Front seat cushions interchangeable?
 

From looking and measuring, the passenger and driver seat cushions (the set including foam, padding, warmer pad, leather cover) they appear interchangeable. Like move the passenger seat cushion to driver side and vice versa.
Any thoughts, input, or confirmation would be appreciated before I start plugging things in and power up.

I don’t think the driver seat has a butt sensor

Realoem is only showing one part number so I'd say yes they are interchangeable. Check your specific model.

Yes right for both.
Driver seat does not have a plug for occupancy sensor. But when I called the dealer they said the part they have listed has occupancy sensor. As well realoem for my serial number shows one part number and does not differentiate driver from passenger seat.
So I am assuming the cushion will have the sensor but it will not be plugged in / used on the driver side.

The way I am reading RealOEM is that the foam and leather is the same but the occupancy sensor is installed between the two and there is only one in the vehicle. You may need to take them to an upholstery shop to move the mat over and re hog ring it all back together.

Why would I have to remove the sensor instead of simply not plug it in?

You would need to move the sensor so it could be plugged in to the passenger side.


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Good point I see what you mean.

I was sure hoping that in order to make fewer assemblies, BMW had an unused butt detector on the driver's seat. There is no need for a driver side sensor. If the car is operating, the computer can take as a given there is a butt in the driver's seat.

Front seat cushions interchangeable?
 

I agree but the parts schematics are a bit iffy on “drivers side only” options. I can not find passenger side only options. I just want the OP to be prepared that he may have to swap just the leather, and or just leather and foam to keep the occupancy mat for the passenger. Would hate for him to pull to swap when the vehicle is needed the next day and have to upholstery shops available
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...afd2de4019.jpg

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Okay, seat has been replaced. So here's the feedback.
My driver seat heater had two hot spots, one burnt through the leather quite bad.
Took it apart and inspected the element, yes I tore into it and it is a lot more complicated than I expected, and nothing like others videos on YouTube.

BMW seat is full of conductive carbon fibres that create the heat. They are incredibly this fibres, easily pliable, and tough to break. They are very good quality. These fibres are spread all over to produce even heating across the whole seat. I could not find a kink that would cause the hot spots, besides the fibres are very flexible and no way they would kink and stay kinked.

The replacement driver side seat cushions on the market are in heavily used state. So I bought a passenger side cushion. The leather is in a very good state. The passenger seat has an occupancy sensor and plug, otherwise it fit perfectly on the driver side. Installed it and simply tucked the occupancy sensor plug out of the way and all is good. Seat warmer is functional and leather is good.

Won't that mean lack of passenger airbag function - potentially resulting in serious injury to a passenger?

AM.

I believe he is saying he purchased a used passenger side cushion from a different vehicle and installed it on the drivers seat. That restored his seat heating and the only issue is he had to abandon the occupancy sensor that was already installed on the cushion as there is no where to plug it in on the drivers side. He made no changes to the passenger seat currently installed in his X5

Ahhhhh... must. work. on. reading. comprehension!

AM.