[jamesBebby]

Hi, I’m looking at upgrading my front seats, I want comfy, vented and massage….

I’ve been told by 2 people they had all these option from factory on there F10/F11, both were pre-lci tho.

So surly these seats are from the F01?

Could you swap the seat mounting runners from an F11 to fit the F01 seat?

Any info would be great….
Cheers, James

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by jamesBebby

Hi, I’m looking at upgrading my front seats, I want comfy, vented and massage….

I’ve been told by 2 people they had all these option from factory on there F10/F11, both were pre-lci tho.

So surly these seats are from the F01?

Could you swap the seat mounting runners from an F11 to fit the F01 seat?

Any info would be great….
Cheers, James

Surly? Nope…the f10/f11 could be optioned with comfort seats (S456a), ventilated seats (S453a), and active seats (S455a). The diagrams below are from one of the BMW online part database sites…www.bimmercat.com where you can easily look up this info.

Active Seat option: S455a (#2 & #3) shows the booty massaging pads


Option code S453a Ventilated Seats…#4/#5/#6 shows the foam padding for the Comfort ventilated seats

[ezaircon4jc]

Looks like a LOT of ching for that upgrade!

[musclesmarinara75]

that would be a pretty sweet upgrade to do

[Hoa]

I've done this upgrade. I had comfort seats prior. The ventilated and massage seats are shorter and less comfy compared to the comfort seats.

Some coding is required along with new buttons for the doors and ac control panels. Ventilated seats will work without coding but massage will require coding to work. You will also have to flash the seat module to match your vehicle or you will get a seatbelt buckle error.

[Blue Angel]

Originally Posted by Hoa

I've done this upgrade. I had comfort seats prior. The ventilated and massage seats are shorter and less comfy compared to the comfort seats.

I find this VERY interesting. I have a '16 with ventilated seats and I always assumed they were the "comfort" seats. Are they not?

The reason I find this so interesting is, I don't find the seats all that comfortable! It took me a while of fiddling to find a position that I'm comfortable in, and the last piece of the puzzle was to retract the lower seat cushion to its most rearward position. I had adjusted them forward since I find the seats to be a bit short (I'm 6ft 190 lbs), but doing that increased pressure on my butt and I would actually get sore from sitting too long. With the cushion in its shortest position some of that pressure is relieved.

I do find the seats comfortable now that they're adjusted properly, but they're nothing special. My wife found the same thing - she's not all that comfortable in the passenger seat either (5'7" 130 lbs).

What I do ABSOLUTELY LOVE is the ventilation function. I use it all the time, even in winter, as it's extremely effective at keeping moisture from building up between you and the seat. LOVE LOVE LOVE that feature! Too bad it might be responsible for why the seats feel a bit stiff and non-conforming.

[Hoa]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

I have a '16 with ventilated seats and I always assumed they were the "comfort" seats. Are they not?

There 3 version of seats.
1. standard seats
2. Comfort seats
3. Comfort, ventilated and active

Comfort seats are longer and feels more plush.

Comfort, ventilated and active is what you have. The seat cushion is more hard and the seat bottom is about 2 inches shorter. I think they purposely made it more hard so the active (massage) feature would work more effectively. If it's plush then the leather would've absorb most of the movement. I guess you have to give or take a little for different options of the seats.

I drive 2 hours each way between my two houses. My butt does hurt more since I retrofitted these seats. I am considering putting in the regular comfort seats since I barely use the active or ventilated feature.

[jamesBebby]

Originally Posted by Hoa

There 3 version of seats.
1. standard seats
2. Comfort seats
3. Comfort, ventilated and active

You sure as there is a set of F11 LCI seats for sell on eBay from a m550d listed as comfy & vented. I’ve message asking if they are massage and they replied no….
Cheers, James

Edit- here’s the vin WBA5K91020D084427

[Hoa]

Originally Posted by jamesBebby

You sure as there is a set of F11 LCI seats for sell on eBay from a m550d listed as comfy & vented. I've message asking if they are massage and they replied no….
Cheers, James

Is there a vin to check?

Also, active seats are not really massaging seats. They are just two air pockets that inflate and deflate your left and right butt. It doesn't vibrate if that's what you are expecting.

[Blue Angel]

My seats are not active (massage), they are ventilated only. So mine are halfway there… the discomfort of the active seats without the active part. What a shame!

This is disappointing. I've always wondered why people raved about the seats in these cars. Now I know the standard seats are better

Hoa, in your opinion is the active feature effective at all? I wonder if retrofitting the active feature into my seats is a big deal?

Man… now I'm dying to try out the regular comfort seats.

[BMW FOREVER]

I have the regular comfort seats and I can attest they are supremely comfortable!

