Compatibility of 'gt2' type sport buckets on 981, 991 & 991 gt3!
04-05-2013, 03:29 AM
#1
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Compatibility of 'gt2' type sport buckets on 981, 991 & 991 gt3!
I just posted about this subject elsewhere on 991 gt3 forum. But for the record, it's worth repeating here on this 991 forum!
"I also took the opportunity to ask Ric Knab at Suncoast about the compatibility of the 'gt2' type seats for the US specs 991 and 981's"
Question #2 - RE: Fact that PCNA has not homologated any type of 'sport bucket seat' for the MY2014 991 gt3 or any US spec 991 or 981 for that matter!
A) Will the existing 997 era gt2 sport bucket seat you sell (airbags/folding type) plug into a 991 or 981 Porsche and work 100%? Airbags & passenger seat sensors work?
http://www.suncoastparts.com/product...=2010GT3_seats
B) If answer to #1 is 'no', will the current gt2 seat available currently in Europe/ROW be able to be imported by YOU, sold to us in the USA, & plug into US spec MY2013/MY2014 991, 981 or 991 gt3 and WORK (airbags, passenger seat sensors, and no fault codes to light up the instruments panel)????? If the answer to #2 is also 'no', can you give us an explanation as to why not? Is it the electrical wires on the 991 that are different? Is it BUS interface? What is the reason?
Answer from Knab: "We tested the 997 GT2 bucket seat into a 991, the wiring was incredibly different. Once we saw that, we decided not to investigate any further. I don't have specifics on this, but we made a wise decision to walk away, and not attempt to modify any wiring. We didn't check the mounting points to see if they were compatible. So again, my professional opinion is that it's not possible to install the 997 seats in a 991/981. I'm sure people will try, maybe it could be done with wiring modifications or PIWIS. I can't help with that sort of retrofit. I haven't heard anything official on the new sport bucket seats, but if Porsche won't ship a car to the USA with the seats installed, they probably won't allow us to order them. At the moment there are no retrofit seats, so I can't get a plug-and-play seat at the moment anyway. Building the seat, piece-by-piece wouldn't be possible for us, that's not something I can help with. If someone is interested in these seats, all we can do is wait and see if Porsche releases them in the future. Keep in mind, the 997 model was launched in 2004/2005, the GT2 seat didn't appear until 2008. So that was three years into production before the retrofit was available, and three years until it was an option for US models."
We have already touched on this result (Sunset trying to fit a 997 gt2 seat on a 991) on a different thread started by mdrums - 'Major Fail -No Sport Bucket Seat Option'. So where does that leaves us, PCNA's US 991/981 customers? Will Gert at Carnewal be allowed by Porsche to ship the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat to US and will that current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat plug into a US 991, 981 or 991 gt3 & work correctly? Or did Porsche designed the electronics of the US spec 991/981 in such a way that the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat will NOT work and will NEVER work with it? Indeed, no other 'bucket' seat will fully work until they decide to issue a US approved 991/981 'gt2 type' seat for this market? This is what I am afraid of and I think that is a topic for further discussion on this forum!"
Saludos,
Eduardo
"I also took the opportunity to ask Ric Knab at Suncoast about the compatibility of the 'gt2' type seats for the US specs 991 and 981's"
Question #2 - RE: Fact that PCNA has not homologated any type of 'sport bucket seat' for the MY2014 991 gt3 or any US spec 991 or 981 for that matter!
A) Will the existing 997 era gt2 sport bucket seat you sell (airbags/folding type) plug into a 991 or 981 Porsche and work 100%? Airbags & passenger seat sensors work?
http://www.suncoastparts.com/product...=2010GT3_seats
B) If answer to #1 is 'no', will the current gt2 seat available currently in Europe/ROW be able to be imported by YOU, sold to us in the USA, & plug into US spec MY2013/MY2014 991, 981 or 991 gt3 and WORK (airbags, passenger seat sensors, and no fault codes to light up the instruments panel)????? If the answer to #2 is also 'no', can you give us an explanation as to why not? Is it the electrical wires on the 991 that are different? Is it BUS interface? What is the reason?
