Drivers Seat exchange swap
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,279
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From: OC
i drive them all, fast and hard
Drivers Seat exchange swap
so briefly heres the situation, my dad is hating the massage seat in the W221.
he has driven the car the past 14 mos and has loved the car, minus the seats...
the issue is, he believes that the components/hardware that is in the seat bottom and back for the massaging feature keeps the seats too hard.
we have played around with it extensively and not had any improvements
he has driven his w140 for 12 yrs, loves it , and even loves the ride/seats in teh w220....so much so, he is thinking of trading in the w221 for a 2006 w220
i hope not
we went to a few dealers and found some 2007's without the P2 package, they want around 60K for them and would offer us only 70K for ours...its at 25000 miles, 2010, p2, amg sport package with 19s, premium leather, door sills...
what i want to know, is there any way to swap out the drivers seat for one without the massage system, and how would i go about doing it...
i really dont want to part with this car, i think its great, but dad drives it, its his car he is the boss...but i hope to find a remedy
thanks
he has driven the car the past 14 mos and has loved the car, minus the seats...
the issue is, he believes that the components/hardware that is in the seat bottom and back for the massaging feature keeps the seats too hard.
we have played around with it extensively and not had any improvements
he has driven his w140 for 12 yrs, loves it , and even loves the ride/seats in teh w220....so much so, he is thinking of trading in the w221 for a 2006 w220
i hope not
we went to a few dealers and found some 2007's without the P2 package, they want around 60K for them and would offer us only 70K for ours...its at 25000 miles, 2010, p2, amg sport package with 19s, premium leather, door sills...
what i want to know, is there any way to swap out the drivers seat for one without the massage system, and how would i go about doing it...
i really dont want to part with this car, i think its great, but dad drives it, its his car he is the boss...but i hope to find a remedy
thanks
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 386
Likes: 3
From: Wisconsin
CL550 1976 450 SL
Driver dynamic or multicontour seats add two components, I believe. One small adapter in the seat, one in the seat back. The technical name is adapter. Basically, they are a grid with air "bladders". They are not physically big. Zeroing out all the settings leaves unexpanded bladders. The only extra is the grid. Not to dismiss your father's comfort senses, but at zero, their presence is nominal.
Another option is to simply have the "adapters" removed; take out the option. This is tedious. It calls for leather removal, seat removal etc. There is an ecu on the seat back adapter that, when removed, should eliminate ability to "use" the option. Likely, removal would only have to be done on one seat, as it appears he's uncomfortable when driving.
I have attached (hopefully), an exploded parts view of the seats. You'll see #16 is the adapter or bladder unit for the seat back. The #17 shows the modest size adapter for the cushion. You can see they don't take up much room. I would guess they offer little rigidity when deflated.
Please know I am only an owner and not a professional. I am simply sharing my opinion, not giving advice or guidance. I have had issues with the multicontour option and have posted often here seeking help. What I just shared is based wholly on what I have experienced in trying to find out why the option always works for a while after clearing faults and then shuts down/faults out after a short while. I have spent/wasted hundreds at my MB dealer in diagnostics and new parts and still have a non-working option.
Good luck.
Another option is to simply have the "adapters" removed; take out the option. This is tedious. It calls for leather removal, seat removal etc. There is an ecu on the seat back adapter that, when removed, should eliminate ability to "use" the option. Likely, removal would only have to be done on one seat, as it appears he's uncomfortable when driving.
I have attached (hopefully), an exploded parts view of the seats. You'll see #16 is the adapter or bladder unit for the seat back. The #17 shows the modest size adapter for the cushion. You can see they don't take up much room. I would guess they offer little rigidity when deflated.
Please know I am only an owner and not a professional. I am simply sharing my opinion, not giving advice or guidance. I have had issues with the multicontour option and have posted often here seeking help. What I just shared is based wholly on what I have experienced in trying to find out why the option always works for a while after clearing faults and then shuts down/faults out after a short while. I have spent/wasted hundreds at my MB dealer in diagnostics and new parts and still have a non-working option.
