Interior/Exterior Will R56 JCW Bucket Seats fit a R53?
i think its because the US minis for 2005 and now uses a different kind of airbag system than the rest of the minis in the world... sometihing to do with the seat sensor for US minis??? i'm not sure, anyone can correct me if i'm wrong... if that is true, then in theory those might work on pre 05 minis (02-04)... in theory
Peace Keeper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,747
Likes: 1
From: Defiance, Ohio
These Recaros, would be sweet, but looking at costs and such...I think my best choice(for me) is to keep pursuing the Porsche GT3 Elephant Ear seats
...Must check fitting though...
...Must check fitting though...
4th Gear
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 488
Likes: 0
The idea of buying a couple of those expensive seats and start cutting and solding connectors straight away isn't completely thrilling I must admit, but I really like those and might do it in the future...
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
From: Cape Town, South Africa
Sorry, can not take a picture, dropped my camera this morning and the thing stop working...
The plug is quite small, if you look under your seat it is very similar to the one
you will see. It is just the one that comes with the R56 JCW seats will not fit with yours.
It is a very simple and neat job. Just cut the two wires and replace the plug.
Just one more note : The R56 JCW seats also come with heating, but I did not connect this as was not needed.
Let me know if I can help with any further info.
The plug is quite small, if you look under your seat it is very similar to the one
you will see. It is just the one that comes with the R56 JCW seats will not fit with yours.
It is a very simple and neat job. Just cut the two wires and replace the plug.
Just one more note : The R56 JCW seats also come with heating, but I did not connect this as was not needed.
Let me know if I can help with any further info.
Do the subframe, runners and such provided with the seats mount straight on the R53 or not?
Plenty pictures and information on this site www.modnmini.com
I think you may have to register to login.
Got all the information I needed to do the mod from them, very helful.
Some information :
The seats I got are the JCW Recaro for the R56 and fitted them on my R53.
They are not cheap and the final price depends on your dealer.
They came with airbags and heating if you want to connect this.
The seats have the JCW logo and Recaro embossed as per pictures.
Modnmin are in the UK and do the above mod at about 50% cheaper then
any dealer, for you lucky guys in the UK
I am from South Africa but the exact same seats are available at any Mini
dealer worldwide as JCW items you can purchase for your R56.
When you order the seats you get all the parts necessary to be able to
install them even on the R53. Visited the dealer a few times during the
installation and it did not look that hard. Basically you remove your
seats and the JCW come with rails and they bolt on the existing holes.
The only thing you have to change is the airbag plug. Cut the new one
and solder your old one to the new seats. Honestly that easy, the hard
part is when you have to pay for the JCW seats...it hurts for awhile.
The dealer said it could not be done until I showed them the pictures and
info Modnmini gave me.
Hope this helps.
I think you may have to register to login.
Got all the information I needed to do the mod from them, very helful.
Some information :
The seats I got are the JCW Recaro for the R56 and fitted them on my R53.
They are not cheap and the final price depends on your dealer.
They came with airbags and heating if you want to connect this.
The seats have the JCW logo and Recaro embossed as per pictures.
Modnmin are in the UK and do the above mod at about 50% cheaper then
any dealer, for you lucky guys in the UK
I am from South Africa but the exact same seats are available at any Mini
dealer worldwide as JCW items you can purchase for your R56.
When you order the seats you get all the parts necessary to be able to
install them even on the R53. Visited the dealer a few times during the
installation and it did not look that hard. Basically you remove your
seats and the JCW come with rails and they bolt on the existing holes.
The only thing you have to change is the airbag plug. Cut the new one
and solder your old one to the new seats. Honestly that easy, the hard
part is when you have to pay for the JCW seats...it hurts for awhile.
The dealer said it could not be done until I showed them the pictures and
info Modnmini gave me.
Hope this helps.
On the R56, there is a weight sensor in the passenger seat to let the car know someone is sitting in it so it can activate the airbags. The way to tell if you have one on an R53 is to have someone sit in the passenger seat without hooking up their seatbelt. If the seatbelt chimes, then it recognizes that someone is there, if it doesn’t you’re cool.
I mention this because Europe doesn’t have that and I’ll bet South Africa doesn’t either. (it’s a stupid US rule...)
If you do have a passenger weight sensor (which I’d think you have) you’ll have to take stock seat out, remove the weight sensor pad and install it into the new Recaro seat. I have heard that someone people have used a resistor to trick it but I was unable to do that. (perhaps R53’s are easier??)
