‘01 QX4 > ‘99 Pathfinder Front Seat Swap

[PATHFINDER99NI]

I have a ‘99 LE and it’s seats were shot. Went to the JY and found some seats out of a ‘01 QX4. As I was taking the QX4 seats out, I noticed the electrical is completely different. Has anyone done this before? I’m thinking that if I just power up the seat, the heated and adjustable portion will work. The only problem is, the new seat has ADP (auto seat adjustment). Can someone here help me with the wiring? Or at least point me to a post that discusses this?

[mdmellott]

Here are the schematics for the power seats and heaters for the '01 QX4, starting on page EL-181 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... System.pdf and the '99 Pathfinder, starting on page EL-160 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 9%2Fel.pdf
Looks like a tedious project to sort out and match up common power supply wiring and what controls and wiring to ignore or bypass. At first glance, it looks like it can be done. At least there is no CAN Bus in either model to deal with. Good luck.

[VStar650CL]

Here are the schematics for the power seats and heaters for the '01 QX4, starting on page EL-181 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... System.pdf

He'll actually need the ADP schematic and WD starting on EL-190. Since the ADP on that MY only controls the seat and not the mirrors, etc, it lacks an external controller with a bit-bang serial link like most later models. So I'm fairly certain it will work if the OP just hooks up power and ground. The Pathy power seat supply should work as-is to power the ADP. However, the heaters use their own separate fuse and a new supply with a 15A inline should be routed in order to use them. The switches are 3PDT and not very easy to duplicate, so if he didn't swipe them from the JY along with the seats he should go back and get them, as well as cutting off the ends of all the QX harness connectors to use as pigtails. That will make the job much easier.

[VStar650CL]

I’m thinking that if I just power up the seat, the heated and adjustable portion will work. The only problem is, the new seat has ADP (auto seat adjustment).

Well, what I said above also assumes your Pathy doesn't have heated seats. If it does then you can use the existing heater circuit on the Pathy. The only reason the QX4 uses a bigger fuse is because of the rear seat heaters, which the Pathy doesn't have. So the 10A circuit on the Pathy should work fine for the QX seats.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Here are the schematics for the power seats and heaters for the '01 QX4, starting on page EL-181 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... System.pdf and the '99 Pathfinder, starting on page EL-160 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 9%2Fel.pdf
Looks like a tedious project to sort out and match up common power supply wiring and what controls and wiring to ignore or bypass. At first glance, it looks like it can be done. At least there is no CAN Bus in either model to deal with. Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. I have the ADP diagram, I’ll study it a bit more, later today. I’ll see if I can post some pics of what I come up with. Thanks again.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Here are the schematics for the power seats and heaters for the '01 QX4, starting on page EL-181 >>> https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... System.pdf

He'll actually need the ADP schematic and WD starting on EL-190. Since the ADP on that MY only controls the seat and not the mirrors, etc, it lacks an external controller with a bit-bang serial link like most later models. So I'm fairly certain it will work if the OP just hooks up power and ground. The Pathy power seat supply should work as-is to power the ADP. However, the heaters use their own separate fuse and a new supply with a 15A inline should be routed in order to use them. The switches are 3PDT and not very easy to duplicate, so if he didn't swipe them from the JY along with the seats he should go back and get them, as well as cutting off the ends of all the QX harness connectors to use as pigtails. That will make the job much easier.

Good, this is what I was hoping. I think power is the large yellow wire and the large black wire. By looking at the diagram, is this correct? I appreciate your help.

[VStar650CL]

I think power is the large yellow wire and the large black wire. By looking at the diagram, is this correct? I appreciate your help.

If you provide a little more info I can tell you exactly what should hook to what:
1) Did you grab the QX harness connectors for pigtails?
2) Does the Pathy already have heated seats?

[VStar650CL]

I'll assume you have the pigtails. For the ADP only, on the QX seat harness you should have a fat Y that turns W/R at the pigtail. That's power and should go to the fat Y/B from your Pathy harness. There are two grounds on the connector for the QX seat, one is a logic ground on pin 4 and the other a power ground on pin 10. Both need to be hooked up because the QX doesn't have a ground at the seat frame like the Pathy. I'd suggest just finding a good frame ground in the floor around the base of the flex portion of the Pathy harness.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

I think power is the large yellow wire and the large black wire. By looking at the diagram, is this correct? I appreciate your help.

