JacksVRS

Hi, Sorry only remembered about this message now! From what I remember kufatec who I got the loom from had wiring instructions with the loom. The biggest difference you’ll face is rather than a CECM with many plugs you’ll have a BCM with three large plugs from memory. I think I may have access to diagrams but would need to check and see. The VRS models have plenty changes between 2007-2013. If you can find a set with the heated elements already in them it’s more than half the battle won. Wiring is more About routing the cabling and patching it into the correct places. I got my loom from Kufatec. The diagrams I think are available at elsawin but I do vaguely remember a pdf being available after purchasing the Kufatec loom. From what I remember there are two earth pig tails, a 30 amp supply, 15 amp switched ignition, CECM/BCM signal wire connection, and 4 Cables going to the climate control unit (control left and right seats, regulator etc.

Glad to help man still getting email notifications! Yea some of the newer seats aren’t that nice looking. I stuck with a set of Octavia VRS FL black lines and then made them heated. As regards using other seats wiring will be the first issue the second is you’ll have to modify the rear seats to fit so that it all matches, in particular the side parts as the other cars will have different shapes. Oh in regards mods, I’ve done loads! Have still some to do including engine work, maxidot cluster and vent illumination wheels like the superb. I’ve done LK door handle lights, footwell lights, 10 inch CarPlay radio, wireless charging, FL climate control, FL heated, puddle lights, electrically folding, and dimming exterior mirrors, Touareg Interior mirror (red lights shine on gearstick), triple rear dome light, and complete LED bulb upgrade (and I mean every bulb is led).

Hi, I did do something along the lines but I went a different route. I got blackline VRs seats from the 2012 model. Their full leather but had no heating and I left it for a year then split the seats apart and fitted all genuine heated elements and looms etc. airbag and seatbelt plugs were the same. Only plugs that match the Octavia in the Audi line would be from the A3 line such as S3 or S line. Not sure about the RS3. The RS4 and larger Audis use different small plugs in different colours where as the Octavia/A3/Golf use a large 10 pin black connector for all functions such as heated seats, electric lumbar, electric seats etc. The Passat also uses the same 10 pin black connector but the airbag connector maybe different depending on the model you get the seats from but these can be changed or joined to work anyways. To summary, Your best bet or easiest is to get the seats out of a Passat with ventilated/heated and get a loom from Kufatec to suit. As the A4 connectors are all different and will take a bit of modifying and wiring to work.

Sorry man missed your last post got lost in my emails! FairPlay good guide though it. I see they didn’t stop using them old s*it hog ties. Probably the most annoying part of the whole thing. Good ya got it going! In regards temperatures, I never messed with that to be honest. I had originally used a standard prefacelift climate control unit (5 seat settings) and the heated seats at level 5 were warm. I then upgraded to a Facelift climate control unit (3 seat settings) and level 3 is a lot warmer on that unit than level 5 on the older unit! So could be the coding not sure. My CECM was never happy with me fitting the heated seats but it still works but always has a permanent DTC about enabling the heated seats lol. But everything works perfect but if I want the code to go I’d have to upgrade the CECM.

Hi Cris, these lights need to be connected into the CECM control module (prefacelift) or BCM (facelift) module under the steering wheel. Big black box with plenty connections and wires going to it. Then when connected it needs coded in so the lights go off an on with the doors opening and closing, locking and locking etc.

