DIY: Full Power Konig Seats with Driver Side Memory + Power Folding/Memory Mirrors

4motionvr6dub · Apr 23, 2015

EDIT 2/2/18:
I have received several messages regarding the missing images in this thread. Photobucket decided to stop letting users host images on 3rd party sites unless they pay for a subscription. Thankfully there is a simple workaround this problem. If you use Chrome or Firefox, follow the relevant link below. This download will allow you to view all the previously black-holed images from Photobucket.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kegnjbncdcliihbemealioapbifiaedg

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/photobucket-fix/?src=api

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I completed this project about five months ago and posted a couple videos showing the results. A few people were interested in a DIY, which I had been working on sparingly and was finally able to finish. I wish I could’ve made it sooner, but at last here it is.

Background:

While the R32 is the most upscale of the MkIVs, it wasn’t equipped with memory seats/mirrors like the GLX VR6 Jettas. I guess this was because the “sport” models (R32, GTI, and GLI) aren’t really suited for a luxury feature like this. I think the complications of combining the easy rear access mechanism and the electric seat adjustment was another reason 2-door MkIVs never got the memory seats/mirrors. This bugged me because all the R32 interior features (Climatronic, rain sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirror etc.) can also be found in a VR6 Jetta, but the memory seats/mirrors were a Jetta only feature for the MkIV platform (in the US market). The idea of having memory seats/mirrors in the R32 first crossed my mind a couple years ago when I first learned that GLX VR6 Jettas had this feature, but it was really nothing more than a pipe dream at the time and I never gave that idea much thought.

Last summer I caught the OEM plus bug and completed several OEM plus mods on my Jetta TDI, including the memory seats/mirrors, and I couldn’t see why it wouldn’t be possible to do that on the R32 as well. I knew that aside from having to modify the Konig seats, the rest of the swap was going to be exactly as what I had done before. I ended up spending a lot of time at my local junkyard throughout the summer, and I took some time to examine manual and electric VW seat frames side by side to see how I could possibly make my Konig seats fully electric. I quickly realized it wouldn’t be easy to convert the seats, and then found a few threads on Vortex and TDI Club in which people discussed the possibility of making 2-door seats fully electric, but it seemed all of them mentioned losing the easy rear access and the discussion pretty much ended there. After a lot of thinking, I had a plan to make the electric adjustments work, while retaining the easy rear access mechanism. It ended up taking a lot of time and work, but I was very determined and eventually got it done. I want to share this experience with the forum, especially as it’s been a great resource for me and I’ve mostly been a lurker. I felt like I can finally contribute something special to the R32 community, so I put together this DIY for those who may be interested in this type of project.

Having a donor B5.5 Passat GLX to complete this swap is essential. I wouldn’t try purchasing all the parts new and building the harness. That would be far more expensive and time consuming.

You can also use a MkIV Jetta GLX for the memory swap, but you won’t have the power folding function for the mirrors.

Parts Needed:

Power folding/memory mirror assemblies
Power folding mirror switch
Window motor modules (for power folding mirror function)
Power front seats (preferably in black so the power seat panel matches our Konig seats). Make sure the memory module under the driver seat has the part number that ends in E. There’s an A version for the early MkIVs and B5s with CCM part number beginning with 1J0, but it won’t work with the 1C0 CCM in the R32. I’ve seen a D version on some Passats with a 1C0 CCM, which may work, but I don’t know for sure.
Wiring harness from the seat connectors, to the window motor modules, mirrors, and power supply.

Here’s a picture of the harness from a B5.5 Passat as if it were in the car (note that everything required from the donor car for this swap is pictured, minus the seats)

The fuse 1 (black/blue) and reverse signal (blue/red) wires in the pink connector will be spliced at the driver side of the car, so cut those wires from the connector and reroute them to the driver side of the harness. You don’t have to unwrap the harness, just fish them through the tape every few inches. Do this before installing the harness.

The K-line (green/grey) wire in the pink connector won’t be used because it’s actually missing in the seat harness. I believe the memory seat diagnostics on the early MkIVs and B5s were done through the K-line, but the newer MkIVs (02+) and B5.5s (01.5+) use the CAN bus (these years apply to the US models, other markets may vary). You can remove the wire from the harness, or just don’t connect it.

