How To (in progress): Add Climate Seats to Coupe Models Without Splicing Stock Wiring
 

A few weeks ago I ordered a pair of climate controlled seats from a roadster model. After another few weeks of ordering random parts, connectors, and wiring harnesses I believe I have finally figured out how to install everything so that the installation procedure:

1) does not splice into your factory wiring at all so your vehicle can be returned to stock if needed
2) the wiring plan roughly follows the Roadster model wiring plan
3) the installation style is similar to Nissan's preferred style for official accessory installation

I am planning to install everything over the coming weekends, In future posts I will share the installation procedure with pictures (and maybe some video). I will also put together the parts list you will need and the best place(s) to get the parts from that I have found.

Sounds like a great write up.


Maybe here would be the best place for it.


DIY Section (Do-It-Yourself) - Nissan 370Z Forum

I wasn't sure where it fit since the write up isn't done? If that is were it's supposed to go I can put it there (or can the admins move it?). Thanks!

The wiring diagrams for the 370Z climate seats are split into different sections of the FSM because the seats are sort of 4(or 5) units in one. They have the airbag unit connector, the seat belt buckle sensor connector, the power seat function, the climate functions, and for the passenger seat the occupant sensor. The occupant sensor connector and the airbag connector are the same so they are just plug-n-play. Also since all models have a seatbelt sensor we can just hook the adapter connector we will make into the existing seatbelt sensor connector without any new wiring.

I've re-drawen the Nissan wiring diagrams that are scattered in different sections of the FSM into one simplified diagram that shows the power supply routing, fuses, relay, and power source (battery or ignition keyed). This way if you don't like my approach to how I wired mine you can use it as a guide to wire yours how you would like it.

https://i.ibb.co/1MJHp25/power-supply-diagram.jpg

Now on to the parts and sources we will need:

What you will need:

1. The seats :)
2. Seat control switches (salvage available on ebay or buy new if you are rich)
3. Fuse taps/add a fuse connector
3. Seat relay and "socket/harness thing?"
4. Connectors
5. Tools (usual tools plus connector depinning set and crimper)


Seat relay
Nissan p/n: 25230-7996A
Factory uses 6 pin DPST (dual pole, single throw) Jideco relay. This is a relay that has one control circuit (single throw) that activates two power circuits (dual pole). So when the ignition is turned on the control circuit connects two different 15A power circuits so that the climate control module in both seats is getting power.

It appears the Jideco relays may be older and being phased out? I don't believe there are any present in the base 370Z. However, they appear very plentiful in older Nissan and Infinitis. I got the relay brand new since it wasn't that expensive. For the connector harness thingy it sits in older Pathfinder and QX4s have tons of these things so I bought a engine bay fuse box from a 98 QX4 for dirt cheap and removed one of the sockets. If you do this make sure you look at what the relays control and look for a fuse box that has the 6 pin Jidecos controlling a beefy circuit like blower motors, power outlets, whatever because the seats need some heavier guage wire. For mine I chose the connector from a power outlet circuit.

Connectors
For seat connection
These are how we will connect everything to the new seats
NS16FW
Furukawa 16 pin female
https://www.furukawa.co.jp/product/c..._c/jc_2_07.pdf

I could not find these at any speciality motorsports connector companies or electronics distributors in small quantities. However these connecters are very common in Nissans, especially as window switch control panel connectors. I ended up buying some used pigtails. I'd recommend looking at Maxima or Altima or other higher end models that have a bunch of window controls (4 windows, lock unlock whatever) since they usually have pigtails with a lot of terminals which saves you the trouble of having to order more terminal pins.

For seatbelt sensor connector for base models
We need to connect to the existing seatbelt sensor and run the wires to the new seat connector
A03FW
Yazaki p/n 7282-8630
https://connectors-catalog.sys.yzk.c...list&select=XX
These and the corresponding terminal pins seem to be readily available at decent prices.
Some places have minimum order sizes so for one I just ordered a bunch of AAA batteries to pad the order. Quest Components (Questcomp.com), Nexus Electronics (Nexelec.com/)


For the climate controlled switch connectors
TK10
TK08
Yazaki TK Type 91 8 way (passenger) and 10 way (Driver)
When you buy the switches try to buy one that has the pigtails still in it! If not the larger driver's side connectors is available here (with pins)
https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=1436
I could not find the 8 pin connector so I ordered a second 10 pin one and will have to perform some Dremel surgery on it but I believe it will work.

I tested the drivers seat and switch outside of the car (hooked up to my lawn tractor battery for power). The seats I got are supposedly from a 2012 roadster but the pinouts for the power seat motor was wrong (everything else was correct). Here is the configuration that got everything working.

Drivers Climate Seat Switch Pinout
https://i.ibb.co/bQ2JCRM/driver-clim...tch-pinout.jpg

Drivers Climate Seat Connector Pinout
https://i.ibb.co/3rt9wpB/driver-climate-seat-pinout.jpg

Here is how I'm running the new drivers side switch harness I made (the big long harness sticking up in the pic). I'm trying to strike a balance between keeping things close to the factory wiring plan but also easy for me to access in the future (I don't trust my own work lol) if anything needs fixed. Rather then running the switch harness up to the dash area I decided to run it down by the side of the seat. I have it in a protective loom so I think it should be fine.

https://i.ibb.co/9HRKz7G/370z-driver...re-harness.jpg

The battery power for the seat motors will be taken from the drivers fuse box as per the factory plan. Ignition switched power for the climate switches will also be taken from there as per factory plan.

How to de-pin Furukawa connectors
 

Forgot to post this the other day...

