E46 Seats in a E36

[Stevefazek]

Dont know if anyone Tried this Before But they Do Fit in.

The Rear Bolt holes are a Tiny Bit too Far Back. Lossening the Nuts in the Front Pushing Forward and it will Fit in.

The Wireharness You will need to make up on your Own. The Red and Brown Wires power the adjusters. The Rest are for the Seat heating a Constant power for Memory In the Seats

[thedude]

would you care to write a DIY? mainly for the wireharness...

[Daved]

We need pics as well

[thedude]

I've seen it in a local car and it looks awesome. I've been looking for a black pair, but they arent easy to find...

[Stevefazek]

Ill Bring on pics later Tommorrow i am Breaking down wall in my brother new home.

But if anyone wants to do it i would recamend Filing about 1/8th -1/4th of an inch from the back Hole Facing the Front of the Seats.

The Wire harness is completly diffent connectors.

To Power the Seat motors you will Need to Connect the Red cable to the Brown cable on the harness to the Chasis Harness.

This is the complete opisite of the Norm but the brown= the Postive and Red= Ground.

there is a Thin about 22 Gauge Brown wire. This is the Constant power for the Seats memory Functions. So you will need to find a 12v+ Constant power sournce if you want the memory function.

There are a total of 7 wires in a E46 seat
3 are for the Adjustabilty + - and Constant. then the rest are for Seat Heates and others are for Side Impact air bag i would assume. Its Very Easy to install.

[LinearX]

Pretty interesting. I may have to investigate how much some E46 seats would cost.. they seem a lot nicer.

[jo2k]

hmmm....me 2

[nismo skyline]

i wonder how high or low e46 m3 seats will fit in a e36 m3

[Stevefazek]

they Sit an Inch Lower

[nismo skyline]

damn some imola red seats will look hot on black

[LittleBlueBMW]

Hmmm I can get some black M3 ones but my interior is natural tan. I still want to do this. Someone post pics and a DIY please.

[Jayhox]

Stevefazek -- Pics??? And you have an e-mail.

[e36]

yea deff need pics. i've go to see this. my fronts are starting to open up!

mike

[Jeffrie]

I'd be interested in some tan e46 seats non powered if they exist.

[BimmerDude18]

I'm assuming there is no airbag mat on the drivers side, but what about the wiring for that on the passenger side?

[ELIBEEMER]

BRINGING THIS THREAD BACK!!!

I just installed E46 M3 seats in my E36 (1992 E36 4 door).

I ran new power harness Cables from the rear battery (on fuseblock).

I used the E46 Bentley Book to wire them up.

Basically Stay Away from the Pyrotechnic Seat Belt wiring!

(Driver Side: Yellow/Red wire Pass Side: Yellow/Brown)

All memory functions are kept in the seat themselves, but no key recognition.

The E46 M3 seat fits So nice in the E36.

I believe they actually sit 2 or more inches lower.
(My knees used to hit the steering wheel in the Stock E36 seat, yet not anymore!)

Im still trying to source E36 Heated seat switches, to try to make the Heating elements work....

The seats came with the harness from the donor car.

Basically the Thick Brown Wires are all Grounds.

Will post pics sooN!

-ELI R.

[UltimateDrivr]

BRINGING THIS THREAD BACK!!!

I just installed E46 M3 seats in my E36 (1992 E36 4 door).

I ran new power harness Cables from the rear battery (on fuseblock).

I used the E46 Bentley Book to wire them up.

Basically Stay Away from the Pyrotechnic Seat Belt wiring!

(Driver Side: Yellow/Red wire Pass Side: Yellow/Brown)

All memory functions are kept in the seat themselves, but no key recognition.

The E46 M3 seat fits So nice in the E36.

I believe they actually sit 2 or more inches lower.
(My knees used to hit the steering wheel in the Stock E36 seat, yet not anymore!)

Im still trying to source E36 Heated seat switches, to try to make the Heating elements work....

The seats came with the harness from the donor car.

Basically the Thick Brown Wires are all Grounds.

Will post pics sooN!

-ELI R.

cant wait to see pics...im definetly interested....does anybody know where i can get e46 seats?

[ELIBEEMER]

DUE TO THE LACK of INFO on ANY other board on this Subject, I have decided to add as much as possible to this thread (during my findings)

More on the Wire Harness....

My Driver Seat had a 10 wire plug:

DRIVER SIDE:

Brown/Red: POWER fused 30a
BRoWn: FoR Seat Motor Grounds

BROWn: For Heated Seat Element
Green/Violet: For Heated Seat (+)
White/Green: Heated Seat Switch

White/Red/Yellow: K-Bus (Key Recognition, Not available in my E36)

Blue/Violet: SeatBelt Contact ( did NOT use)
Blue/White: Multiple Restraint System Contact Unit (did NOT use)

Yellow/Red: Driver SeatBelt Pyrotechnics (Stay Away!)
Yellow/Brown: Driver Seatbelt Pyrotechnics (Stay Away!)


So its a very basic Install...

Did I mention that the E46 SeatBelt will accept the E36 belt(male end)?

Almost too Easy of an install!

[toddman35]

Two inches lower huh? I might give up my mint black vaders for two inches more headroom...

[e36dvr]

ill take the vaders off your hands i'm only 5'5'' two inches is just to much, lol, let me know if you are serious about the vaders
-adam

[Fly Guy]

Pics!!!!!!!!!

[ELIBEEMER]

I have only ran harnesses for the Driver Side.

So, I only have pics of the E46-M3 Seat fully installed on the Driver Side.

Pics taken just now, (I am still trying to finish my interior project: 1992 Tan --> 1998 M3/4 Interior Black.)

Cheers,

-E Man!

[leedawg]

Where did you find the E46 Me seats? you said donor car? Did you buy a wrecked E46 M3??? Or did you just find the parts from one?

[atlantisvip]

Did the seat rails line up with the holes to bolt them down ?

[ELIBEEMER]

Did the seat rails line up with the holes to bolt them down ?

As SteveFazek said: But if anyone wants to do it i would recamend Filing about 1/8th -1/4th of an inch from the back Hole Facing the Front of the Seats.



I filed away on the front holes with a rat-tail file.

Perfect fitment...

I had more trouble fitting the Corbeau Seat rails a couple years ago....