Tools/supplies:

Basic hand tools including an 8mm triple square
Electrical terminal release tool or similar
Soldering equipment
Wiring loom
Electrical tape
Angle grinder with a few cutting discs
Penetrating oil
Drill with a basic assortment of bits
A few small nuts, bolts, and washers, size is not critical
Dremel rotary tool or similar with several cutting, grinding bits
Dremel Multimax or similar oscillating tool with several blades
Welding equipment good for 16 gauge steel
JB weld
Black spray paint

Obligatory disclaimer:

Do this at your own risk; I am not responsible for any damage you may cause to your car or yourself. Use common sense, and always take preventative safety measures when working with power tools, and especially welding equipment.

Content:

Donor car tips
Interior parts removal
Harness installation
Mirror modification
Seat modification
Results
Conclusion

Donor car tips:

I really suggest you use a Passat for this swap. Using a Jetta would likely require more work despite not having to add the power folding function. I had used a Passat for the swap on my TDI, and I was actually pulling the harness from a Jetta for the swap on the R32, but when I saw how the harness was routed, I changed my mind and went with a Passat again. In the Jetta, the mirror wiring runs up the middle of the car and splits somewhere under the dash to each side. The power wires run along the passenger side door sill, then across the dash to the relay panel area in the driver side. Having to remove and install that harness would’ve been much more difficult. GLX Passats also seem to be more common than GLX Jettas at junkyards.

Here are a couple tips when pulling the parts from a Passat, the rest of the interior removal is pretty much the same as on a MkIV:

On the Passat, the window motors are screwed in from the back side of the regulator panel. So assuming you would most likely be pulling these parts from a junkyard car, you won’t be able to lower the window to remove the regulator panel and easily get to these screws. I would suggest popping off the lower speaker in the door (held in by rivets). The three T25 torx screws for the motor are reachable through that hole.
Removing the center console on a Passat is also different from a MkIV. Here is a helpful guide: http://pics.tdiclub.com/data/3419/Removing_the_Passat_center_console.pdf

Interior Parts Removal:

Since most of this information is already out there, I intended this section to be a list of links to other DIYs that show the interior removal process, but I found that a lot of them are really old and have dead picture links, so I filled in with my own pictures for some steps.

Front and rear center console:

+ steps 12-33 in this guide: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthre...-DIY-Removing-interior-parts-(e-brake-center-console-armrest-glovebox-ashtrays)
Front seats:
Rear seats:
Rear speaker panels & inner door sills:
Door panels:

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?961163

Harness Installation:

Mirror Modification:

Seat Modification:

4motionvr6dub · Apr 23, 2015

4motionvr6dub · Apr 23, 2015

Results:

Conclusion:

In the end I think all the effort to complete this project was definitely worth it, and as I said, I think this is how the R32 should've been equipped from the factory. I'm the only one who actually drives my R32, but I still enjoy having the memory functions as another gadget to play with if for anything.

I've been thinking about the possibility of adding the memory function to the passenger seat as well. However, I'm not sure if the same "E" memory module can be recognized by the CCM as for the passenger seat, or if the CCM even supports the function of a passenger memory seat. I would also need a few RHD parts. I'll be looking more into that possibility, but for now I'm pretty satisfied with the current setup.

Vee-DubbVR6 · Apr 23, 2015

WOW, WOW, WOW

This has to be the best executed DIY thread I think I've ever seen - at least in quite a while!! Damn, THANK YOU for being so descriptive and organized... and of course for taking all the time to share with the rest of us. I'm sure you spent countless hours putting all of this together.

:beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

graeme86 · Apr 23, 2015

Wow. Fantastic DIY! :beer:

llewllur · Apr 23, 2015

While this isn't necessarily anything I would do, I can appreciate a DIY that's well done. Nice job, dude!:beer:

G60toR32 · Apr 23, 2015

vr6fanatic · Apr 24, 2015

Reading this just gave me a headache! Lol. Great job!! Hard work and well executed! :beer:

Einkaufswagen · Apr 24, 2015

Simply amazing :thumbup: I wish i had this last year when i started my conversion :laugh:

4motionvr6dub · Apr 27, 2015

Oh hey, I just read through a large chunk of your MkIV build, and I love all the custom oem+ work you've done.

