Working out heated seat wiring

[owas]

My Alfa 159 seat arrived today,
I need to work out which wires to give power to so I can get the heating to work,

The switch is on the seat so makes it easier,

First pic is wires going to the switch,

Second and third and the wires at the end of the loom, the black one goes to the seat belt , the other 2 go to by the switch ,

But I don't want to go putting power into anything because I don't know which one is the air bag??

 

[hotponyshoes]

Airbag is "probably" yellow but that looks more like diy insulation tape than factory yellow sheathing?
I would download the wiring diagram and check first!
Or snip off the hog rings and pull back the covers until you can physically trace the wires.
You will destroy the seat if you set the bag off!

 

[hotponyshoes]

Rather than take the hog rings out you could do it the other way via elimination.

You will have at least 2 (poss 3) wires for the airbag, and 2 for the seatbelt (unless it has a pre-tensioner as well.

If the switch only does heating it might only have 2 wires running into it and they will be fairly big in comparison to the others. There might be a further smaller wire if the switch lights up at all.

I would try and see where all the wires go.
Does the switch just do on/off for the heat?
If it has high and low it might be a bit more complicated, some just feed half the elements in the seat on the low position, some run out to a ballast pack and some have 2 feeds in plus ground, one at battery voltage and one at a lower supply.

 

[owas]

Airbag is "probably" yellow but that looks more like diy insulation tape than factory yellow sheathing?
I would download the wiring diagram and check first!
Or snip off the hog rings and pull back the covers until you can physically trace the wires.
You will destroy the seat if you set the bag off!

It is tape, looks like the plug was pulled off, I think they've taped it yellow to show it's airbag related.
Looking for a diagram

The switch had 0-1-2-3 settings that you scroll through, with 4 wires going into it.

Off to pick up a rusty old vice, will investigate further when im back

 

[hotponyshoes]

That switch does not look like the sort of thing that takes hard wiring, that will run from/to a regulator somewhere I expect.

Is this a replacement and you just need to work the damaged wires out or is this a retrofit / upgrade and you are trying to add heated seats to a car that did not have them?

 

[owas]

I figured it must be the red,brown and black wires due to the size so hooked them up to a battery and it works, was just warm though the battery I used is practically scrap, should be ok when I put it on a good one I think.

It's to go in the defender

 

[owas]

Yeah this isn't going to work

 

[hotponyshoes]

Is the fuel tank under there or can you drop it down a bit?

 

[owas]

Only thing I can do is cut the rubber mat out the way, but that will only be another 15mm or so

 

[hotponyshoes]

Could you cut a couple of rectangles out of the chequered plate and drop a couple of U sections in to make some channels for the seat runners to drop into?

 

[Tinbasherdan]

Get a smaller steering wheel!!

 

[owas]

Get a smaller steering wheel!!

Looks like that will be the solution, got a 36 spline wheel?

Found a pic from the one I fitted in the disco, looks like the steering wheel makes the difference, that and actually being able to move it without hitting the roll cage ..

 

[owas]

Well that's enough for my short **** to fit ,
Not driven it yet but it feels nice and high.

Im not really a fan of this wheel though, it's really slippery

 

[rtcosic]

Maestro/Montego wheel was the one to go for back in the day.

Makes for hard work in the car park though!

 

[owas]

Maestro/Montego wheel was the one to go for back in the day.

Makes for hard work in the car park though!

This is 14", the original is 17", so you can definitely feel it's abit heavier but not much

Pedals feels like they're in an odd place now though,like you're sitting above them .. bit of driving and I should get used to them