Got myself these yesterday by blind chance. £90 but buying a pair cheaper on UK mainland and having them palleted over for £200 made these a bargain...
I just wondered for those who have wired them in do you have any tips, wiring diagrams etc? Fabrication side I plan to remove the vw rails just so the seat height is as near to standard as possible but I have heard there can be complications with the wiring? Help appreciated
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)
The wiring on Saabs can be "complex", especially on the memory seats, as these link to an ECU which is then used to adjust the mirrors according to memory position. Unless you are very brave you are not going to install that ECU
I'm not fully familiar with the 9-3 wiring, but it will likely be very similar to the 9-5 which I know well.
Tell us what year the car was that the seats came out of, and if it's 2003, if its the later shape or the original one.
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
Thanks for the reply. Unfortunately dont know which car it came from as the guy who sold me them got them included with his T25 (not fitted) which he has now sold.
I am not fussed about getting the memory settings working, just want to be able to adjust the seats and maybe get the heating element working
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)
How sure are you that they are from a 9-3......... they look like they may be out of a 900, anyway here's the wiring diagram from an early 9-3. It looks pretty familiar to me.
One of the feeds is to provide power when a door is open. This is controlled by a bus message not simple electrics, which is when Saab wiring gets quite complex. In other words you probably only need one of them.
In some cars the power for the drivers seat comes from a relay under the passenger seat, just mentioning that in case it become relevant, probably not.
I suspect it's just a matter of providing live feed and the earth
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
So when you say you suspect its just a matter of getting live and earth, do you mean that in terms of just getting the seat adjustment to work rather than all the memory settings? In terms of a relay, that would be used by the switch to operate the motor circuit right due to the higher current needed to operate the motors?? Is the ibus stuff only related to memory settings? Also are the motors 12v or is there a resistor in the saab seat wiring to reduce the voltage to the motors? Thanks
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)
On that wiring diagram, it's a straight feed from the fuses.
The i-bus stuff is related to mirrors, and open doors, I suspect the memory settings are stored within the control module, but I don't know, as my Saab seats have the rest of the car around them
You may want to consider taking the button module off, disassembling it and cleaning with contact spray..... they can get stickly / non conductive membranes
When you're happy with the power side I'll get the heated seat infor for you, do you have the switches already ?
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
So you were right. They are out of a saab 900. Manufactured in 1993. So here are some photos underneath and of the memory unit
I hooked it up to a 12v supply and everything worked. Both seats have there own memeory unit so does that mean they will work without being hooked up to a saab? I also dont know now whether this does have heated seats but these wires seem to go up into the seat, yellow, blue and black wires
Would these have an internal airbag too?
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)
The 900 predates electronic manuals, so it's hard copy only. Fortunately a Czech Saab enthusiast is hosting some pdf's at https://www.zemekoni.org/saab900sm
You need workshop manual 3.2, page 218 of 302. Yellow is feed, black is earth on Saabs, not brown. I don't think the 900 had seat airbags but with the full wiring diagrams you can see for yourself
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
Before you start going through all the wiring I'd do a test fit first.
My cloth seats are from a 900, even with the t25 runners removed it was going to be a tight fit with the standard steering wheel.
I removed the height adjustment mechanism and repositioned the saab runners so they would bolt to the t25 seat box. Van was certainly driveable with the standard wheel but was a little tight sliding in and out so I've opted for a sligthly smaller steering wheel from a mk1 passat as well.
Dont need to go through the wiring as red to positive and black to negative on my power pack and seats work fine, although I will for the heated seat. I measured from the bottom of the rail to the top of the seat base on my VW vs the saab seat and as far as I can see with the vw seat rails removed it is only about an inch taller?? I plan to have the saab seat on its lowest setting so will there still be an issue with height? Happy to change steering wheel if its an issue as I have power steering. I am 6"1 and so based on what some of said on here there are no issues with heigh whereas other of a similar height there is. Hope they are ok as they are so much more comfortable than the original VW seats.
1987 VW T25: Subaru EJ20 using RJES parts (If it was meant to go fast it wouldn't be brick shaped!)