Hi Stuart, Sounds like you may not need the heated seat control unit as those seat looms were the ones I was on about and the looms for the MK3 don’t appear to have plug for it so it would be one less thing to worry about! I presume when they say coding Dongle I presume vcds to activate it. Yep the MK3 like the MK2.5 will use a BCM and not CECM like mine (older prefacelift mk2). In their technical diagrams it’s called the J519. The climate control unit dependent on type (dual or single zone) is diagram matched accordingly so J255 for dual zone. As for connecting the new climatronic unit in, it’s a weird one but does definitely sound like a LHD unit. The heated seats buttons will light up etc but may not send a signal until they are wired up and coded in. I have a sneaky suspicion that even though you’ve coded the unit to be RHD I’ve heard in cases this doesn’t solve the problems associated with the control modules. Where it’s working somewhat, it Sounds like it may have got the coding from your old unit and deactivated the heated seats? Or it’s the problem that I think it is where the unit has been hard coded to have LHD functions etc. this hard coding is denoted by the HW number and SW number on the back, more so the SW number. I got door control modules to retrofit electric folding mirrors and I had to get RHD door control modules as the drivers door control module had more pins than the passanger one. The difference was denoted in the SW number. Or it could be you could switch the two small plugs on the back of the unit? VW/Audi/Skoda stuff is very temperamental and dependent on part numbers. Just rereading when you said it had a heated steering wheel option, which is a pretty rare option for any Octavia and I don’t think it’s even an option any VRS apart from MK4, it sounds like you have a LHD L&K climatronic unit. In regards seat and car quality, without and avoiding offending anyone with newer models, I’ve driven and detailed the newer VRS models (2.5/3/3.5 but not mk4 but if the MK8 Golf is anything to go by pretty awful quality) the quality has gone progressively down hill hence why I never upgraded. I got the seats from a blackline limited edition vrs mk2.5, while the leather quality of the seats was brilliant (in line with Audis etc) the doorcards (from same car) were of worse plastic and leather quality than my own so I sold them on. My car is on 203k miles with no sign of wear on any part of the interior and the seats have well over 120k miles and they look like new (tbf I’ve treated them throughly to proper cleans and coatings). I’ve worked with the mk2.5 with the white/suede and it was of worser quality and feeling than the PFL Mk2 white/suede seats I sold on from mine. Scratchy plastics on the tops of the back doorcards on the mk2.5 FL were the big giveaway versus the softer plastics on my own PFL Mk2. Just my best honest opinion as I also think the MK3 is a good looking car. Don’t know if any of that helped but hopefully you get the seats fitted out okay! Can always report back here with any issues and we’ll try to help or work through it even with platform differences.

Hello Stuart, To start, it took me near two full days to get it done. Hardest part if I’m honest was taking the seats apart and rebuilding them. I had a reason to take them apart hence why I done the heating fitment. I had a faulty driver backrest adjustment. Another reason I done it was because there was a lack of any black edition full leather VRS heated seats in existence, my set might be the only one to exist that’s heating in a 2008 PFL VRS. In your situation and to avoid some work, I’d be looking out for factory heated seats from a breaker’s yard whether it be cloth/suede or full leather heated seats as their far more common in MK3 VRSs’ than the availability of heated seats across the entire MK2/2.5 range of cars. This will save an absolute bulk of the job and save money where you’ll only need the kufatec loom to get it working. (The 50-100% job or halfway there route). If your for doing it yourself (the 0-100 % or start to finish retrofit) then your parts gathering exercise ain’t over yet. Along with the kufatec loom, climatronic panel and heated pads you’re going to need a heated seat loom for under each seat that connects to the kufatec loom (well I did for the mk2 retrofit I’d say the mk3 will be no different). The heated seat loom acts as the intermediary between the kufatec loom and connecting all the heated seat pads on each seat together. Will be needed for both seats. Next part needed is a heated seat control unit which connects into one of the heated seat looms under the seat. In your case on the drivers seat loom from what I read in the wiring diagrams. As far as everything else I think you have the rest of the bits. Biggest thing you’ll need for the 0-100% job is patience and concentration. As the saying goes measure twice cut once and double check every step before moving on. As for wiring both seats will need to come out anyways for stripping and the kufatec loom will need to be ran under the carpet (Kufatec instructions) between the BCM, fuse boxes and climate control unit. Here’s some wiring diagrams for reference which I believe are for your model of car. Its definitely nerve wrecking when you sit and think about it but sitting doing it step be step it becomes easier. Definitely where your doing it in a mk3 id be more inclined to go the 50-100 route as you’ve more of a chance of getting already fitted heated pads in the seats from the factory than I did and all you’d need to do is the wiring. Oh and be careful with the seat material if you’re stripping them as they tend to rip easy under pressure. Hope this helps a bit and I hope you get it done! Thanks Jack

Hi, Thanks man! Got offered a set of these for passenger and drivers but their left hand drive units. Got to find more information on whether these can be coded to work on the prefacelift!