If you use salvage 16 way connectors (Furukawa) for the seat you'll likely need to de-pin at least a few terminals as you'll end up with heavy gauge wire for signal pins and light gauge wire for power supply pins.

I could not find any videos on how to de-pin them but I have figured out a way that 60% of the time works every time.

Step 1) Buy some rando cheapie de-pinning tool set from the worlds biggest electronic flea market, Amazon. Make sure it includes at least one style de-pinning tool that looks almost like a big tongue depressor.

Step 2) Get your favorite metal material removal item (heavy grit sandpaper, file, whetstone, whatever) and file down the edges a bit so it'll easily fit in the back of the terminal. Next file down the top so you have a nice thin flat wedge type shape. (Stares at stab wound on thumb) It doesn't need to be super sharp, just thin.
https://i.ibb.co/ZdykqTf/furukawa-depin-tool1.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/B4LHgd9/furukawa-depin-tool-2.jpg

Step 3) Pop open the front of the connector. Now use your thin wedge to try to wedge it between the connector and the mystery plastic tab as shown below. Give the wire a tug. It won't come out. Try again. Try five times. Swear a lot. Try again. If you get it right the terminal and wire should come out rather easily and you shouldn't have to pull hard.
https://i.ibb.co/8d270Vv/depin-furukawa.jpg

Step 4) (Optional) Reward yourself with a tasty adult beverage.

Not sure if it will work with the connectors you are using but they make a pin removal tool that is basically just a thin-wall cylinder that slides down the pin and pushes any catches out of the way. Similar to this: D-Sub-Insertion-Extraction-Tool* A lot safer than your home-made shiv. :)


* Not a recommendation, just the first example I found.

Wire routing
 

After a few false starts here is how I decided to run my wires. The two 15A fuses for the climate seat functions will be in the battery area fuse box as per factory specs. However, the factory plan has the climate seat relay the whole way across the engine bay and then the wiring penetrates the drivers side firewall. The passenger side firewall penetration is much easier to reach so I decided to locate my relay inside in the passenger side footwell with all the HVAC crap and BCM.

I ran the wiring loom for the climate relay down through the existing firewall hole on the passenger side where it comes out near the BCM.
https://i.ibb.co/kB1Gp6K/rtg-pass-firewall.jpg

For the drivers side I ran the climate seat power up through the center console area.
https://i.ibb.co/2kfLGMh/rtg-center.jpg

All the rest of the power comes from the drivers side fuse box.
https://i.ibb.co/59W1Hhc/rtg-driver-fuse-box.jpg
Power:
1. Ignition switched power running over to the passenger side to activate the climate seat relay.
2. You'll need another ignition switched power running up to the center console to the climate switch.
3. You'll need one battery power running to the drivers seat (power seat motor).

Attached to the drivers side ground post (located below fuse box (pull back carpet).
Grounds:
4. Climate switch
5. Drivers climate seat
6. Driver power seat motor

(Note: The power and ground for the switch joins the driver seat harness at the seat t connector and then follows that up to the center console to the switches)

I ran all up by the drivers sill plate up under the carpet. I probably ran heavier gauge wire then I needed so my bundle was pretty fat but it did fit.
https://i.ibb.co/LRxSdyt/rtg-driver-side.jpg

Some other ways of doing things might be to run the climate seat switch power and ground over top the steering stuff and up the center console that way. Also, the relay for the heated seats is located behind the storage cubby in the center of the dash so another option would be to put the climate relay there. I put mine in the passenger footwell area since it's easier to get to but it's not an official "correct" spot.

Drivers side is done now except for seatbelt sensor (still working with Corsa Technic to find some unrelated connectors and will be ordering everything together so have to wait a bit)
https://i.ibb.co/Rc2yD1N/20210616-161020.jpg

SITREP: Working on the passenger side today.

-I went through the pinouts for the passenger side and they are the same as the drivers side (posted earlier).

-After looking at my wiring install on the driver's side I think I built the Groverhaus of wiring. It ended up being pretty messy so I'm planning on redoing it and simply routing everything to a new scratch built fuse and relay block. The circuits will still largely follow the factory plan but the install wire harness routing will be much cleaner.

Interesting. On the 2012 that I had, the connectors were already in the car, all I had to do was install the relay in the correct spot, install the fuses, bolt in the seats and plug in the connectors. It's possible that since yours is a 2009 7AT, they might have decided to have one wiring harness for everything but the NISMO, then a separate harness for the NISMO. I know on the NISMOs, you have to do what you are doing to add power seats, since the connectors aren't there. Is it possible you have a NISMO?

My car is 2009 Base + Sport, No Nav option.

I have the FSMs for 09 thru 14 and If I remember correctly from looking at the wiring diagrams there were some slight year to year changes in what harnesses were included on different models. I can say that for mine I definitely have nothing. The spot where the climate control relay would be in the engine bay box I have an empty hole :(

Did yours have the connectors for the climate seat switches in the center console too? I thought heated seat and climate seat switches used different connectors.

I remember the connectors for the switches and the seats, but at the time, I couldn't afford the cost of the seats, so I didn't get too far into what went where. Mine had the connectors for the switches bundled together under the console and the seat connectors were under the carpet. That car went to automotive heaven in Aug 2018. :shakes head:

I used a flashlight to verify terminals in the empty slot for the seat relay. If the terminals are there, it should be a matter of putting the right fuse in the fuse block and installing the relay.

I assume the "climate control" is simply a fan blowing cabin temp. air toward the driver and passenger rather than actual air conditioned as parts aren't listed for ducting nor its plumbing.

There is apparently a fan built into the roadster seats to cool the occupants. The center console switches have a small rheostat built in to control the fan speed.