Good luck.
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 6,279
Likes: 58
From: OC
i drive them all, fast and hard
it looks like that item 16 is the bladders on the sides of the seats, that inflate or deflate ...i dont think its that that bothers him, i think its the parts that do the massage itself....there are 2 ***** that knead through the seat to the lower and mid back
even with all settings at 0, he feels that there is some aspect of those components at the lower portion that bother him....
even with all settings at 0, he feels that there is some aspect of those components at the lower portion that bother him....
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Treasure Coast
2018 Mclaren 720s, 2021 Aston Martin DBX
Have you tried a car upholstery shop? They would be able to take out the offending components and put in some softer cushioning.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 386
Likes: 3
From: Wisconsin
CL550 1976 450 SL
I agree. Have an auto unholstery shop gut it, restuff to mattress level and be done.
My hands on experience is the system/option appears to be engaged, if he is still feeling the "rolling *****".
To my exposure, there are no "*****" or in place items. Only the air bladders in the lumbar and upper back/shoulder area inflate and deflate in order, giving the "rolling wave", if you will, massage to the shoulder area and then it begins all over again at the lower hip/lumbar.
There are eight (approx. one inch by three inches in size) solenoids on the outside back of the seat back adapter that control the flow from one bladder to another. It's simply inflating/deflating at the chosen rate (choosable in the multi contour part of the display panel).
Driver seat is independent of passenger seat, each with own controls. On the exploded diagram you see two holes in the seat back. These are not related to the multicontour, as such. Those are ports, containing fans, which are part of the ventilated seats feature. They may confuse and look like "*****", of which you speak.
If you pull the carrier (item 2 in the diagram) and the adapter(s) (17 & 16) and all that's part of the multicontour, please don't just discard. Please PM me, as I may want to acquire, due to the struggles I am having.
Good luck.
My hands on experience is the system/option appears to be engaged, if he is still feeling the "rolling *****".
To my exposure, there are no "*****" or in place items. Only the air bladders in the lumbar and upper back/shoulder area inflate and deflate in order, giving the "rolling wave", if you will, massage to the shoulder area and then it begins all over again at the lower hip/lumbar.
There are eight (approx. one inch by three inches in size) solenoids on the outside back of the seat back adapter that control the flow from one bladder to another. It's simply inflating/deflating at the chosen rate (choosable in the multi contour part of the display panel).
Driver seat is independent of passenger seat, each with own controls. On the exploded diagram you see two holes in the seat back. These are not related to the multicontour, as such. Those are ports, containing fans, which are part of the ventilated seats feature. They may confuse and look like "*****", of which you speak.
If you pull the carrier (item 2 in the diagram) and the adapter(s) (17 & 16) and all that's part of the multicontour, please don't just discard. Please PM me, as I may want to acquire, due to the struggles I am having.
Good luck.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,430
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From: Cleveland Ohio
beater with a heater
there is more to that seat than you think, I rebuilt 2 of those S class seats already, and know the limits of a good upholstery shop. you will need to find a "better" shop than the good ones.
there is a lot of info going to and from the seat, including airbag info. ensure they disconnect the battery or you will need a trip to the dealer to reset the airbag lights
there is a lot of info going to and from the seat, including airbag info. ensure they disconnect the battery or you will need a trip to the dealer to reset the airbag lights
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Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 386
Likes: 3
From: Wisconsin
CL550 1976 450 SL
Finding a donor with the correct leather/color may be a bite. It's also not simply a situation of screwing down a multi in a non-multi S clas.
Go to a recycler. The whole seat for a 2007, depending on leather/color/etc., can run fairly cheap (under a grand). It's a dice roll (electronics, air bag etc), but an option.
Go to a recycler. The whole seat for a 2007, depending on leather/color/etc., can run fairly cheap (under a grand). It's a dice roll (electronics, air bag etc), but an option.
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