If you provide a little more info I can tell you exactly what should hook to what:
1) Did you grab the QX harness connectors for pigtails?
2) Does the Pathy already have heated seats?

Thanks for the help.
1. I did. I snipped the body connector hoping to make a harness.
2. Yes, it has heated seats.
Thanks again!
Nick

[VStar650CL]

Your heated seats should be real simple. The drive circuit and connectors have exactly the same layout for both vehicles, so you just need to swap the white Pathy connectors for the gray QX connectors. The wire positions and colors on the pigtails will match the Pathy. I think the connectors will be the same style, just with different polarizers, so if you have picks to unpin the shells, you can probably just swap the white shells for the gray ones.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Here’s the seat harness. I assume pin four is to the right of the large yellow, and pin ten is behind the large yellow?

Nick

[VStar650CL]

Correct. See if the seat works that way. If it doesn't then you'll need to route a pair of wires from the fusebox. Those will be logic battery power on pin 8 (the BRown wire in the corner going to G/R in the pigtail) and an ignition signal on pin 11 (the W wire next to 10 also going to G/R in the pigtail). Neither one should draw much power, so you can tap anything handy in the fusebox at 7.5~10A.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Your heated seats should be real simple. The drive circuit and connectors have exactly the same layout for both vehicles, so you just need to swap the white Pathy connectors for the gray QX connectors. The wire positions and colors on the pigtails will match the Pathy. I think the connectors will be the same style, just with different polarizers, so if you have picks to unpin the shells, you can probably just swap the white shells for the gray ones.

No, the ‘99 LE & ‘01 QX4 are completely different. Even the pins are different. Included is a pic of the connectors. ‘99 is on the bottom, ‘01 is at the top.

The seat heaters had a different two pin connector. That isn’t shown.

[VStar650CL]

Then something's wrong in the description of the donor QX. The FSM shows the heaters on both seats using a separate 3-pin connector that's apart from the main seat connector.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Ok, I’m getting it now. Before I even came here, I was perusing and found these diagrams here: https://www.justanswer.com/nissan/2yoc9 ... -code.html
After your guys help I saw the circuits that were being discussed. I’ve attached screenshots with the circuits circled.

One of my questions was if I can combine the two grounds and the diagram says yes, it was done that way from the factory. The other question is, can’t I just place these grounds on the seat frame? Also, B16 is the seat connector.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Then something's wrong in the description of the donor QX. The FSM shows the heaters on both seats using a separate 3-pin connector that's apart from the main seat connector.

The heater connector on passenger seat was the same, it required no modification. Not sure if it was two or three pin.

[VStar650CL]

I just checked the manual for the '01.5 and it shows no changes from the early '01. So one of us is missing something.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Ok, I’m in a meeting for the next few hours. Once I’m done, I’ll reread this and see what I may have missed. Then I’ll check the truck and confirm the connectors.

[VStar650CL]

One of my questions was if I can combine the two grounds and the diagram says yes, it was done that way from the factory. The other question is, can’t I just place these grounds on the seat frame? Also, B16 is the seat connector.

Yes, provided the frame gives a good ground. It's hard to be certain about that. Nissan usually grounds the seats through the harness on later models because there are nylon sliders in the tracks and the frame may provide a dicey ground connection. Your best bet would be to string a new wire along the flex coupling and ground both of the wires someplace on the floor.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

I just checked the manual for the '01.5 and it shows no changes from the early '01. So one of us is missing something.

Ok, so I’m out of the meeting. I took a look under the front passenger and got this.

The white is the motor, grey is seat heater. It is like this as well on the drivers side, of course, with exception to the ADP connector.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Then something's wrong in the description of the donor QX. The FSM shows the heaters on both seats using a separate 3-pin connector that's apart from the main seat connector.

Does the picture I posted solve the confusion?

[VStar650CL]

Should be an identical gray one underneath the driver's seat according to the FSM. Try looking for the leads coming out of the seat cushions and trace the wires. Unless somebody uninstalled the heater, it has to be there someplace.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Should be an identical gray one underneath the driver's seat according to the FSM. Try looking for the leads coming out of the seat cushions and trace the wires. Unless somebody uninstalled the heater, it has to be there someplace.