It looks like we started this at around the same time. I wish I would've found your thread at the time, maybe we could've exchanged some ideas throughout our conversions.

Budgeezer · Apr 24, 2015

Nice write up!:thumbup:

GoKart3 · Apr 24, 2015

Holy crap dude.... EPIC DIY. Damn.

GinsterDub · Apr 24, 2015

JCWolf1.8T · Apr 24, 2015

THANK YOU for posting this! You have inspired me to re-start my power folding mirror + skoda puddle light project that's been stagnant for 2 years now. Have all the parts but lost the motivation, until today.

Graeme I know, I've been slacking on this, plus I still have to install other OEM + mods. FUNK button ring a bell? LOL

Thanks again!
Raf

DUBvelopment1 · Apr 25, 2015

HOLY EPIC DIY! out of curiosity would you know what would be needed if I was only interested in the feature to lower the mirror for the passenger side when you put it in reverse?

graeme86 · Apr 25, 2015

You would need the seat controller and a passenger side memory mirror at least.

The controller keeps a record of the original mirror position, so it returns exactly after you get out of reverse.

Low_Mk4 · Jan 3, 2019

So do everything you did except for the actual seat modification?

4motionvr6dub · Apr 25, 2015

Thanks everyone. From start to finish, the DIY actually took longer to complete than the project itself. I wanted it to be as detailed as possible so that people can feel comfortable in attempting this. I'm glad you guys appreciate it.

4motionvr6dub · Apr 25, 2015

I've heard of the passenger mirror tilt working by just installing the seat harness with the memory module and connecting the CAN bus and reverse signal. The mirror will tilt to whatever position was stored in the memory module, but you won't be able to change that tilt position.

bonesaw · Apr 26, 2015

Great write up

M_Lee · Apr 26, 2015

This is nice. Too bad I promised myself not to buy anymore vw parts that aren't absolutely necessary.

Brake_Dust · Apr 26, 2015

Really thorough DIY!!! I want to save this to my google drive but it keeps crashing

Amazing job buddy!!! :beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer::beer:

Jonnymooshoo · Apr 27, 2015

Wow.... I wish I had seen this DIY before I started on mine three weeks ago lol... would have saved a lot of headache. When I did mine we transferred the motors and forward aft array but realised that the geometry of the arms was different and it wouldn't fit back in the rails. We ended up re-welding the lower arms into the proper position. It's funny how three of us who have the same idea end up completing it in different ways.

i ended up reupholstering the plastics on mine so they matched the seat.

4motionvr6dub · Apr 27, 2015

That's interesting indeed. I guess there's a few ways to do the seat conversion.

I really like what you did with the seat panels, the stitching was done very nicely and I love the matching look.

I also like the shape of the cut on the panel. :thumbup:

Einkaufswagen · Apr 27, 2015

Wow I rely like the reupholstered plastic pieces well done!

Iku · Apr 28, 2015

This might be the most amazing DIY I've ever seen.

oidoglr · Apr 28, 2015

DIY of the decade.

petethepug · Aug 20, 2015

I will never, ever, take the power memory seat function for granted in our allroad. The M/Y we ended up with is one of the odd years that has memory for both D/S & P/S.

You've got recall with the key remotes on the memorized D/S seat and both mirror settings too. When we get a non Audi rental during service, you quickly realize you're mirrors are adjusted to someone else the first time you cut someone off while merging into traffic.

Props to all that contributed. The upholstered lower seat frame cover is the bomb! This means you can pull your seat trim from a non black interior. What's next, MFSW?

AstroAvia · Mar 6, 2017

I expected just another DIY, but man! I was flabbergasted at the level of complexity of the job and the detailed description/documentation provided by 4motionvr6dub! Awesome tutorial and ingenious modification!

DIY: Full Power Konig Seats with Driver Side Memory + Power Folding/Memory Mirrors

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