CTR seat replacement options?

RedGiant217

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If my wife told me I had to change my passenger seat in my Type-R I would laugh right in her face. Time to download the Uber app I guess.
Well, since my wife has lower back and hip pain that is exacerbated by these seats and since I prefer driving the Type-R when we go out, to me it is a small price to pay for the joy of driving the Type-R. She wouldn't make me change the seat, but she would make us drive a different car.

There's more to swapping seats then just plugging connectors in. There are sensors connected to each seat/harness that detect the weight of each seat. That informs the SRS system whether or not there is enough weight in the front seat to active the airbags.

EG: A bag of groceries sitting on your front seat vs a 150lbs adult.

Unless the Civic SI Seats, Base Model Civic Seats, Aftermarket Seat etc.. have the exact same weight of the Type R seat it's replacing, then you will mostly likely throw an error code, or worse, completely disable the entire SRS system due to the weights being off.

Whether or not the actual connecter's "plug into each other" is irrelevant.
In the owners manual, it refers to the weight sensors as "in" the front passengers seat.
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willimo

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In the owners manual, it refers to the weight sensors as "in" the front passengers seat.
This is correct. It's a broad, thin sensor that is under only the upholstery and a thin layer of foam. The weight of the seat is completely immaterial. It's likely the sensor is a different size and shape, just to fit the seat, but the impedance across the sensor is probably the same no matter the seat so I suspect it would actually work.
 
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morph2k4

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Well this has spiraled out of hand quickly. To reiterate, this has nothing to do with passengers. I want to spread my legs out in the drivers seat to accommodate my enormous balls.

What I'm really looking for is some confirmation about whether 1. Other civic seats will fit, and 2. If so, will the side impact airbags work plug and play. It seems like no one has actually attempted this yet.

That said, I'm a professional problem solver. If my wife wanted a different seat, I'd make it happen. I understand the perspective represented in that GIF, but let's be real. That guy is a caricature of a white trash redneck with a primary life goal of having a 3 way with prostitutes.
 

willimo

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What I'm really looking for is some confirmation about whether 1. Other civic seats will fit, and 2. If so, will the side impact airbags work plug and play. It seems like no one has actually attempted this yet.
1. Absolutely.

2. Most likely. Stick to the 5door for best results if you decide to be a guinea pig. These parts are probably different in, say, the coupe due to geometry; that said the inflators and seatbelt pretensioners are probably all exactly the same so it probably wouldn't throw an SRS trouble code.
 

L8apex

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I’ve been researching this as well, hoping to get a CTR driver’s seat in my Sport. Check out simply_the_best in the Si forum, he’s installed the CTR seats in his 4 door Si, plug and play, no malfunction lights on. And even got the seat heater from the Si seat into the CTR seat.

So yes, it seems the seats bolt in, SRS is plug and play, but be aware, the Si driver’s seat is all power. Your Type R may or may not have a pigtail in the floor harness to power the motors in the Si seat. Otherwise, you’re stuck with a non adjustable seat.

Also, the seat weight sensor in the passenger seat is not in the cushion as someone mentioned. That’s the seat heating element. The seat weight sensor is actually built into the base of the seat. And it should be calibrated any time it’s first installed in a car. I’m not sure if a Honda dealer will do that for you considering the liabilities involved since safety components are in play. Fair warning.

But Si seats might be your best choice, if you can get around that power issue. Personally, I think your best option is swapping manual seats with a sonic gray Sport. I know a guy who would trade with you.
 


NinjamanCTR

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If my wife told me I had to change my passenger seat in my Type-R I would laugh right in her face. Time to download the Uber app I guess.
Lmao yup! My ass isn’t whipped.
 

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If you are asking fitment issues or any direct swap issues with these seats, please consult the Honda parts department. I doubt you will get as solid of an answer as mine considering the amount of teens who are bashing your question. You can also consult the parts department on their return policy on the seats as well. Unfortunately, you aren't near me, i would let you try the swap out just to see if it works and if it is a worthy investment but I am in California. : /
 

willimo

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If you are asking fitment issues or any direct swap issues with these seats, please consult the Honda parts department. I doubt you will get as solid of an answer as mine considering the amount of teens who are bashing your question. You can also consult the parts department on their return policy on the seats as well. Unfortunately, you aren't near me, i would let you try the swap out just to see if it works and if it is a worthy investment but I am in California. : /
You're gong to have a hard time asking a dealer about swapping an entire seat. In my experience behind the counter, there usually isn't a listing for the entire seat all in one part number. If a customer wanted a seat, we would have to pick every individual part; and this was a case of where the sum parts were way, way, way, way more expensive than the whole. Your parts clerk isn't going to be too thrilled about it either, it's easy to not get enough clips or hog rings or something, and if you wanted to return the parts (if they even offer returns on SOP) it would be a nightmare. Your best bet, honestly, is a salvage yard.
 