Yes, there is an identical plug under the driver seat.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Your heated seats should be real simple. The drive circuit and connectors have exactly the same layout for both vehicles, so you just need to swap the white Pathy connectors for the gray QX connectors. The wire positions and colors on the pigtails will match the Pathy. I think the connectors will be the same style, just with different polarizers, so if you have picks to unpin the shells, you can probably just swap the white shells for the gray ones.

Ok, I see where the confusion is coming from. The original seats had heaters, so the three pin connector was there. I wasn’t looking to add heaters to a non heater vehicle.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Correct. See if the seat works that way. If it doesn't then you'll need to route a pair of wires from the fusebox. Those will be logic battery power on pin 8 (the BRown wire in the corner going to G/R in the pigtail) and an ignition signal on pin 11 (the W wire next to 10 also going to G/R in the pigtail). Neither one should draw much power, so you can tap anything handy in the fusebox at 7.5~10A.

Ok, so I connected the w/r to the red coming from seat power and the pin 10 & 4 to the black from seat power, no dice. I tested w a voltmeter and there is 12.5+v coming from seat power. So that is is good as getting power from the fuse box, right? Now, why would I run a pair of wires from the fuse box, when I already have battery voltage at the seat power connector? And why would I connect that to different wires in the pig tail?

[VStar650CL]

Ok, so I connected the w/r to the red coming from seat power and the pin 10 & 4 to the black from seat power, no dice. I tested w a voltmeter and there is 12.5+v coming from seat power. So that is is good as getting power from the fuse box, right? Now, why would I run a pair of wires from the fuse box, when I already have battery voltage at the seat power connector? And why would I connect that to different wires in the pig tail?

One wire (11) needs to be ignition and not battery, and the main power circuit will be noisy as a block party whenever a motor is running. So you want a separate battery supply on 8 for the logic circuitry. The connections are already there in the seat harness.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Ok, so I connected the w/r to the red coming from seat power and the pin 10 & 4 to the black from seat power, no dice. I tested w a voltmeter and there is 12.5+v coming from seat power. So that is is good as getting power from the fuse box, right? Now, why would I run a pair of wires from the fuse box, when I already have battery voltage at the seat power connector? And why would I connect that to different wires in the pig tail?

One wire (11) needs to be ignition and not battery, and the main power circuit will be noisy as a block party whenever a motor is running. So you want a separate battery supply on 8 for the logic circuitry. The connections are already there in the seat harness.

So the wire that goes to 11, that’s coming from the fuse box, but from which part? So these two connections are in addition to the seat power?

[VStar650CL]

Yes, in addition. If you have any condensers laying around (as in points-and-condenser), you can probably get away with using the same power and logic supply by putting one on the power line under the seat to absorb the electrical racket from the seat motors. Otherwise, the logic supply should come from a separate fuse, preferably one with other digital circuits on it like the radio or HVAC. The ignition line can come from any ignition fuse. It won't draw any power so the source is irrelevant, but the signal is necessary to put the seat controller in low-power hibernation when the car is off.

[PATHFINDER99NI]

Yes, in addition. If you have any condensers laying around (as in points-and-condenser), you can probably get away with using the same power and logic supply by putting one on the power line under the seat to absorb the electrical racket from the seat motors. Otherwise, the logic supply should come from a separate fuse, preferably one with other digital circuits on it like the radio or HVAC. The ignition line can come from any ignition fuse. It won't draw any power so the source is irrelevant, but the signal is necessary to put the seat controller in low-power hibernation when the car is off.

Im back, I got really busy and dropped the ball on this.

I had to write this down to wrap my head around it. Is this correct?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1URVNBH ... sp=sharing
I also saw this Bussman fuse tap, this is pretty much what you are writing about, right? Its not ideal, but I think it will work without having to open up the fusebox and put in new leads.
https://www.autozone.com/starting-charg ... /32416_0_0
I'd rather have a straight up fuse holder instead of a 90deg holder, but if I cant find anything else, I think this will do.

Let me know if this is correct, but I think this is exactly what you were writing about.

Thanks again,

Nick

[VStar650CL]

That looks right. Neither one of the circuits from the fusebox will draw any meaningful power, probably 10~15 milliamps for the logic supply and microamps for the ignition wire. So while there's nothing wrong with using a splitter-type fuse tap to provide a separate fused output, it isn't really necessary. You can use a blade type to tap the output side of the two existing fuses:
https://www.amazon.com/19043-0007-Quick ... B08Z82SG2C

Just make sure to put the blade on the side of the fuse that's "cold" with the fuse removed.