Hey Guys! Car: 2008 Octavia VRS Prefacelift Need a bit of insight! I have puddle lights ready to go into my MK2 PFL Octavia VRs. It has auto lights and dimming mirror but never came with puddle lights in mirrors but has heated and electric mirrors. I’m not fitting folding mirrors just the lights. I hear in most VWs they need the MAX modules but no definite answer on the modules needed or compatibility of my own modules for the PFL Octavia or would my own work? The code is 1K0-959-701-MIN3 and HW is 1T0 959 701D. If not is there anything I could hardwire the lights to instead of replacing modules or what is the codes of the modules I’d need to change to in order for them to work? PS. I know ive to fit one extra wire for the live feed for them to work from the door module. Thanks! Jack

Hi Phil, Found my issue lol. The looms are back to front lol. So the grounding pin is actually the live while the live wire is the ground lol. Either missidentified loom or the LED units have switched poles in comparison to the older halogen variants. My final issue I hope now is to get them operating with the interior lights. As you said yours worked straight away with pin 7 on the CECM/BCM. I wonder will I have the same luck!😅

So basically I added a battery there to test the lights. Still not getting any lights lighting up. I grounded the battery to the same place as the footwell lights and attached the power to the end of the footwell light power cable to complete the circuit and I went around all 4 footwel lights, they have one ground and one positive going into each and found that each light was showing the ground as 0 (would that be correct?) and the live as having 12.5v. Not sure what to do next lol!

Nope still same issue unfortunately!

Unfortunately for me I’ve not maxidot I’d be happy with just them lighting tbf at this stage hahah. Done a complete heated seat retrofit and it seemed easier haha. Trying here now again and I’ll code them then back in hopefully I get it working lol! Thanks

Nice looks the exact same as mine apart from having the different connectors for the lights. Wonder if I tried plugging it in to the CECM this time with the LEDs would it work? I thought the CECM canbus tested the footwell lights and the LEDs wouldn’t draw enough current and hence not light them? Your looks genuine like mine too!

Hey Folks, I know there’s been a few that’s done this but I need a bit of assistance with mine! As there’s no special looms already made for the Octavia I’ve used Mk5 golf looms for the front and rear footwell lights from Kufatec. As these are two separate looms I’ve grounded the two grounding pins to the body and joined the two power wires together near their ends. For the light units I tried genuine Footwell units but the design of the holders was a pile of sh*te and wouldn’t work at all with my CECM and I was getting electrical fault in circuit faults with no lights emitting. I got newer LED units designed for the superb mk3 instead as these have no holders and have integrated leds. My idea is to avoid using the CECM as it won’t light them anyways as the footwell lights pin is canbus checked and the newer units are lower power led and instead patch into the interior lights wire coming from the CECM as these are not canbus checked but will function the same way the footwell lights should have from the factory. The question is where can I patch into this interior lights wire? I understand this wire is coming down the B pillar on the passenger side? Or is there any other way of doing it? Also I think my wiring is done correctly! Lol Car is a 2008 vrs, no maxi dot or mfsw Thanks, Jack

Hi Trevor, Haven’t looked at them since but my plan will be to splice into the wire that goes into pin 11 for the interior lights on that connector of the CECM. Only option now really for me. Seems weird I got a poor spec CECM considering I’ve most options bar heated seats, front sensors, and Nav with sound system. Thanks, Jack

Hi Trevor, Yep the heated seats were my biggest priority! To be honest I think my CECM isn’t capable of footwell lights and believe even when I have them activated it’s not putting a signal to the pin. My option is to take the wire and splice them into the wire of the interior lights before it goes into the CECM that way there’s no error checking for LEDs and they’ll act OEM. Seems like the only solution at this point and I can use LEDs and they’ll replicate oem behaviour. Thanks Jack

Hi Trevor, I tried just the fronts also but same error. For the splice I followed kufatecs guide and bared a bit of the wire on the front footwell loom and wrapped the end of the rear footwell loom live into the front bare wire. Tbf I did think it was the issue but when the fronts not working on its own and giving the same error I don’t know and lost at this point!😂 heated seats are nice tho😎👌 Thanks Jack

Hi Trevor, Had a go again, got the plug into the pin perfectly and it fitted right and clipped in. Checked all the bulbs and they seem perfect (all halogens). Still same fault. Only thing it could be now is the splice into the cable for the rears maybe? Lost now at this stage. Connector B pin 7 so really can’t understand at this stage what the issue could be apart from that wire splice! Yea the LEDs are CANbus checked in the footwells but not the other interior ones. I’ve all halogens and I can even get them to flicker or go on! Thanks Jack

Think I know the problem now. The terminal on the end of the lead for the loom is too small. Seen a few others complain about it. I think I need this terminal? Did notice the terminal was turning on me in the input of the socket as if the port on the socket was way too big.