Funny story here actually...a couple of months back someone on the F10 Facebook group was complaining that his old F10 with Comfort seats was great but his new F10 with Comfort, ventilated and Active...he just cant get it to adjust to a comfortable position even after months.
I informed him about the seats hardness from the active and ventilated feature as well as the difference in size. He ended up getting the regular comfort seats from a junkyard and told me he finally feels comfortable in his car haha

[BMW FOREVER]

Originally Posted by Hoa

There 3 version of seats.
1. standard seats
2. Comfort seats
3. Comfort, ventilated and active

Small correction...there are actually 5 versions as follows:

1. Standard Seats
2. Comfort Seats
3. Comfort, Ventilated Seats
4. Comfort, Active Seats
5. Comfort, Ventilated and active Seats

In the US, the active and ventilated part may be bundled together but those are separate options. Here in Canada and the rest of the world you can order them separately unless you are getting a package that includes both.

[Hoa]

Originally Posted by Blue Angel

Hoa, in your opinion is the active feature effective at all? I wonder if retrofitting the active feature into my seats is a big deal?

Active feature is a joke in my opinion. I've used it twice on long road trips between Texas and Georgia which is about 800 miles each way. I eventually gave up and turned it off. It's not hard to retrofit this to your existing ventilated seats. Your enjoyment vs. time, money and hassle makes it not worth it.

I still have my original comfort seats. I will try to show how much it sink into both seats with same amount of force this weekend

[jamesBebby]

My car is pretty loaded with options and I did wonder why I didn’t have them, this must be why!
Cheers, James

[Blue Angel]

Originally Posted by BMW FOREVER

Small correction...there are actually 5 versions as follows:

1. Standard Seats
2. Comfort Seats
3. Comfort, Ventilated Seats
4. Comfort, Active Seats
5. Comfort, Ventilated and active Seats

In the US, the active and ventilated part may be bundled together but those are separate options. Here in Canada and the rest of the world you can order them separately unless you are getting a package that includes both.

I'm in Canada which could explain my #4 seats.

Just so I understand correctly, 3 4 and 5 above all feature the same seat foam and shorter lower seat cushion design, and 2 is the unique longer and more comfortable lower seat cushion, correct?

If so, it makes me want to source the longer softer #2 lower cushion parts, then cut holes in the foam and perforate the leather to keep my ventilation function. That sounds like the best F10 seat option to me!

[Qsilver7]

The seat configurations was laid out in post #2. The option code for the comfort seat, the ventilation, and the active feature was given. The diagram of the seats was also posted which shows how the various options are configured underneath the leather.

Here’s a direct link to the diagram below…you can see that there are different part nbrs for each section based on what type of seat you have optioned:

1. Basic
2. Sport
3. Comfort

Then there are the option codes for the active and ventilated (AC) features.
If you have mechanicals in the seat (ventilation and/or active feature)…the padding is STIFFER so that you don’t feel the fans and other mechanicals below the padding. There’s also #7 which is a support for the active seats.

If the padding wasn’t stiffer for the seats with the mechanical features…there’d be additional complaints from owners about how uncomfortable the seats are due to feelings the fans and equipment in the seat. So if you order these additional features…the seats are harder/stiffer to compensate.

https://bimmercat.com/bmw/en/search/...0i/ECE/52_3602

[jamesBebby]

So seats number 2 are the most comfortable, are seats 3,4,5 more or less comfortable than standard seats?
Cheers, James

[Qsilver7]

Originally Posted by jamesBebby

So seats number 2 are the most comfortable, are seats 3,4,5 more or less comfortable than standard seats?
Cheers, James

Reread my post above…I had to make some corrections.

Basically the seats that do NOT have the additional features (no ventilation or active feature) are softer/less stiff. When you add ventilation and/or active feature…then the seats are stiffer to compensate for the mechanicals.

I will refrain from calling any of the seats “comfortable” because that is a subjective opinion. Comfort can/will vary by individual. For example, both my X5 & 6 series has comfort seats…but my 6 series has ventilated and active features. Yes, they are stiffer…and the X5 seats are softer (no vent/no active).

But on long trips, my personal opinion is that the ventilated/active comfort seats are more “comfortable” even though they are stiffer. The ventilation feature (as someone mentioned earlier) wicks away moisture from your back/backside. So if you’re traveling in the summer or just driving around town in high heat…when you get out to gas up etc…and you get some slight perspiration…when you get back in and have the fans going…you don’t get that icky uncomfortable feeling from damp cloths on your skin.

And the active seats on a long trip does help keep your hips/pelvis from fatigue by the kneading action of the active seat. Some say they find it uncomfortable…but I don’t. I find it interestingly helpful.

If you don’t drive long distances…or live where the climate is termperate…perhaps the vented and active seats aren’t that beneficial…so the softer padding in the seats from NOT having those features may be more comfortable.

[Blue Angel]

Just to follow up on this, here are the four option codes for my Comfort+Ventilated seats: