know sounds interesting

[PromiseKeeper]

I did end up getting them. Actually, the bottoms are real close to the same depth. I was surprised at that too! I'm hoping the height is close too. The rails look like they are placed where mounting should be pretty straight foreward too. The hump in the Caddy was actually higher than the truck so that should work too. I guess the final test will be when I set them in there for the first time. Pull-A-Part let me use a battery pack on the car so I could move the seats and get to the bolts. That gave me a chance to make sure everything worked! Sorting out the wiring should prove interesting since the controls were mounted on the door panel.

[bake74]

     Detail the install for us and take pics if possible, so the rest of us can see how you did it.  Maybe another type of seat for those of us looking for a option.

[78 Chevyrado]

As long as the seat itself isnt tall, from floor to seat surface, it will work fine.

My old 77 had a set of 6-way power bucket seats out of a '78 Grand Prix, and they worked great, Just had to make some pita looking brackets for it.  I don't remember them much now, as my dad did this swap back in the late 80's. 

[PromiseKeeper]

Well guys, I hit the first snag. First off, the seat controls are on the door instead of the seat. The passenger side was easy. (This is a 60/40 seat) There were 10 wires at the door switch that matched to the 10 wires coming out of the pigtail at the seat. I spliced them together, powered it up and everything worked great. Now, to the driver's side. Again, 10 wires at the door switch. But under the seat, the only thing that plugs in are the power and ground wires, an air bag connector, and two other wires that run the heated seat and the power lumbar (switches for these are mounted on the side of the seat.) I can't find ANYTHING that looks like the wiring for the seat function controls. I even went back to Pull-A-Part and looked at the car wiring again. thinking I must have missed a connector or something. I pulled the door panel and even took the wiring harness apart. I can't figure out how this thing works! If there are any Caddy techs out there, I'd sure appreciate some advice on this one! Thanks!!
Scott

[bake74]

     Could the air bag be wired in series with the seat ?  You do not have the air bag wires hooked up do you ?  I am wondering if they need to be hooked up to run the seat on the drivers side.
     Maybe check with a Caddy forum and see if anyone there can help.

[jaredts]

I think you must have a seat controlled by digital signal.  Can you get up into the seat at all to see if there is a circuit board or actually view the motors?  If you can hook into the motor wires you can control it directly.  Good luck.  I did a quick search and found this:
http://route60garage.blogspot.com/2011/01/cadillac-caterra-power-seats.html
Not exactly the same but may be a clue.

[heavychevy91]

I I just started as a tech at a Caddy dealer about a year ago. Im not too familiar with the older wiring systems. Im off tomorrow. Wheb im back in ill see what i can come up with

[PromiseKeeper]

Bake: I wondered about that myself but don't see any of the wires from the seat switches going to the air bag stuff. There is some kind of air bagbox under the front drivers seat. Since this is a junk yard car, I was able to pull up the carpet and take a good look at that.

jaredts: I just don't know?? Would something like that been used in '98? I'm thinking that isn't the case or there wouldn't be so many wires coming out of the door switch. The thing that puzzles me is, that wasn't the case on the passenger side.

heavychevy91:  Thanks for checking!!!

I'm going to stop at the local Caddy dealership this morning and see what I can find out and hopefully come away with a wiring diagram.

Thanks guys! I'll keep you posted on the progress or lack thereof!

[PromiseKeeper]

Just got back from the dealership. They took me out in the shop to talk with a tech that thought I had a pretty cool project going! He printed me out some wiring diagrams, gave me a few things to look for and told me if I don't get it going to bring the seat by the garage sometime and he'll take a look at it.  He also told me there could be a module that also involves the power mirror, but can probably bypass.

Hopefully will get to play with it in a day or two and will keep you posted. He said there is a way to do it, we just have to find it!

I'm wondering if I should have waited to find a seat that had the controls mounted on the seat, but this will definately be a learning experience! It never crossed my mind that it would get complicated... but that's part of the fun, right?

[Avidyn]

If you're not able to get it, I should be able to help out. I've got access to all the wiring diagrams. Just need to know a year and which model deville it came out of. (Gives the seat options, etc) With that, I could probably draw up a wiring diagram for you to get it all working.

Are you wanting to keep all of the functions? If so, how do you plan on controlling them? Did you get the switch panels from the doors?

[bake74]

     Now my curiosity has the best of me, I want to know what it is and how you got it to work.

[PromiseKeeper]

Avidyn: These are out of a '98 Deville. Not sure what you are asking when you say what model Deville? I'm pretty certain it does not have the "memory" seat. I may take a ride back to the boneyard again and get a VIN so the dealership can look up info for that car if needed. I did get the door switches. That is what I'm trying to hook up. I would like to keep all the functions.  I really appreciate your offer and that would be great! Let me know what other info you might need. I have the passenger seat working, the driver's side is the one that is making me scratch my head.

Bake, I wish you were here to help figure this out!! So far it's been fun chasing down the info. I never knew how complicated the wiring could get. What I can't figure is why the drivers seat is so different from the passenger side?

I really appreciate everyone's help! You guys are awesome!

Scott

[bake74]

      This is just a thought, you don't have to be sitting in the seat for it to adjust ?  I know most of them you don't, but I thought I would throw that out there.