1999 V70 Base Seat Replacement Question

rhd · Post by **rhd** » 29 Dec 2016, 17:25

I have a 1999 V70 Base wagon, with vinyl seats and manual controls. I have a '98 T5 V70 parts car, with nice leather seats with electric controls.
My question is: if I remove the vinyl seats, will the base V70 have the necessary connectors for the power seats from the '98?
Also, they are heated seats, so I'll have to install switches for the seat heaters. Is there anything else that I should know if I make the switch?
Thanks in advance.

And by the way, if anyone needs any parts, the '98 is in excellent shape, except for a damaged oil pan... which is why it's not still being driven. It's silver, with a black interior, auto trans.

Post by **FLXC90** » 29 Dec 2016, 18:42

The airbags in the 99 cars are fired electronically, and the 98s are operated by mechanical triggers. To my knowledge, the systems do not interchange. Sorry.

Check the forum though, you may be able to swap the skins and maybe even the cushions.

Post by **E Showell** » 30 Dec 2016, 07:04

I've done a few skin swaps. Tedious, but not insurmountable by any stretch. I've used hog rings and zip ties in combination. If you use zip ties, don't cinch them down super tight. Allow them some slack to float or they will pull the seat stitching apart. Don't ask me how I know this. . .

There are two truly tough aspects of a seat skin swap. 1) finding the headrest release tabs and operating them correctly and 2) removing and reinserting the plastic lumbar adjust knob. You basically have to turn it all the way out then kind of pry it loose. You'll swear something's going to break, but it doesn't.

Bob of Elmwood Industries may have reskinning instructions for his kits on the web. Best to check them out.

Post by **JRL** » 30 Dec 2016, 07:48

Let me tell you a recent story
Last winter I bought my current driver. Since I don't drive much anymore I decided I would buy a FWD and a Volvo from the South or Ca.
I found a white 2007 2.5T from GA and FL that was gorgeous, never seen salt but had no climate package.
I said by the time this year rolled around it would have heated (and more comfy) seats.
I bought a nice pair of XC70 seats figuring it would be plug and play with all used parts, boy was I wrong!
Not having climate and this not being an accessory to add later the car was never equipped to make them work.

My service managed had to email Sweden to have them write custom software for my VIN and reload the CEM.

All this is moot, seats from a 1998 to a 99 (and vice-versa) will not function properly, different electrical system

rhd · Post by **rhd** » 03 Jan 2017, 15:31

Thank you everyone for your input. It's much better to know before starting a project if it will work or not. The airbags are one of the good reasons for driving a Volvo, and defeating them just to get slightly better seats isn't necessarily a good idea. Cheers.

Post by **abscate** » 21 Mar 2018, 05:17

You probably can put a power seat into any car by just supplying a good current 12V source..all the controlling electronics are on the side seat switch console. The SIPS bag won’t work of course, And the SRS code will pop if it doesn’t see the SIPS bag connected.

Post by **E Showell** » 21 Mar 2018, 08:55

That's "Elwood Industries" not "Elmwood.". Sorry for the confusion.