Seat interchange, swap, exchange

Xcellr8 · Post by **Xcellr8** » 27 Mar 2012, 09:08

With a lifetime in Florida, parked in the sun, my 2001 S60 has issues caused by the sun that many of you have not mentioned, but as the years go by, some of these issues will likely surface with greater regularity. My leather seats are dry, cracked, and torn beyond what cleaners, conditioners, and even repair kits, can fix. I want to remove the seats and replace them with salvage yard finds. I have power seats with 3 memory settings (maybe all S60s have these) and I want to know if any Gen 1 S60 seats will fit and connect to the power, etc. Are there any other issues, besides color, that I need to consider?

Post by **fazool** » 27 Mar 2012, 10:02

I also have a 2001 S60. Up North, I am not seeing the UV light and heat damage but I am seeing damage from temperature swings and cold weather as well as hot. My seat is starting to crack as well so I am over-conditioning/moisturizing the leather (with Lexol) to prolong its life. S60 salvage yard seats are VERY hard to come by. I hear stories of nice pick and pulls but haven't found any with seats still in place. Most people pull the seats and are selling them on eBay for $300 each now.

SSeat covers are hard to find. Two high quality places advertise on the web: Elwood Industries (they started with a Volvo 850 project but haven't listed S60 seats) and leatherrseats.com who also lists Volvo's but don't list S60 model seats. My point is maybe these places will START or custom make some leather seat covers. Katzkin.com does not list S60's

Customcovers.com does list S60's.

These high end companies I listed sell seat skins (not covers - these replace your old leather) but prices are about $500-$600 per pair. Katzkin estimates $2295 for a whole interior (YIKES!).

So, here is the situation:

1) Not many quality suppliers have S60 skins right now
2) High quality skins are VERY expensive
3) Salvage yard seats are hard to come by
4) Salvage yard seats are as old as the ones you are replacing

Not a lot of good points in our favor.

Seat covers are pretty cheesy in quality and appearance. I did find one seat cover maker that seems to fit better and look a little more natural. Its topcar-athens.com Their covers are faux leather but are custom fit (not a universal fit storebrand). These are about $120-130.

I am trying to find out which other Volvo seats will swap in so I can have more options (V70? S80 ? etc.)

One thing to be very careful of is how the seat airbag is accomodated. Only get a seat skin or cover designed FOR and with your airbag in mind. Don't believe some generic statement about "working with all airbags" or "custom cut by the user". That's crap. You want something designed with a release panel or flap exactly where your airbag will deploy from.

Xcellr8 · Post by **Xcellr8** » 27 Mar 2012, 10:48

Excellent info. Thank You. Great idea trying to expand search options to include other models. Looked on eBay and found very few S60 seats. I suspect shipping is high while demand is low, so yards are not listing seats. Try the site below. They are a fantastic source of junk yard parts. By the way, a few yards specialize in imports. Brickyard (near Indianapolis which I have been to and found incredible as, for example, they must have had 100 of the newer VW bug) and (seeing you are in Great Lakes area) Schram Auto Parts in Mason, MI near Lansing (888)694-6455

http://www.car-part.com shows several seats (includes S70 as appropriate) with prices of 100-250. If they are available at local U-pull yards that is the way to go - with prices often less than $50 - if they get any S60s, which is rare.

Thanks again, hope I could help some too.

Brad6080 · Post by **Brad6080** » 31 Mar 2018, 15:37

I know this is an old post but I'm looking for information on this and cant seem to find any clear answers. I found a 07 s60 with perfect seats and trying to find out if they will fit in my 04 s60. My seats are horrible. Any help will be greatly appreciated

Post by **abscate** » 31 Mar 2018, 17:02

SEATs at Harry’s in PA run 30-50$

Volvo parts lisle website might help to sort out seat comparability

I did not see any flaps or slits in the leather on my SIPS (1999-) car seat I disassembled so the above post on airbag compatibility is suspect

Post by **June** » 31 Mar 2018, 17:25

abscate wrote: ↑31 Mar 2018, 17:02 SEATs at Harry’s in PA run 30-50$

Volvo parts lisle website might help to sort out seat comparability

I did not see any flaps or slits in the leather on my SIPS (1999-) car seat I disassembled so the above post on airbag compatibility is suspect

When my SIPS bags deployed in my 2002 S80 the seam between face and side panels split to allow the bag deploy. Volvo must use special thread with a preset tencel strength for this purpose. I was told the S80 seat cover was side universal, but earlier models were side specific for this reason. June

Post by **oragex** » 31 Mar 2018, 17:57

I have a 2003 base model. Went to the junk yard and found a 2007 seat from an upper trim. By the way, for all years there were two qualities of seats: on base model the seat is less comfy, while on upper trims (such as those that had the HU-803 or HU-850 radio units) the seats have a different trim and foam and beefier bolsters and are more comfortable.

As for the compatibility, somewhere in 2004 or 2005 the sear rails were completely changed plus the SRS module electrical connectors under the seat are entirely different. So no luck in swapping the entire seat between a 2001-2003 (or 4?) and a later 2005-2009 S60.

To my understanding swapping the seat rails or the SRS elements is mission impossible.

Also DOUBLE check for the side airbag located inside the left bolster of the seat: is swapping the covers, it's critical to make sure the covers are pre-cut at the same place.

However, it MAY BE possible the swap the bottom and upper cushions (foam) and covers and also the 'spring' bottoms (the spring wires that go under the foam) for both the lower and upper section. I just pulled the one from the 2007 and I will try swapping it to my 2003 if everything goes well. What's more - thank you Volvo - is that the seat heating elements (if equipped) seem to have the same green connectors and wire colors so perhaps will work without issues.

On the 2007, the headrests can be removed by pressing at two points behind the seat, or by sliding a hand inside the rear cushing and reaching for the bottom of the headrest rods where the locking clips are.

Not sure how this works on the 2003 seat.

Will update this perhaps with a video.

Brad6080 · Post by **Brad6080** » 04 Apr 2018, 09:17

Please do. Mine were in bad shape when i got the car. Front and rear seats in the 07 i found look brand new and are even the correct color. Got the entire set for $100. Going back this weekend for the wheels.

Daveliz99 · Post by **Daveliz99** » 03 Feb 2019, 19:02

Oragex, did you ever try this?

Post by **oragex** » 04 Feb 2019, 00:22

Yes, have a look here www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOhUYIG6Qv4

This is how it looks www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGtD-skiJcc

This was the difficult part, attaching the bottom spring assembly www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLRsCe-HeXQ

You may want to look if removing the headrests www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKdSof1UJiI