Adding Power Passenger Seat Controls

[RyanZ]

Wanted to start a thread about converting a non-powered passenger seat to powered. Has anyone done this before? Hopefully we can tag team this and get this on the list of mods we can do it ourselves.

 

[Jimmy07]

This is one that would be ridiculously expensive to do because of all the individual parts that need to be swapped on the existing seat. The bottom rack alone is $575, then you need the side piece, switch, connectors, wiring, and the seat back frame, then you have to strip your existing seat down and swap it onto the new parts. Everybody just searches car-part for one out of a wreck. That way, it just swaps right in and connects to the existing body harness connector, and you have your old seat to resale.

 

[zc15]

This is one that would be ridiculously expensive to do because of all the individual parts that need to be swapped on the existing seat. The bottom rack alone is $575, then you need the side piece, switch, connectors, wiring, and the seat back frame, then you have to strip your existing seat down and swap it onto the new parts. Everybody just searches car-part for one out of a wreck. That way, it just swaps right in and connects to the existing body harness connector, and you have your old seat to resale.

Does it just plug and play though?

 

[MannymanX]

Does it just plug and play though?

Yes... Plug and Slide...

 

[zc15]

Yes... Plug and Slide...

It's a serious question, regarding swapping a powered seat from a wrecked vehicle in, whether the body harnesses are the same on the body side regardless of power/manual seat

 

[Jimmy07]

It's a serious question, regarding swapping a powered seat from a wrecked vehicle in, whether the body harnesses are the same on the body side regardless of power/manual seat

The answer, just like the one he gave you, is yes. If you have the power driver seat, then the body harness contains the necessary wiring for the passenger seat. Power seats are not run through the BCM, so no settings changes needed. Plug n play.

 

[Rickyrocket]

The answer, just like the one he gave you, is yes. If you have the power driver seat, then the body harness contains the necessary wiring for the passenger seat. Power seats are not run through the BCM, so no settings changes needed. Plug n play.

Actually thats the most realistic way to do it,buy the power seat from a wreck,save a load of moola.

 

[MannymanX]

It's a serious question, regarding swapping a powered seat from a wrecked vehicle in, whether the body harnesses are the same on the body side regardless of power/manual seat

But I answered

 

[zc15]

But I answered

Sorry, I thought I read sarcasm because of the meme. There are definitely some condescending trolls on forums and it could be considered a dumb question. Thanks for the answer and clarification!

 

[MannymanX]

Sorry, I thought I read sarcasm because of the meme. There are definitely some condescending trolls on forums and it could be considered a dumb question. Thanks for the answer and clarification!

Haha yeah, it gets really trolley in other forums sometimes. I just like to add some funny gifs every now and then

 

[Rick1]

I have a question regarding upgrading the passenger seat to power. I have the Big Horn premium cloth seats on my 2019 3500 with a power driver seat. My understanding is a powered passenger seat was not offered in cloth. Would it be possible to source a power seat and have it recovered by an auto upholstery shop?

 

[brian42]

They might get close but it probably won’t be a perfect match. If they are good enough to match it then they probably won’t be cheap.

If you find a power seat your best bet would be to have the shop swap the cloth stuff onto the new seat. I don’t know if it’s the same pads underneath but that would be the easiest and most cost-effective way to do it. Plus it would be an exact match to the rest of the interior since it is your interior.

 

[Gs72174]

I found a good deal at a junkyard for a Laramie passenger seat with power, heat, and vent. I’ve got Big Horn with drivers side power and heat. I’m not worried about the different seat covering because I’ll just swap my Katzkin but what about the vent option?

 

[Moparian]

I would imagine you could enable the OSB for the vented seats in AlfaOBD, not sure if you can swap the physical controls in but probably could. Your Katzkin would have to have the special fabric that allows the vented seats to work otherwise you wouldn't feel it.

 

[RyanZ]

I would imagine you could enable the OSB for the vented seats in AlfaOBD, not sure if you can swap the physical controls in but probably could. Your Katzkin would have to have the special fabric that allows the vented seats to work otherwise you wouldn't feel it.

Kinda what I was thinking, I don;t have vented now but I do have heated. If I can find a wrecked Powered seat I'll have to swap fabric then probably just leave the OSB left alone and no vented lol.

 

[Gs72174]

As others had stated earlier, it’s supposed to be plug and play. Will that still be true swapping to a seat with heat and venting if I only have heated? I don’t care about the venting. I just need want ro swap my passenger non power heated seat to a powered heated seat.

 

[Rick1]

They might get close but it probably won’t be a perfect match. If they are good enough to match it then they probably won’t be cheap.

If you find a power seat your best bet would be to have the shop swap the cloth stuff onto the new seat. I don’t know if it’s the same pads underneath but that would be the easiest and most cost-effective way to do it. Plus it would be an exact match to the rest of the interior since it is your interior.

I like that idea but am concerned about the fitment if the cloth is swapped, otherwise that is the best way for me.

Any idea what years seats would work?

Thanks,
Rick

 

[brian42]

I haven't been in any OEM leather seat RAMs other than the 5th gen 1500s but I have been in plenty of 4th gen cloth loaners. I'm not sure about the frame and brackets but the seat portions are completely different (pad and cover). I'm not sure if they attach the same (or if the frame is the same) but you would be rolling the dice on anything but a 5th gen seat unless you can get confirmation that the seat frame, brackets, and attachment is the same.

I replaced the driver's seat cover on my last truck and there was more to it than a few screws, clips, and hog rings.

This is on my 'to-do' list as my wife is 5'4" and has a hard time seeing over the dash from the passenger's seat. When the time comes I'll be looking for a 5th gen Laramie/Longhorn/Limited donor. Even if the 4th gen is the same hardware the pads are different. I will want to use as much of the seat as possible since I will have paid for it.

Just my .02

 

[Miguel]

Yes it is all plug and play I just swapped my fronts bighorn seats (cloth, both heated, driver powered and front passenger not power) to Laramie heated and ventilated power seats there is a big yellow plug under the both seats that control everything

 

[Rick1]

Thanks for the info guys.

Miguel,
Where you able to match the color? I like the cloth but don't think I can match the Gray cloth interior. I was hoping I could get a power/heated passenger seat and use the covers off my current passenger seat.

Thanks,
Rick