Recaro / Convenience Package seat swap - let's make it happen here

[Lilby]

There are a few questions, a couple of threads, and even some rumors of people maybe doing it, but I haven't been able to find anything definitive. The story... I bought a "used" 2017 GT350 but it has Convenience Package seats. I want the Recaro's. Others want the Convenience Package seats. Sounds like a match made in heaven. I've spoken to a couple of folks about swapping, everyone's in favor, we just can't nail down the particulars.

I want to make this a running thread of information and hopefully ultimately a swap, with documentation on both cars of what needs to occur to make the swap happen.

For purposes of the discussion, Car A starts out with the Convenience Package seats and will ultimately end up with Recaro's. Car B starts out with Recaro's and will ultimately end up with the Convenience Package seats.

What we know:

• Recaro seats "should" swap into a car A with no problem. - Confirmed
• Convenience Package seats "should" be able to connect to power to make the adjustments work in car B - Confirmed
• Car B will not have memory, heating or cooling in Convenience Package seats. Power, adjustments and airbags all work. - Confirmed

What don't know:

• What needs to happen on car B to make the heating / cooling work? - A miracle from God

I chatted with someone with access to a wiring diagram, I'm going to see if I can get it or if he can post it here. I will also circle back with people I've spoken with interested in swapping their Recaro's for my Convenience Package seats. No idea where those stand as of today, so if you are also looking to do this, please notify me here or through PM.

If anyone has information on this swap, experience, etc. please chime in.

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[cking]

I doubt you can get heat cool to ever work. First the wiring harness is most likely not there. Then if you some how get the wiring how hell would you program the climate module. its not impossible but so far Forscan hasn't any luck with simply stuff.

 

[Lilby]

I doubt you can get heat cool to ever work. First the wiring harness is most likely not there. Then if you some how get the wiring how hell would you program the climate module. its not impossible but so far Forscan hasn't any luck with simply stuff.

Really good point on the programming part. I've never turned mine on so hadn't even thought about that aspect. This might completely boil down to whether or not the heat / cool is important or if the seat shape / support / comfort is the driving force. Considering for me I'm willing to give up power, heat and cooling for the seat shape and support, I guess it's possible. I was just going on the direction that others would want the heating and cooling also.

 

[Lilby]

Spoke to Ford Performance today to inquire about just buying some Recaro seats, short answer is pretty much no. Updated what we know and what we don't know above. In summary, there are 2 harnesses in the Convenience Seat equipped cars. One for the movement and airbags, the second for memory / heating / cooling. The second harness is not there on the Recaro Seat equipped cars. So the seat will adjust, airbags will work, etc. but you will lose memory function and heating / cooling capabilities.

If anyone wants to swap their Recaro seats for the Convenience Package seats and you are ok with no memory / heating / cooling, I am your guy. My car has 1,000 miles on it.

 

[mkonrad]

The swap to Recaro isn't hard. I put Sparco seats into a 2016 tech by simply not using the second existing connector for the cooling and climate controls, and purchasing a replacement recaro seat wiring harness. I reused the airbag occupancy bladder, OCSM. Wired in an airbag disable resistor, but if you go Recaro you won't need to.

Aftermarket you have options, but if you're waiting for stock Recaro -- good luck. Going to the tech seats, you're right, the lower body wiring harness doesn't match.

I did not change forscan pids when downgrading. The computer sees no scme climate host controller and disabled climate functions properly.

 

[Minn19]

I have an important question, how many times have you farted in your current seats? ;)

All kidding aside, most here bought the car with the Recaros in mind and vice versa. I'm not saying it is impossible to find somebody to trade with, but as you have found it might take awhile.

 

[TaraFirma]

I ordered mine with the sofa seats, but had to change my order to recaros when the supplier of the sofa seats couldn't keep up with demand from Ford.

 

[Lilby]

Yep, by all accounts putting in the Recaro's is the path of least resistance. You will remove the heating / cooling of the convenience seats when swapping them. I've seen a lot of people that wanted the convenience seats but had to go Recaro's for the exact reason above, no more stock available.

I'm sure these will be fine for the amount of track use this car will see (2 times max per year, mostly single day events. I'm done with the craziness of trailering a purpose built race car for multi day events, too much hassle for what little time I have), but after having fixed back seats and 6 point harnesses in the last car, these things feel like how my 11 GT500 seats were, and they were horrible at the track. The search continues...

 

[EF300]

I have the limited edition sofa seats . I will prolly buy a recaro seat to swap in for the track. However, there ain't no way I'm giving up my lumbar support and cooled seat lol !

 

[bullittman]

I have the limited edition sofa seats . I will prolly buy a recaro seat to swap in for the track. However, there ain't no way I'm giving up my lumbar support and cooled seat lol !

IMO,the term "Sofa" is a bit misleading. I found a set of 350 recaros a while back and have had the occasion to use both at the track. To preface I am an "Occasional" track guy, my skill sets is about 6/10ths of cars capability. Up to about that point the tech seats work very well, the difference is when you push the car harder the recaros really prove their worth. I am 5'7' about 175 for comparison. If you are like me do not be afraid to try a track day with a leather seat 350.

 

[swedensky]

There's a set of GT350 Recaros and rear seats on the GT350 Facebook page right now. I think he's asking $3800 but the last set of fronts only sold on eBay for $4k so there might be no negotiation.

This is an S197 but here is a build where the owner went from power/heated (not cooled) seats to power/heated Recaros. It's a bummer about Photobucket because there were great pics along the way and I don't think the owner is on the forum anymore.

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94159&highlight=Recaro+heated&page=6

 

[Tank]

Anyone put a Recarro upper on a Tech/conv/sofa lower? Not worried about the heating/cooling feature, just wonder if it would be a direct swap..

 

[cking]

Interesting question are recaros built on same frame as the conv seats?

You could do half/half seat. Keep AC Butt and power get recaro bolstered upper and keep air bags.

You may have created a new trend the Recaro Conv package

 

[Tank]

Interesting question are recaros built on same frame as the conv seats?

You could do half/half seat. Keep AC Butt and power get recaro bolstered upper and keep air bags.

You may have created a new trend the Recaro Conv package

I would only ask 10% of gross:lol:

I got the idea after going to the Track Attack. Recarros started to bother my hips (bad joints run in my family...) but I liked the idea of the harness pass thoughs, after all, it's still a freaking Shelby...

 

[HextallS550]

You don’t need a miracle to make the heated seats work. You just need a new bezel with the buttons and the seat harnesses. The only thing that you’re missing is power and ground for the SCMs and access to MS-CAN. We’re working on a harness for this.

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