I recently fitted electrically adjustable seats but after waiting for ages I couldn't find any in the exact spec I wanted (red leather, heated, fully electrically adjustable) so I settled on black, non-heated ones and swapped over my existing heated seat padding and leather covers.
It isn't the easiest job but isn't too bad, and providing the plastics are the right colour for your car, no other parts need to be bought. The plastics are black on most cars but not all, and buying them from Audi isn't worthwhile for this, so check that first.
However, all are black on my car, except the back trim (red) but this can be reused anyway.
Part 1 - Remove seat
Part 2 - Remove backrest from base
It isn't the easiest job but isn't too bad, and providing the plastics are the right colour for your car, no other parts need to be bought. The plastics are black on most cars but not all, and buying them from Audi isn't worthwhile for this, so check that first.
However, all are black on my car, except the back trim (red) but this can be reused anyway.
Part 1 - Remove seat
- Removing the headrest is tricky to explain so I have attached the workshop manual image. Press in point 3 and push to the right, while simultaneously pulling the headrest up and out. This point is on the left side of both seats.
- The seats are attached by 4x M10 spline bolts. When refitting, tighten them to 40Nm. They are bulky to remove but putting the seat to its lowest height setting helps
Part 2 - Remove backrest from base
- Remove 4x spreader rivets on rear of trims. Push the centre out, don't lose them as they will be reused
- On the tunnel side of the seat, unscrew the bolt (T20) near the belt buckle and lift off the plastic trim
- On the sill side of the seat, use a flat screwdriver to pop off the plastic trim clips
- Then for electric seats, lift off plastic trim upwards and disconnect the connectors for the seat adjustment and lumbar support switches
Or for manual seats, start by prising off the reclining knob, which is held on by 3 clips
Then remove the height adjustment pump handle by pushing a screwdriver into the retaining clip and pulling the handle off at the same time
Then remove the 3x metal rail bolts (T25)
- Release the fabric straps from the underside of the seat base
- Remove cable bracket from tube
- Remove bolt (T25) for cable bracket
- Unclip and disconnect the wires coming from the seat backrest and separate from those of the seat base (various connectors depending on spec for airbag, heating and electric adjustment)
- Unbolt 4x backrest bolts (M8 spline), feed wires out and then detach the backrest from the base. These are refitted to 35Nm