Answer from Knab: "We tested the 997 GT2 bucket seat into a 991, the wiring was incredibly different. Once we saw that, we decided not to investigate any further. I don't have specifics on this, but we made a wise decision to walk away, and not attempt to modify any wiring. We didn't check the mounting points to see if they were compatible. So again, my professional opinion is that it's not possible to install the 997 seats in a 991/981. I'm sure people will try, maybe it could be done with wiring modifications or PIWIS. I can't help with that sort of retrofit. I haven't heard anything official on the new sport bucket seats, but if Porsche won't ship a car to the USA with the seats installed, they probably won't allow us to order them. At the moment there are no retrofit seats, so I can't get a plug-and-play seat at the moment anyway. Building the seat, piece-by-piece wouldn't be possible for us, that's not something I can help with. If someone is interested in these seats, all we can do is wait and see if Porsche releases them in the future. Keep in mind, the 997 model was launched in 2004/2005, the GT2 seat didn't appear until 2008. So that was three years into production before the retrofit was available, and three years until it was an option for US models."
We have already touched on this result (Sunset trying to fit a 997 gt2 seat on a 991) on a different thread started by mdrums - 'Major Fail -No Sport Bucket Seat Option'. So where does that leaves us, PCNA's US 991/981 customers? Will Gert at Carnewal be allowed by Porsche to ship the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat to US and will that current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat plug into a US 991, 981 or 991 gt3 & work correctly? Or did Porsche designed the electronics of the US spec 991/981 in such a way that the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat will NOT work and will NEVER work with it? Indeed, no other 'bucket' seat will fully work until they decide to issue a US approved 991/981 'gt2 type' seat for this market? This is what I am afraid of and I think that is a topic for further discussion on this forum!"
Saludos,
Eduardo
04-05-2013, 05:59 PM
#2
What is the reasoning exactly for not offering bucket seats on the 991? ESPECIALLY on the GT3. We're there really that many legal issues involved? Maybe they'll be introduced with the GT3 RS. Hopefully.
04-05-2013, 07:35 PM
#4
I have 997 GT2 seats in my 991 (got them from Vividracing). The side airbags (seats airbags) won't work and the airbag warning sign stays on, but other than that, everything is OK. My dealership had tried to reprogram the car, but the issue seems to be in the compatibility of the seats weight sensors.
I use my 991 18 way seats for daily driving (comfort first...) and swap the GT2 seats for the track. It does not take more than 20 minutes to do the swap: just 4 bolts to take care of.
I use my 991 18 way seats for daily driving (comfort first...) and swap the GT2 seats for the track. It does not take more than 20 minutes to do the swap: just 4 bolts to take care of.
04-06-2013, 12:04 AM
#5
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
I have 997 GT2 seats in my 991 (got them from Vividracing). The side airbags (seats airbags) won't work and the airbag warning sign stays on, but other than that, everything is OK. My dealership had tried to reprogram the car, but the issue seems to be in the compatibility of the seats weight sensors.
So let me ask you - why did you spend the big bucks for a Porsche gt2 seat with airbags & a passenger seat sensors when you can't make them work properly on your 991? For the track, why didn't you buy a cheaper dedicated racing seat from Recaro (or other maker) & call it a day! It is a a lot less money & better solution than the expensive 997 (or 991 Euro) gt2 types seats that will NOT work properly on your US spec 991!
Saludos,
Eduardo
04-06-2013, 12:12 AM
#6
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
Saludos,
Eduardo
04-06-2013, 12:28 AM
#7
You got two separate issues - the airbags don't work and the passenger seat sensors don't register. Other than THAT, you are doing dandy!!! Except those are perhaps the most important features of the gt2 seats...and these are not working for you! Thus they do not offer you & your passenger the full safety benefit of their design & construction! No small matter, I may add.
So let me ask you - why did you spend the big bucks for a Porsche gt2 seat with airbags & a passenger seat sensors when you can't make them work properly on your 991? For the track, why didn't you buy a cheaper dedicated racing seat from Recaro (or other maker) & call it a day! It is a a lot less money & better solution than the expensive 997 (or 991 Euro) gt2 types seats that will NOT work properly on your US spec 991!
Saludos,
Eduardo
So let me ask you - why did you spend the big bucks for a Porsche gt2 seat with airbags & a passenger seat sensors when you can't make them work properly on your 991? For the track, why didn't you buy a cheaper dedicated racing seat from Recaro (or other maker) & call it a day! It is a a lot less money & better solution than the expensive 997 (or 991 Euro) gt2 types seats that will NOT work properly on your US spec 991!
Saludos,
Eduardo
Based on the dealership feedback, only the seats airbags would not work but others would still be functional, even with the lack of compatibility of the weight sensors. Anyway, I am using 6 point harnesses together with my bucket seats (I have a rollbar installed too) and do not feel that I am more at risk.
Sure, I could have gone for a cheaper Recaro option, but I loved the finish of the Porsche seats and the fact that they are reclinable (more convenient to put stuff at the back of the cabin when I go to the track).
