How To Add Heated/Ventelated seats and Heated Wheel to Express/Tradesman

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mjf6175

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Yes, not sure why people are calling the 19 HDs "5th gens", they're a heavily refreshed 4th gen and still use model codes "DJ" (2500) and "D2" (3500). Like in 06-07 with the 3rd gens. Same cab, box, etc as 09-18 trucks (DS - 1500's, DJ - 2500's, & D2 -3500's). So I'm thinking (hoping) most of the interior should be able to be swapped into the older trucks and vice versa.
The true 5th gen HDs are a few years out with the same box and cab as the 19+ 1500 "DT" trucks.

EXACTLY......I guess we can call the 2019HD's the 4.5 Gen. If you look at the yellow connectors in the pics posted previously and compare them you can see that the 2019 HD yellow connector still appears to be the same as the 2018 and earlier ones. Where as the pic of the 1500 yellow connector is completely different.
 

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What all would I need if I wanted to swap my manual driver seat to power without buying a higher trim seat? Seat base, motor, switch, panel, and motor? Anyone done this before?

17' CCSB 4X4 68RFE 2500 6.7 Tradesman DRP EGR delete, CTT tuning w/TCM tuning, UAQ w/7 speed HVAC, 7" premium EVIC, OEM front Parksense, OEM style front camera, aux switches, OEM remote start
 
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What all would I need if I wanted to swap my manual driver seat to power without buying a higher trim seat? Seat base, motor, switch, panel, and motor? Anyone done this before?

17' CCSB 4X4 68RFE 2500 6.7 Tradesman DRP EGR delete, CTT tuning w/TCM tuning, UAQ w/7 speed HVAC, 7" premium EVIC, OEM front Parksense, OEM style front camera, aux switches, OEM remote start
It would be expensive to buy the parts separately because it takes an actual different seat frame. They sell the bottom portion of the seat frames on Ebay saying it's a power seat conversion but it technically isn't because it doesn't have the motor for the seat back adjust. Your best bet and cheapest rout would probably be to buy a non heated cloth drivers seat with power adjust that has a damaged seat cover or blown airbag and simply switch your good seat cover and airbag over to the power seat frame. If you have a 13 to 18 Ram and get a seat within those years the wiring will all be the same. Your truck will be missing the two wires to power the seat adjust but you can easily add them by running a constant positive wire to the solid red wire in the drivers side yellow seat connector and a ground to the solid black wire in the drivers yellow seat connector.

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5pt7BigHornSC

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Getting ready to install ventilated seats in a 2019 Classic Big Horn that came with heated seats and steering wheel. Seems like almost everything will plug & play except the power for the passenger seat.
 
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Getting ready to install ventilated seats in a 2019 Classic Big Horn that came with heated seats and steering wheel. Seems like almost everything will plug & play except the power for the passenger seat.
The passenger seat should have power adjust plug and play. You will need to enable the codes for the vented seats with the alfa tool and install the correct switch panel and you should be set.

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Looking at some pictures of seats it looks to me like the 09-12 seat yellow plugs are much different than the 13-18 yellow plug. I'm assuming it wouldn't be plug and play to put 09-12 seats in a 13-15 truck, correct?
 

chrisbh17

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Looking at some pictures of seats it looks to me like the 09-12 seat yellow plugs are much different than the 13-18 yellow plug. I'm assuming it wouldn't be plug and play to put 09-12 seats in a 13-15 truck, correct?

That is correct. If you have a 13+ truck you cant do the '12 seats (well, you might be able to with lots of creative wiring and other stuff).

That fact is also reflected in the price of 13+ seats vs '12 and older seats.
 

Mpgrimm2

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Plus the 09-12 seats don't have the needed airbags.

M² Mods.
 
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Plus the 09-12 seats don't have the needed airbags.

M² Mods.
Some of the 2012 seats do have airbags. I believe it was an option and not standard equipment so still be careful when ordering to make sure it has the correct wiring. They are listed incorrectly all the time.

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5pt7BigHornSC

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The passenger seat should have power adjust plug and play. You will need to enable the codes for the vented seats with the alfa tool and install the correct switch panel and you should be set.