And then when you do get them done, you can buy the rear JCW seats...
Mark
OVERDRIVE
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 8,233
Likes: 128
From: San Francisco
firehawk618 has figured out how to disable the airbag seat sensor warning through NCS Expert programming: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-no-more.html
firehawk618 has figured out how to disable the airbag seat sensor warning through NCS Expert programming: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-no-more.html
Cool.. like I said, I wasn't sure and didn't mean to bud into ya'lls thread, I just wanted to make note of it.
Mark
Looks like I've finally found a thread with people who know what they are talking about on this seat issue. Here's my dillema:
I don't want to use Recarro seats, I just want to put R56 Leather front seats in my R53.
Is this possible? I'm assuming YES, since you can do it with the Recarro's, but I've been told by others here on NAM that, NO, it's not possible.
Can any of you guys chime in and let me know if it's possible? I'd really like to make this happen...
I don't want to use Recarro seats, I just want to put R56 Leather front seats in my R53.
Is this possible? I'm assuming YES, since you can do it with the Recarro's, but I've been told by others here on NAM that, NO, it's not possible.
Can any of you guys chime in and let me know if it's possible? I'd really like to make this happen...
Looks like I've finally found a thread with people who know what they are talking about on this seat issue. Here's my dillema:
I don't want to use Recarro seats, I just want to put R56 Leather front seats in my R53.
Is this possible? I'm assuming YES, since you can do it with the Recarro's, but I've been told by others here on NAM that, NO, it's not possible.
Can any of you guys chime in and let me know if it's possible? I'd really like to make this happen...
I don't want to use Recarro seats, I just want to put R56 Leather front seats in my R53.
Is this possible? I'm assuming YES, since you can do it with the Recarro's, but I've been told by others here on NAM that, NO, it's not possible.
Can any of you guys chime in and let me know if it's possible? I'd really like to make this happen...
Do you have side airbags in your mini now?
Do you have seated heats?
Mark
I do not have heated seats, but I would like to add that when I upgrade the seats. So, I'll be looking for R56 Leather Seats with Heating units (it's cold in Northern Indiana)...
I would think the control module for the airbags wouldn't differentiate between which seat was in the car. It would be unlikely (though possible) that BMW changed any of the settings (ie. resistance, current, amperage draw, etc, etc) between the different years.
Assuming that, I would think you could plug it in (assuming it has the same plug end (which would be easy to fix)) and reset the SRS light.
As far as heat seaters, you’d have to run the wiring for the switches to turn them on and I think if you’re willing to manually turn them on and off, it wouldn’t be that hard. (I say manually turn them on and off because even though you manually turn them on and off on an R56, they are still integrated into the computer which remembers to turn them back on automatically when you shut the car off etc...)
HTH’s,
Mark
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
here's my dilemma ive decided ill be getting new Bride seats and get aftermarket railings. problem is the new seats doesnt come with side airbags and old seats also have sensor for passenger air bag. I was thinking if i just pull everything out and dont connect it will defintely get airbag alarm right?? any way for me to counter the alarm? not too sure on this correct me if im wrong thnx!
Ken,
Not sure you’ll get an “alarm” as much as an airbag light. If you can deal with the light, then you should be okay.
Having said that, I’d check with Way at WayMotorWorks, I’d ask him if he can program them out... (not sure if his computer will allow that or he would even do that, but it can’t hurt to ask)
Mark
Not sure you’ll get an “alarm” as much as an airbag light. If you can deal with the light, then you should be okay.
Having said that, I’d check with Way at WayMotorWorks, I’d ask him if he can program them out... (not sure if his computer will allow that or he would even do that, but it can’t hurt to ask)
Mark
Neutral
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Ken,
Not sure you’ll get an “alarm” as much as an airbag light. If you can deal with the light, then you should be okay.
Having said that, I’d check with Way at WayMotorWorks, I’d ask him if he can program them out... (not sure if his computer will allow that or he would even do that, but it can’t hurt to ask)
Mark
Not sure you’ll get an “alarm” as much as an airbag light. If you can deal with the light, then you should be okay.
Having said that, I’d check with Way at WayMotorWorks, I’d ask him if he can program them out... (not sure if his computer will allow that or he would even do that, but it can’t hurt to ask)
Mark
Not sure if that was being sincere for trying to be helpful or sarcastic cause Way got pissed...lol.
Sorry, just trying to help...
Mark
Sorry, just trying to help...
Mark