Technical Seat compatibility

[Pavel S]

Hi Fiat collective genius...

I've just acquired a 55 plate 4x4 1.2

Had a search of the forums but can't seem to find this particular answer... will the front (and rear) seats from a 319 generation bolt into a 169? All the discussions seem to be about 500 seats into a 169 or a 319, but I haven't seen anything about 319 into 169.

My driver seat cushion bolster is very worn out and it's in the terrible grey/yellow colour trim which seems to be impossible to source a replacement cover/trim for, whereas I can pick up a complete 319 interior fairly cheap.

 

[koalar]

I can't be 100%

But no the front 319 seats are not a straight swap in to a 169

Only 3 of the 4 holes line up same as the 500. Well that's the case on the 2wd psndas

Now this is where a bit of doubt creeps in, the center floor pans on the 4x4 are not the same part numbers on the electronic parts catalogue, I assume the 4x4 will be the same holes but assumption is the mother of all that

 

[koalar]

Right

Someone has fitted the 100HP interior into both the normal 2wd and 4x4
So looks like like they all share the same bolt holes

I know what I would do and have done

Swap the worn out base for the passengers side, Straight 5 minute swap, especially if the car is mainly used by the driver only

Tried to find the original thread but failed, maybe on a different forum, facebook or similar, it's quite a few years ago now. From memory doable but not a straight swap

Depending on you ability how bad the original is and so on,

Any problems aren't unsurmountable, just have to figure out if a 2005 is worth spending on

 

[irc]

Seat base is an easy swap without taking the seats out - 2 x 10mm nuts under the metal base of the cushion.
Little more complicated with Height-adjustable seats, but still easy.
Seat backs will swap, but involves some effort, tools, and brute force, and the seats really need to come out first.

 

[Pavel S]

Thanks all, if 319's aren't a direct swap I'll just keep an eye out for a nicer 169 interior from a breaker.
The bolster foam is in decent nick, it's purely cosmetic as the yellow fabric has frayed. Could get hold of a complete 319 interior for £100 which would've been an easy fix, but otherwise I can live with it.

 

[irc]

If you do get a second hand 169 interior, you should still consider swapping at least the seat bases, but possibly the backs too.
The youngest ones are over 10 years old, and (usually) the drivers side is much more worn on the outside edge from drivers sliding in and out past the steering wheel. Rarely as bad on the passenger side, as used less and no steering wheel in the way.
Swapping moves the worst parts to the inside of the passenger side, where it should get a much easier (second) life.

 

[NigelO]

I did the seat base swap at the weekend on my ‘07 Panda 4x4. Much more comfortable now.

I looked at swapping the seat back too, but it looked like a bit of a faff, so I gave up….

the eventual aim is to fit some 500 Abarth seats, which I understand will fit with a very slight mod to one mounting

 

[Pavel S]

Just had another thought. Presumable the rear seats from a 319/500 also don't fit at all?

 

[irc]

I did the seat base swap at the weekend on my ‘07 Panda 4x4. Much more comfortable now.

I looked at swapping the seat back too, but it looked like a bit of a faff, so I gave up….

the eventual aim is to fit some 500 Abarth seats, which I understand will fit with a very slight mod to one mounting

It is a bit of a faff, but if the foam has split its a good way to get more life out of the seats before the fabric wears away.

 

[NigelO]

It is a bit of a faff, but if the foam has split its a good way to get more life out of the seats before the fabric wears away.

The foam has split, but I pulled the fabric back, taped the foam together and then inserted a bit of thin foam over the top - seems pretty good now, with no sign that the booster foam had split.

I did a similar bit at the base of the seat back - taped up the split in the foam, then added some extra foam to cover it. The split can’t be felt now AND I have a bit of extra lumbar support.

 

[irc]

The foam has split, but I pulled the fabric back, taped the foam together and then inserted a bit of thin foam over the top - seems pretty good now, with no sign that the booster foam had split.

I did a similar bit at the base of the seat back - taped up the split in the foam, then added some extra foam to cover it. The split can’t be felt now AND I have a bit of extra lumbar support.

Yep, that'll do it.
Most of my foam repair attempts have worked OK for strength, but tend to alter the feel if the sear cushion in a way that annoys me.
(That's why I worked out how to swap the backs over!)

 

[koalar]

Just had another thought. Presumable the rear seats from a 319/500 also don't fit at all?

They should just bolt in

You will need all the fitting from the donar car, I repeat all you don't want to fail because of a mismatch

It's been done many times by many people that the 500

I say should because 1 person could not get the bar/bracket at the base to fit properly, I don't know why I will try and find the post, pretty sure they posted a photo

 

[koalar]

It was @Cook1e that had trouble

The tread is a bit disjointed, I think all the trouble they had was purely due to not getting the side pins and bar when getting the seats,

And ended up having to do some modifications

Might be worth giving them a PM if they don't reply here now they are tagged

 

[Cook1e]

Here ya go. Any further questions, put 'em on one or t'other threads for the benefit of others.

Abarth Seats in a Panda? | FIAT Panda (Mk3)

Hi chaps, can anyone tell me if these Abarth seats would fit my 2009 (169) Panda multijet? TIA, Ian https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234535116945?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=Z-bxnHvRRXC&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

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