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Good to know. I should have my seats this afternoon so I will find out soon enough.
 

Joe B

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Thought I would post here as well. I installed the front heated/vented seats tonight. I plugged the pass side in,bolted up and the power worked fine for adjustments.

I plugged in and bolted down the driver seat and the only thing that works in the lumbar support function. I had power driver seat previously, so I'm not sure why that function stopped working.

I enabled the necessary msm and heated/vented functions in the body computer. I can see the functions on my headunit, but nothing turns on. I've also tried connecting to the msm and hsm (alfaobd and obdlink mx), but it fails everytime.

I dont care about the memory function as much as I do the power functions, and heated/vented functions.

I'm also waiting on my switch panel to show up. Could that be the missing link?

15 Bighorn with donor seats from a 14 laramie.
 
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Thought I would post here as well. I installed the front heated/vented seats tonight. I plugged the pass side in,bolted up and the power worked fine for adjustments.

I plugged in and bolted down the driver seat and the only thing that works in the lumbar support function. I had power driver seat previously, so I'm not sure why that function stopped working.

I enabled the necessary msm and heated/vented functions in the body computer. I can see the functions on my headunit, but nothing turns on. I've also tried connecting to the msm and hsm (alfaobd and obdlink mx), but it fails everytime.

I dont care about the memory function as much as I do the power functions, and heated/vented functions.

I'm also waiting on my switch panel to show up. Could that be the missing link?

15 Bighorn with donor seats from a 14 laramie.
Your memory won't work until you add the 4 needed wires. Two from the drivers yellow seat connector to the CAN system and two from the drivers yellow seat connector to the drivers side door harness. You will not be able to connect to your memory module unless the wiring is added. It's not necessary if you don't want it. Your power seat functions should work. It has nothing to do with your truck. Your lumbar working shows that the seat has power. You either have a bad switch,bad connection or another issue with the seat itself. As far as your heated/vented seats not working are you sure you enabled all the codes for the seats? I have posted a picture with all the codes that need to be enabled. You should not need to enable the heated wheel if you don't have one. Last question is are you sure the heated seat module and memory modules were not removed from the seat? I have seen it happen in the past when wrecking yards sell seats. I reccomend looking under the drivers seat to make sure both black modules are present and no wires were disconnected.079e7ab77fcdba2670cba5dda2d90981.jpg

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Joe B

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Your memory won't work until you add the 4 needed wires. Two from the drivers yellow seat connector to the CAN system and two from the drivers yellow seat connector to the drivers side door harness. You will not be able to connect to your memory module unless the wiring is added. It's not necessary if you don't want it. Your power seat functions should work. It has nothing to do with your truck. Your lumbar working shows that the seat has power. You either have a bad switch,bad connection or another issue with the seat itself. As far as your heated/vented seats not working are you sure you enabled all the codes for the seats? I have posted a picture with all the codes that need to be enabled. You should not need to enable the heated wheel if you don't have one. Last question is are you sure the heated seat module and memory modules were not removed from the seat? I have seen it happen in the past when wrecking yards sell seats. I reccomend looking under the drivers seat to make sure both black modules are present and no wires were disconnected.079e7ab77fcdba2670cba5dda2d90981.jpg

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The only thing I didnt enable was the heated wheel, which I dont have. I'll try enabling and see if that makes them work.

I also contacted the seller of the seats to confirm all functions worked when removed. Both the HSM and MSM are there, and all connections are solid and in place. I'll try a couple things today after I swap the rear seats. If I have to, I can replace all the motors with my original seat (I hope)
 

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The only thing I didnt enable was the heated wheel, which I dont have. I'll try enabling and see if that makes them work.

I also contacted the seller of the seats to confirm all functions worked when removed. Both the HSM and MSM are there, and all connections are solid and in place. I'll try a couple things today after I swap the rear seats. If I have to, I can replace all the motors with my original seat (I hope)


I think I've narrowed it down to the msm and hsm. Or at least, that's where I'll start. I can connect to every function with the alfaobd and obdlink except for those 2. Is there a way to test power coming from those units?
 
