VY Calais seats into VY Executive... Few quick questions

[VjamesY]

Hey guys,

Ive looked around the site but couldnt find the exact info required...

Ok so Ive got a VY executive and being impulsive have bought a full VY Calais leather trim for my car.

I was just wondering If the seats will plug straight in and work? as the Calais seems to have a slightly different controls set-up.

I also heard something about problems with airbags aswell?

If the Calais seats are compatible could someone explain exactly what I need to do?


Thanks, just dont want to screw anything up...

VjamesY

[VjamesY]

Bump, I really need help guys, the sooner I find out what I need the sooner their installed! haha

[Calaber]

Hi James

It's a fiddle but the seats will work after a fair bit of rewiring of the connections and bypassing the memory module under the driver's seat - that won't work in your Exec because you have a low level BCM. If you are not competent with wiring, you would do well to leave this job to someone who is. You will need a new separate loom run across the floor to power the passenger seat, which takes its feed from the driver's side power plug and the wiring for the driver's seat will need to be re-jigged to suit the simpler Exec power feed plug. The memory module is best removed with all its associated wiring and the additional switches on the driver's seat are just left in place with no wiring connected. As your BCM is not programmed for the side air-bags, you would need to have it set up via a Tech-2 if you wanted them to work, otherwise, they can be left disconnected, but as they are a good thing for your own safety, it would be worth having the BCM programmed if possible. (I honestly have no idea if the Exec BCM can be programmed for side air bags - maybe someone else knows?)

[VjamesY]

Thanks for that info mate, clears a fair bit up...

To be honest, Ive had no wiring experience so I would be best of leaving this work to someone else.

Who would be experienced enough for this? and how much would it cost me??

It might even be worth giving Phreddy a call, he may be able to wire the extra loom up and Im sure he has the tech 2 gear.

I just found this to, someone mentions the same method of wiring up the passenger seat: Convert VX seats to full electric

[VjamesY]

Also, I think side airbags were optional in vy executives, So theirs a chance my car could already be programmed for airbags. Anyone know how to find out If I have them?

and with the memory module in the seat, If I remove that, what functions will be left in the seat? actually this might be a noob question, but what does the memory module do?

[Calaber]

The memory module enabled the Calais to "remember" the seat settings for individual drivers. If you and your girlfriend/wife/whatever both used the car and had your own keys, the BCM recognises the key when you insert it into the ignition switch and automatically moves the seat to the settings used by that driver. It also moves the external mirrors to their individual settings as well. Disconnecting the memory module simply means those auto functions are inactive. You will still have eight-way adjustment of both seats though (recliner up and down, front of cushion up and down, rear of cushion up and down and fore/aft adjustment of the whole seat).

The only way I can think of for the activation of the air bags is via Tech-2, a computer interface that Holden dealers and some other repairers have, which connects to the car's on-board computers and reads their status, error messages etc. My local Ultratune dealer has one and charges much less than a Holden dealer for using it. By connecting the Tech-2, or whatever it is now called, they will be able to tell if they can activate the air-bags and actually do it at the same time.

[VjamesY]

I think you may have missed half of my last reply, it was in two posts.

Thats interesting and quiet convenient for calais owners ha ha to bad I hardly let anyone else drive my car

I also guessed that was what you meant regarding to removing the memory module and controls still functioning, I just wanted to clarify it.

Also I know what tech-2 is, Ill leave that to Phreddy/ASR If I get him to do the work, Because Im sure he has tech-2.

Thanks for all the help mate, making this install and process much easier for me

[TMM]

As for the airbags you're going to need the side impact sensors and possibly an airbag control unit (i know there's a unit underneath my center console... not sure if thats for all VYs or side-impact-only). Without them the airbags COULD go off by themselves due to static buildup. In 2006 there was a recall on side impact VYs because of improper grounding - static would build up and bam they deployed.

Another option would be to install your Exec seats onto the Calais bases, and swap the covers over.

[VjamesY]

As for the airbags you're going to need the side impact sensors and possibly an airbag control unit (i know there's a unit underneath my center console... not sure if thats for all VYs or side-impact-only). Without them the airbags COULD go off by themselves due to static buildup. In 2006 there was a recall on side impact VYs because of improper grounding - static would build up and bam they deployed.

Another option would be to install your Exec seats onto the Calais bases, and swap the covers over.

Yeh that was an option, but from my adventure to a Holden dealer today Im set on installing the calais seats as a whole. thanks for info anyways.

Ok so as side impact airbags are 'optional' in vy executives I had Holden check their database if they were installed to mine, which they wern't.


Im not really fussed about not having the airbags, so my plan is to remove the calais seats airbags. (if that's even possible?) I could just leave them in their but as one of you mentioned they could randomly go off, its probably best just to totally remove them.

So the only obstacle now Is wiring up the calais seats. I have given Phreddy a few calls, but he is a hard man to get in contact with haha so Ill just have to wait, I might even see an auto-electrician about it, and see If he can do it.

[Calaber]

They won't go off randomly if they are not connected to the car's wiring harness. You could leave them in the seats disconnected and they would remain inert. If you tried to remove them, you would have to rebuild the bolstering in the seats.

[VjamesY]

Ah Great, less to worry about!

Just have to get this damn wiring loom sorted.

[TMM]

They won't go off randomly if they are not connected to the car's wiring harness. You could leave them in the seats disconnected and they would remain inert. If you tried to remove them, you would have to rebuild the bolstering in the seats.

From what i've heard, unless they are grounded, static builds up across the terminals and can trigger the airbag. It's not really a problem if you are just storing the seats somewhere, but in a car people moving around on carpet and the like it's certainly possible.

[Calaber]

From what i've heard, unless they are grounded, static builds up across the terminals and can trigger the airbag. It's not really a problem if you are just storing the seats somewhere, but in a car people moving around on carpet and the like it's certainly possible.

Hmm, I doubt that. The two wires are encased in a plastic connector and this remains covered by the seat side trims, well clear of the floor covering. I can't see how static electricity could bridge the two terminals and activate the bag. I think the recall provided an earth between the seat frame and the mounting bracket, to ensure that the seat was earthed to the chassis, and the bag could only have been activated if it had power connected through the wiring to the module. If the two wires are just sitting disconnected inside the seat, I doubt they could be bridged accidentally, but to be safe, you could wrap the connector thoroughly with insulating tape to ense that the terminals could not be bridged.

[VjamesY]

Thanks for the help guys

But just got in contact with Phreddy (hard man to track down haha) and he will sort out the seats this wednesday, so keen!

Ill post some pics when its all done, he Is also installing my leather steering wheel wohoo!

[vnsmanual]

hey mate have you still got ur exectutive seats???

[VjamesY]

Sure do, average condition though. pm me If you want to discuss the seats.

[Foghorn]

Do you still have the seat memory module and is it the same as the one in the VZ?

[VjamesY]

Yeh I still have it, But I need it to complete the circuit for the seat controls. Sorry I cant help, Ive had other blokes ask as well.

[Foghorn]

No worries. I thought they had to be removed to get the seats working manually. My bad. Thanks anyway.

[VjamesY]

Yeh Im not exactly sure down to the details, but Greg from ASR who installed them said it would be easiest to just leave it in. good luck anyways

[lastlegend]

I recently installed a set of VY Calais seats into my daughters VT Olympic and I took the easy road buy removing the Calais trim/foams from the 6 way frames and refitting them to the standard frames.

Works and looks great....so if anyone wants some 6 way frames just send through a PM.....