Never said I went for the most cost effective solution...
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04-06-2013, 12:39 AM
#8
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Joe, I know that you know the answer to that question. The seat wiring is not compatible on US spec 991 and 981's. The computer for that section of the wiring on US cars do not 'recognize' the signals given by the 'sport bucket seats'. Porsche did make the Euro/ROW 991 & 981 able to accept and work perfectly well with the 'Euro/ROW' sport bucket seats options. 'It's (their) party and (they) do what they want to'. Come to think of it, I think those are lyrics from a song in my youth!
Saludos,
Eduardo
Saludos,
Eduardo
No, I must not have got that far in the multiple 30 page threads.
Sounds like they changed both the wiring and progaming on the US cars then, correct?
04-06-2013, 12:58 AM
#9
Nordschleife Master
Thread Starter
This thread is just 8 post long (so you are lucky) and the answer was provided by Ric Knab of Suncoast on post #1:
"We tested the 997 GT2 bucket seat into a 991, the wiring was incredibly different. Once we saw that, we decided not to investigate any further. I don't have specifics on this, but we made a wise decision to walk away, and not attempt to modify any wiring. We didn't check the mounting points to see if they were compatible. So again, my professional opinion is that it's not possible to install the 997 seats in a 991/981. I'm sure people will try, maybe it could be done with wiring modifications or PIWIS. I can't help with that sort of retrofit. I haven't heard anything official on the new sport bucket seats, but if Porsche won't ship a car to the USA with the seats installed, they probably won't allow us to order them. At the moment there are no retrofit seats, so I can't get a plug-and-play seat at the moment anyway. Building the seat, piece-by-piece wouldn't be possible for us, that's not something I can help with. If someone is interested in these seats, all we can do is wait and see if Porsche releases them in the future. Keep in mind, the 997 model was launched in 2004/2005, the GT2 seat didn't appear until 2008. So that was three years into production before the retrofit was available, and three years until it was an option for US models."
The other speculation regarding Euro 991/981 gt2 seats is mine:
"We have already touched on this result (Sunset trying to fit a 997 gt2 seat on a 991) on a different thread started by mdrums - 'Major Fail -No Sport Bucket Seat Option'. So where does that leaves us, PCNA's US 991/981 customers? Will Gert at Carnewal be allowed by Porsche to ship the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat to US and will that current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat plug into a US 991, 981 or 991 gt3 & work correctly? Or did Porsche designed the electronics of the US spec 991/981 in such a way that the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat will NOT work and will NEVER work with it? Indeed, no other 'bucket' seat will fully work until they decide to issue a US approved 991/981 'gt2 type' seat for this market? This is what I am afraid of and I think that is a topic for further discussion on this forum!"
Saludos,
Eduardo
"We tested the 997 GT2 bucket seat into a 991, the wiring was incredibly different. Once we saw that, we decided not to investigate any further. I don't have specifics on this, but we made a wise decision to walk away, and not attempt to modify any wiring. We didn't check the mounting points to see if they were compatible. So again, my professional opinion is that it's not possible to install the 997 seats in a 991/981. I'm sure people will try, maybe it could be done with wiring modifications or PIWIS. I can't help with that sort of retrofit. I haven't heard anything official on the new sport bucket seats, but if Porsche won't ship a car to the USA with the seats installed, they probably won't allow us to order them. At the moment there are no retrofit seats, so I can't get a plug-and-play seat at the moment anyway. Building the seat, piece-by-piece wouldn't be possible for us, that's not something I can help with. If someone is interested in these seats, all we can do is wait and see if Porsche releases them in the future. Keep in mind, the 997 model was launched in 2004/2005, the GT2 seat didn't appear until 2008. So that was three years into production before the retrofit was available, and three years until it was an option for US models."
The other speculation regarding Euro 991/981 gt2 seats is mine:
"We have already touched on this result (Sunset trying to fit a 997 gt2 seat on a 991) on a different thread started by mdrums - 'Major Fail -No Sport Bucket Seat Option'. So where does that leaves us, PCNA's US 991/981 customers? Will Gert at Carnewal be allowed by Porsche to ship the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat to US and will that current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat plug into a US 991, 981 or 991 gt3 & work correctly? Or did Porsche designed the electronics of the US spec 991/981 in such a way that the current Euro 991/981 'gt2 type' seat will NOT work and will NEVER work with it? Indeed, no other 'bucket' seat will fully work until they decide to issue a US approved 991/981 'gt2 type' seat for this market? This is what I am afraid of and I think that is a topic for further discussion on this forum!"
Saludos,
Eduardo