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The only thing I didnt enable was the heated wheel, which I dont have. I'll try enabling and see if that makes them work.

I also contacted the seller of the seats to confirm all functions worked when removed. Both the HSM and MSM are there, and all connections are solid and in place. I'll try a couple things today after I swap the rear seats. If I have to, I can replace all the motors with my original seat (I hope)
Remember you cannot connect to the MSM module because your truck does not have the memory wiring. In other words your truck cannot communicate with it so that's normal. You should be able to connect to the HSM as long as you have both the grey and yellow seat connectors connected and all the seat wiring is in place. The seats with memory have different motors that are wired to relay there information to the MSM module. I have seen in the past when they were changed the seat adjustments will only move in small increments because the MSM module is not picking up the signal from the motor. Not sure if that would happen in all situations but I have seen it happen. A lot of people add the heated seats without the heated wheel and they work fine. I'm not sure if I have heard of anyone adding the heated/vented seats without the heated wheel. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Remember by enabling the heated wheel without having one it's going to set DTC codes because your truck will be looking for the wheel it doesn't have. It may also be the fact that you haven't installed the switch panel. Trucks that come with the Aux switches don't have the hard buttons and they work but they are programmed differently. I would install the switch panel to see what happens before you go to far. Also use the alfa tool to check for DTC codes and see what comes up. As far as the seat not adjusting if you have physically looked under the seat to verify all the modules are present and connected and no wiring is disconnected I'm kind of at a loss as to why it's not working.

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Joe B

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Remember you cannot connect to the MSM module because your truck does not have the memory wiring. In other words your truck cannot communicate with it so that's normal. You should be able to connect to the HSM as long as you have both the grey and yellow seat connectors connected and all the seat wiring is in place. The seats with memory have different motors that are wired to relay there information to the MSM module. I have seen in the past when they were changed the seat adjustments will only move in small increments because the MSM module is not picking up the signal from the motor. Not sure if that would happen in all situations but I have seen it happen. A lot of people add the heated seats without the heated wheel and they work fine. I'm not sure if I have heard of anyone adding the heated/vented seats without the heated wheel. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Remember by enabling the heated wheel without having one it's going to set DTC codes because your truck will be looking for the wheel it doesn't have. It may also be the fact that you haven't installed the switch panel. Trucks that come with the Aux switches don't have the hard buttons and they work but they are programmed differently. I would install the switch panel to see what happens before you go to far. Also use the alfa tool to check for DTC codes and see what comes up. As far as the seat not adjusting if you have physically looked under the seat to verify all the modules are present and connected and no wiring is disconnected I'm kind of at a loss as to why it's not working.

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I'll wait for my switch panel and install that and see what happens. When I traced wiring in to the big bundle, it appears as though all wiring from the truck to the seat goes in to either the HSM or the MSM and if the can bus doesnt know the MSM is there and able to communicate the status, it might explain why the power functions dont work either. Here is a list of options in the MSM that I cant do anything with.

Screenshot_20191128-102957_AlfaOBD.jpg


That's all under DRIVER SEAT > MSM POWERNET.

I'll have to add those wires you mention for the memory module and see if that helps, too.

Moreover, I dont see seat lumbar in that driver seat menu anywhere, so that wiring is probably a pass-through. Vs the power functions being controlled by the MSM because of the memory. Since the module stores the location of the seat between memories and exit, it makes sense to use the same module to control power functions in the seat.
 
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mjf6175

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I'll wait for my switch panel and install that and see what happens. When I traced wiring in to the big bundle, it appears as though all wiring from the truck to the seat goes in to either the HSM or the MSM and if the can bus doesnt know the MSM is there and able to communicate the status, it might explain why the power functions dont work either. Here is a list of options in the MSM that I cant do anything with.

View attachment 187452


That's all under DRIVER SEAT > MSM POWERNET.

I'll have to add those wires you mention for the memory module and see if that helps, too.