Sorry Trevor my reply never submitted. Tried a good few things including normal bulbs with no luck. I think the issue could’ve been to do with the connection to the CECM. The connector wasn’t too pushed about staying in but I got it in and tried everything but got that fault. Then when I went to inspect the connection I just literally looked at it and the connection broken in half leaving the connector part in the CECM plug! Got it out though. Im thinking now I’ll also want to avoid errors with LEDs etc and was maybe thinking of running the footwell lights from a fuse in the box and have a switch on them so I can turn them off and on any time. Also avoids bulb issues. Only issue is it won’t be oem operation spec so turn on when door opened or closed but should work atleast! I was going to have them on a live fuse and then a toggle switch in the hidden glock compartment under the steering wheel where I can turn them off and on. Can’t think of what else to do now! Atleast they could act is ambient lights tho! The fact it didn’t work to begin with, broken connector, and the possibility of fighting with CANbus issues once things get going isn’t promising or something to look forward to! Thought they would’ve been easier to get going than the seats tbf!😂 Thanks Jack

Had no luck fitting the footwell lighting though. Connected it to pin 7 Connector B and have nothing just a code of 00061 footwell lights 012 electrical fault in circuit. I just hid them away and I’ll leave it for another time lol! Thanks Jack

Hi Trevor, Yea the forums seem quiet this weather. Aye I tried asking just essential questions but would always do some research first and then have it validated to ensure it was correct! I suppose then a lot of people are now buying the mk3 and newer. Most now buying the mk3 wouldn’t have even known about the mk2 or recognise it for that matter. The CECM has only one ask left from me off of it now and that’s the footwell lights😂 working fine for the heated seats so I’m sure they’ll be grand too! I'm hoping to do some engine mods but nothing major, as it’s TDi and not looking for silly noise just a bit of added power. Will do it later at some stage! S3 FMIC, 56 mil hybrid etc have most of the bits got just a few other bits to get. Have a list lol. Just always questioned going for a nice OE spec looking radio to make the appearance of the dash look better. So will probably need the CANbus unit anyways to begin with and a head unit too! Not sure what else yet though! Thanks! Jack

Hi Trevor, Yea nothing more annoying than someone asking for help and then dictating how it’s done! I’m definitely very grateful for the help. Yep forgot all about that tbf, have a few things to add to the sig haha! Yea if I really wanted I probably would try it again now that I know how it should be going! Yea I just based my CECM spec based on the cluster I have so thought it must be the mid or low spec CECM but then again I do have Xenon lights, Dimming mirror, dual climate, Rear PDC, ash tray light, and 6 disk changer all standard so must be a mid line CECM. Yea don’t know what he would’ve charged to be fair. It wasn’t too hard but was time consuming so based on labour hours I’d say! I have a Sony XAV3005DB with Apple CarPlay etc while it does do the job just don’t like the look of it in the dash. Wonder is there much work to getting the Yeti MIB2 unit working? Like this one below. I hear it can have CarPlay and all the toys too but look factory. This picture is from an owner on the Skoda Facebook page. Thanks Jack

Hi Trevor, Yep couldn’t have done it without you! Would I do it all again? It’s probably cheaper and less hassle to buy a car with them already in😂 Proud of the results though! Yep going to splice one into the other. Think it was like that because most probably wouldn’t bother with the backs. The reason being is that it requires a lot of work, centre console out, seats out, dashboard half dismantled so they anticipated doing them separately. I only decided to do them myself because I realised the wires for the back are going the same directions as the heated seats and I didn’t want to be dismantling stuff later down the line again! Presently I’ve only one cable now to put into the CECM and that’s the footwell lights taken care of. Yea I tested the seats a few times at different levels and off and on and they would burn you lol. Get nice and hot and go off when you turn them off. The error id say is what I circled in that last picture, my car has the older cluster (green screen, no maxidot) so would be the 2005-2007 CECM then my heated seat relay is 5K0 959 772 but must check the letter and update here! Thanks for all the help definitely appreciate it didn’t think I’d actually get them working! Thanks Jack