Hi, I would like to ask members about the front seat electric motors in the P38. I have had the great fortune to pick up a new complete elecric seat base and I want to use it to, firstly, change the leather seat cover from my existing front seat to the new seat, and secondly, fit that complete new base in place of the existing seat base.

My main question is - is there any setting up of the motors when you take them out and refit them ? Or, because I have a complete seat base, on its' runners, is it just a case of bolting it in, refitting the switch panel on the side, and away I go ?

Best regards, Pierre3.

I've swapped seats and bases on mine and no, I do not recall any settings or calibration. Mount, plug it in, check if works, tighten :-)

Thanks for your comment, that's what I was hoping to hear. I am intending to replace the seat base in mine with a new, old stock one that an old dealer in Scotland had in his store-room until last week, when I bought it !!!

It is a complete base, including motors etc., etc, and the only difference is the leather seat covering so I will change them over. My existing leather seat cover is in very good condition but, as usual, the bolsters have gone soft. I rang around, including to James Coleman who usually has something in stock, but anything that i came across, including passenger seat bases, was not really what I wanted.

Trying to buy a new rubber seat base is no good now as the foam rubber base is now NLA, which wasn't the case a year ago, so I was very lucky to come across this new seat base. It means that I will be able to basically fit a new drivers seat all in one go.

Pierre3.

Great!
Something I discovered that works with the foam as you said, "gone soft", is to pass them through a steam cleaner, not a vacuum cleaner, but those devices that literally make steam. For some reason, they "regrow" to size after a couple of applications. You have to be delicate in the most "smashed" areas not to break the foam apart, but believe me, it works!

Certainly buying a steam cleaner but such purpose is overkill, but if you can borrow or rent one for the purpose, it pays off!

I had read something about this before, but do the seat sides remain plumped up and firm for very long afterwards ?

I know that it's overkill but I will fit the new seat base complete, and just replace the leather seat covering.

Pierre3

I did this to mine when I swapped seat bases, and so far is holding on .... year and a half, and 20k km. Used almost daily.
They sides are still firm. Try it, you got nothing to lose, foam does not get damaged and being steam it dries quickly.

NOTE: edited typo

Just a final note from me - when I took out the seats and replaced the foam base I didn't have any issue with the motors when refitting everything. I didn't replace the motors and also I didn't move the seat base on the runners. When I put everything back nothing had changed, but I don't know what would happen if you take the seat base off the runners and refit it in a different position.

Pierre3.

I did this, but I do not recall any trouble ... I think the motors are "dumb" and do not need exact repositioning