Moreover, I dont see seat lumbar in that driver seat menu anywhere, so that wiring is probably a pass-through. Vs the power functions being controlled by the MSM because of the memory. Since the module stores the location of the seat between memories and exit, it makes sense to use the same module to control power functions in the seat.
Remember you cannot connect to the MSM module because your truck does not have the memory wiring. In other words your truck cannot communicate with it so that's normal. You should be able to connect to the HSM as long as you have both the grey and yellow seat connectors connected and all the seat wiring is in place. The seats with memory have different motors that are wired to relay there information to the MSM module. I have seen in the past when they were changed the seat adjustments will only move in small increments because the MSM module is not picking up the signal from the motor. Not sure if that would happen in all situations but I have seen it happen. A lot of people add the heated seats without the heated wheel and they work fine. I'm not sure if I have heard of anyone adding the heated/vented seats without the heated wheel. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try. Remember by enabling the heated wheel without having one it's going to set DTC codes because your truck will be looking for the wheel it doesn't have. It may also be the fact that you haven't installed the switch panel. Trucks that come with the Aux switches don't have the hard buttons and they work but they are programmed differently. I would install the switch panel to see what happens before you go to far. Also use the alfa tool to check for DTC codes and see what comes up. As far as the seat not adjusting if you have physically looked under the seat to verify all the modules are present and connected and no wiring is disconnected I'm kind of at a loss as to why it's not working.

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What I am about to post pertains to what I found on my 2017 Ram 2500 regular cab when I added heated/vented seats, heated wheel, and memory mirrors.

I first added Laramie seats to my RC, they were heated and ventilated. My RC had the wiring there and was plug and play. I did not add a heated wheel at the same time. I added the heated wheel later. But the heated/ventilated seats worked fine without the heated wheel. Adding the heated wheel later also posed no problems.

The seats I added already had the msm and hsm under the driver's seat. But I did NOT have the 4 wires on the truck side harness that are necessary to have memory. I added those wires later. Again the missing memory wires and having no memory function did not interfere with the heat/ventilation of the seats, they worked as designed.

Hope some of this helps you.....good luck, I am sure you will have it figured out shortly
 
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I'll wait for my switch panel and install that and see what happens. When I traced wiring in to the big bundle, it appears as though all wiring from the truck to the seat goes in to either the HSM or the MSM and if the can bus doesnt know the MSM is there and able to communicate the status, it might explain why the power functions dont work either. Here is a list of options in the MSM that I cant do anything with.

View attachment 187452


That's all under DRIVER SEAT > MSM POWERNET.

I'll have to add those wires you mention for the memory module and see if that helps, too.

Moreover, I dont see seat lumbar in that driver seat menu anywhere, so that wiring is probably a pass-through. Vs the power functions being controlled by the MSM because of the memory. Since the module stores the location of the seat between memories and exit, it makes sense to use the same module to control power functions in the seat.
As posted by @mjf6175 not having the memory wiring will not affect the other seat functions at all. The power adjust and heat and vent should still work normally. I guess there could be a possibility that the MSM module is defective or was damaged in the accident when the truck it came out of was totaled and that could possibly cause the seat adjust not to work but not sure. .The Laramie seats require the 8.4 radio in order for them to function properly and they are a little more involved than the standard heated seats. Not having the switch panel could definitely be the issue you are having with the heat and vent not working correctly. I haven't seen anyone install them without the switch panel so I can't give you a definitive answer but it's definitely the next step I would take. Remember the 13 Ram takes a different switch panel than the 14 to 17 so if you purchase a used one make sure it's from a 14 or newer. The solid red wire in the drivers yellow seat connector should have constant 12v power. You might want to check it just to make sure it does just to completely rule it out. If you have power there then you are 100% sure it's an issue within the seat itself. I know the wrecking yard said they tested before removal but who knows if they actually did. Did you check to see if the truck had any DTC codes with the alfa? It could possibly be a bad seat adjustment switch but it's unlikely.

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Joe B

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What about the 8.4 is needed to make them function properly? I had the little infotainment originally, had an aftermarket headunit put in and converted from the manual hvac. Perhaps I forgot to activate some codes for the single zone atc.

I should get the switch this week, and will install and see what happact.

I only saw 2 codes. B163a and b16b7, both are caused by my headlight (another problem, another day).
 

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