S3 seats in A3 Help

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bennibs123

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Hi I am after some advice as i've searched the net and cant seem to find anything on this as most people say s3 seats are a straight fit into an a3 I bought some black leather recaro seats. but after comparing the bottom of the seats it appears they are completely different. so mechanically I need some advice on how to get them to fit in . Are there four holes under my carpet which these would bolt into ?
20150822_154401_zpspqwmi57e.jpg

Secondly the wiring: the only plug that looks the same is the large red one. I do not know what any of the plugs are for I would assume the large red one is the lumbar support but I could be wrong. And some wires don't even have a plug on the end im guessing these are the important air bag ones.
S3 recaro:
20150822_154421_zpsmprosyfx.jpg

Current A3 seat:
20150822_154427_zps3iesos33.jpg

Whats in my car:
20150822_154609_zpss7ds72y2.jpg

Thanks Ben
 
My s3 seats dropped right into my a3 with no problems, straight swap :S don't know if it makes a difference but mines a facelift
 
Looks to me that the top seat is missing part of / has the wrong subframe.

The A3 /S3 8L has front centre bolt fitting & two rear wheel / sliders either side. That front seat looks like four nuts / bolts; one at each corner. This fitment is more akin to BMW/Ford, etc.

Additional wiring plugs will be for electric control & possibly seat heating. Should be moulded plugs though and not male spades- someone has modded (bodged) them.

Are you sure they are S3 seats?
 
Yes there definatly s3 seats as i got the rears and all the door cards with them aswell. The wires without the moulded plug is that the airbag one ?
 
Looks like the lower subframe is missing, it has two rollers at the rear and a bracket at the front where the two bolts attach at the front in the centre, you will need to source some sub frames to fit them, I would go back to the seller to see if he still has them.
 
Someone has sold the seats but kept the subframes.

Since the recent discovery that you can mount buckets using the stock s3 subframes there will be more and more of this happening to poor unsuspecting people.
 
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Thanks for your help it does seem they are very hard to come across. Luckily i have managed to get some from another person selling the same seats got the pair for £60. Just hope they turn up this week.
im still struggling to find anything on the air bag wiring however.
could anyone point me in the right direction?
 
Also is there any risk of setting the airbag off doing this? Or is the light coming on the dash the worst that can happen ?
 
Does your s3 seats have electric adjust and heated?
Trying to figure out what plugs do what underneath, is there not a guide on which colour plug does what.. Anyone know?
 
Yes i assume so it definatly has electric adjustment which is the red plug and im guessing there heated which is the black plug.? Not sure about the two big fises what there for ?
 
Airbag plugs are always yellow. I dont think the Recaros have side airbags?
 
I know the plugs are but it is missing the actual push in plug piece of the end and im left with these 3 wires :s
 
Those 3 wires with the ulilux spade connectors look like a home made lead using 230v power flex?
Follow it back to see where the cable goes. Its not an Audi/VW cable.

There wont be an airbag connector on the Recaro. At least Ive never seen one in an A3 (S3) with an airbag.
 
There is a thread on ukmkvs web site, I used it when I fitted them in my old GTI, the two large plugs are the heaters, it looks like someone has removed the airbag plug and fitted spades, the airbag light won't come on as long as you don't turn the ignition on whilst it's disconnected.
 
Okay luckily the passenger side still had the plug on it so i chopped a plug off my olf seat and copied that of the passenger seat. If anybodys interested on how i did it and the wiring configuration let me know ill make a little guide
ben
 
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bennibs123 said:
Okay luckily the passenger side still had the plug on it so i chopped a plug off my olf seat and copied that of the passenger seat. If anybodys interested on how i did it and the wiring configuration let me know ill make a little guide
ben
Click to expand...

Do it mate
 
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