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Ataricade

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The Si seats are not power. They are manual like the R’s. At least in the USA

I’ve been researching this as well, hoping to get a CTR driver’s seat in my Sport. Check out simply_the_best in the Si forum, he’s installed the CTR seats in his 4 door Si, plug and play, no malfunction lights on. And even got the seat heater from the Si seat into the CTR seat.

So yes, it seems the seats bolt in, SRS is plug and play, but be aware, the Si driver’s seat is all power. Your Type R may or may not have a pigtail in the floor harness to power the motors in the Si seat. Otherwise, you’re stuck with a non adjustable seat.

Also, the seat weight sensor in the passenger seat is not in the cushion as someone mentioned. That’s the seat heating element. The seat weight sensor is actually built into the base of the seat. And it should be calibrated any time it’s first installed in a car. I’m not sure if a Honda dealer will do that for you considering the liabilities involved since safety components are in play. Fair warning.

But Si seats might be your best choice, if you can get around that power issue. Personally, I think your best option is swapping manual seats with a sonic gray Sport. I know a guy who would trade with you.
 


wilsynet

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For most people, their relationship with their family (your spouse counts) is more important than any car.

If you want to use your car and carry passengers, and your passengers are uncomfortable, you might want to swap seats. Not because your family feels entitled, but because life is filled with compromises.

It's possible you haven't had to make those compromises. But for the people here who are thinking about doing so, they have their own life and their situation is probably different than yours. This might be the only car the family has, it may end up being shared between two or more people, it may end up being a secondary vehicle and used on long trips, or used to car pool in a shared commute. And the seats may cause those passengers back pain.

If Honda offered alternative seats as a factory option, this isn't even a conversation. And no one would be admonishing these owners or their loved ones.
 

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There's a Type R I've seen that has aftermarket racing type seats. I think I see it on Instagram every so often. No idea why he replaced them with more similar seats.
 

Ataricade

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For most people, their relationship with their family (your spouse counts) is more important than any car.

If you want to use your car and carry passengers, and your passengers are uncomfortable, you might want to swap seats. Not because your family feels entitled, but because life is filled with compromises.

It's possible you haven't had to make those compromises. But for the people here who are thinking about doing so, they have their own life and their situation is probably different than yours. This might be the only car the family has, it may end up being shared between two or more people, it may end up being a secondary vehicle and used on long trips, or used to car pool in a shared commute. And the seats may cause those passengers back pain.

If Honda offered alternative seats as a factory option, this isn't even a conversation. And no one would be admonishing these owners or their loved ones.

If you’re going to do something like this you bought the wrong car. I mean come on.
 

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For most people, their relationship with their family (your spouse counts) is more important than any car.

If you want to use your car and carry passengers, and your passengers are uncomfortable, you might want to swap seats. Not because your family feels entitled, but because life is filled with compromises.
This might be the only car the family has
If the CTR is the only car the family has or can afford, than you made a bad decision in getting one. A financially irresponsible one at that. You could've easily picked up a daily beater for a couple grand and gotten a new Civic for less than the CTR.
it may end up being shared between two or more people
If the car is meant to be shared between two people as an only vehicle, than it was also a bad decision to purchase one.
it may end up being a secondary vehicle and used on long trips
If it was meant to be a secondary for long trips, than once again, you've made a bad decision.
or used to car pool in a shared commute
If it was meant to be a carpool vehicle, then once again.....you know.

The CTR or any Type-R in the history of Honda was not meant to be a comfortable or luxurious riding vehicle. It's a street legal Race car with some amenities that make street driving bearable. No responsible adult would pick up a CTR as dedicated family vehicle. That would be like buying a Corvette and seeing if you can mount a child's car seat in the passenger seat. If your passengers are uncomfortable, than you should take their vehicle. If they need a ride and have no means of self travel, then they really can't complain.

OP joked about needing room for his "enormous balls". I'm sure it's more of a "Hey, I'm a bigger guy and these seats squish me and aren't comfortable". That is perfectly acceptable. The only viable solution I see is upgrading to a performance seat like Bride, Recaro, etc. But taking the CTR seats out and replacing them with anything other than upgraded seats would make anyone look and go "Why?".

But hey, it's OP's car and his money. He's free to do whatever he wants. I recommend keeping the seats if he does replace them and sealing them up to preserve them. They'll jump up in price in the future. This coming from someone with a couple ITRs in the family.
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