[Soxten]

I looking att Recaro Podium seats to my MP4 2012.
Any as have this seats in a Mclaren yet?

RECARO PODIUM. Europe PIONEERING DESIGN SEAT!

RECARO PODIUM. Europe PIONEERING DESIGN SEAT!

www.atomic-shop.eu

 

[Baja Rudy]

Those seats look nice, light and modern (like the Senna's). My 12C has the older style Recaro Pole Position seats that fit me just fine. They were covered in alcantara and added the McLaren logo. Most of my larger friends that are around 6 feet, 200 pound people think they are too small for them but since I drive the car I like them. There is plenty of weight savings from the original seats.

 

[Allday12C]

I know this is old, did you have to bring the car to Mclaren after seats were installed to deal with airbags or electronics?

 

[Baja Rudy]

The airbag sensors on the OEM seats had to be removed and installed on to the Recaro seats...doing that caused the airbag light to be displayed on the dash. So you most likely will need to take it to the dealer or someone with the McLaren software tool to reset the light. What I remember is that the wires are very thin and if the ignition is on without having the connected wires the warning light goes off on the dash. Then you need to fix the connection and reset the light. Hope that makes sense. You may be able to avoid that only if you disconnect the battery prior to disconnecting the sensors. Then, getting the connection right before re-connecting the battery (I'm speculating that is possible).

 

[invisiblewave]

The airbag sensors on the OEM seats had to be removed and installed on to the Recaro seats...doing that caused the airbag light to be displayed on the dash. So you most likely will need to take it to the dealer or someone with the McLaren software tool to reset the light. What I remember is that the wires are very thin and if the ignition is on without having the connected wires the warning light goes off on the dash. Then you need to fix the connection and reset the light. Hope that makes sense. You may be able to avoid that only if you disconnect the battery prior to disconnecting the sensors. Then, getting the connection right before re-connecting the battery (I'm speculating that is possible).

+1. The driver's seat has only a single connection for the seat belt sensor (since the seat is always occupied). The passenger has two, for the seat belt and the occupancy sensor. You need to transfer the sensors plus the control box on the passenger side (the McLaren online manual has instructions for doing this). If you're going from fully-electric comfort seats, you also have to use MDS or Diagcode to recode the car for manual seats before the airbag fault will reset.

 

[Allday12C]

The airbag sensors on the OEM seats had to be removed and installed on to the Recaro seats...doing that caused the airbag light to be displayed on the dash. So you most likely will need to take it to the dealer or someone with the McLaren software tool to reset the light. What I remember is that the wires are very thin and if the ignition is on without having the connected wires the warning light goes off on the dash. Then you need to fix the connection and reset the light. Hope that makes sense. You may be able to avoid that only if you disconnect the battery prior to disconnecting the sensors. Then, getting the connection right before re-connecting the battery (I'm speculating that is possible).

Yes that makes sense, I had a feeling that might be the case if I wanted to go to pole position seats rather than the P1 seats. Thank you, really appreciate it.

 

[invisiblewave]

Yes that makes sense, I had a feeling that might be the case if I wanted to go to pole position seats rather than the P1 seats. Thank you, really appreciate it.

The McLaren seats are expensive (VERY expensive compared to the Recaros), but the Senna seats I bought came with all the sensors already installed. The rails also bolt straight in to the anchor points in the tub with no modifications required, although I assume Recaro probably have good solutions for that problem.

 

[Allday12C]

+1. The driver's seat has only a single connection for the seat belt sensor (since the seat is always occupied). The passenger has two, for the seat belt and the occupancy sensor. You need to transfer the sensors plus the control box on the passenger side (the McLaren online manual has instructions for doing this). If you're going from fully-electric comfort seats, you also have to use MDS or Diagcode to recode the car for manual seats before the airbag fault will reset.

Thank you. I have been tracking my 12c and at the point where I would like the additional support. Is the same process required if I swap to the P1 seats also or do they have both sets of harnesses for the sensors? I believe I have the online manual so I’ll see if I can find the procedure for transferring. Thanks again

 

[Allday12C]

The McLaren seats are expensive (VERY expensive compared to the Recaros), but the Senna seats I bought came with all the sensors already installed. The rails also bolt straight in to the anchor points in the tub with no modifications required, although I assume Recaro probably have good solutions for that problem.

Supposedly recaros bolt straight in because on euro spec 12c cars Recaro pole position seats were optional Clubsport seat. Also appears 12c stock seat is recaro, found a recaro tag wrapped around the the harness underneath the seat.

 

[Baja Rudy]

Invisiblewave, you are correct. I forgot about those details. Thank you for contributing to this thread.

Allday12C, since you are tracking you will probably need the crotch strap too...this is what I bought for my seats to properly attach the 5 or 6 point harness. No need for drilling into the carbon tub, simple solution that works. Of course, you need the harness bar in the back to properly attach all belts.

 

[Allday12C]

Invisiblewave, you are correct. I forgot about those details. Thank you for contributing to this thread.

Allday12C, since you are tracking you will probably need the crotch strap too...this is what I bought for my seats to properly attach the 5 or 6 point harness. No need for drilling into the carbon tub, simple solution that works. Of course, you need the harness bar in the back to properly attach all belts.

thank you, yes, been looking into harness/roll bar options for a harnes and how to secure the crotch straps.Did you use the fabspeed harness bar kit?

 

[Baja Rudy]

I think it is, there are only 1 or 2 options and both work... fabspeed is one

 

[Allday12C]

I think it is, there are only 1 or 2 options and both work... fabspeed is one

Ya fabspeed, GMG used to from what I can tell
And I contacted Thorney motorsports since they also make one.

 

[invisiblewave]

Thank you. I have been tracking my 12c and at the point where I would like the additional support. Is the same process required if I swap to the P1 seats also or do they have both sets of harnesses for the sensors? I believe I have the online manual so I’ll see if I can find the procedure for transferring. Thanks again

Yes, the comfort seats are utterly useless on track, there's no way to left foot brake because you need that foot to brace against the foot rest!

I strongly suspect that if you buy legit P1 seats they will come with the sensors, however it's definitely something to check before handing over your greenbacks. The procedure to swap them, if you need to, didn't look that hard. I was thinking it would be necessary to tear the comfort seat apart, but the module is sitting right there on the bottom of the seat. On the Senna seat, it bolts onto the front near the adjustment bar.

 

[invisiblewave]

Invisiblewave, you are correct. I forgot about those details. Thank you for contributing to this thread.

Allday12C, since you are tracking you will probably need the crotch strap too...this is what I bought for my seats to properly attach the 5 or 6 point harness. No need for drilling into the carbon tub, simple solution that works. Of course, you need the harness bar in the back to properly attach all belts.

Ooh! This is fabulous! My next task is likely to be a harness, but I'm balking about cutting the panels to fit a bar. So this bracket is a Fabspeed thing that just fits to the seat bolts?

 

[Allday12C]

Ooh! This is fabulous! My next task is likely to be a harness, but I'm balking about cutting the panels to fit a bar. So this bracket is a Fabspeed thing that just fits to the seat bolts?

Yes theirs does require cutting panels. But I believe Thorney motorsports half cage does not. Or at least that’s what they say

 

[invisiblewave]

Yes theirs does require cutting panels. But I believe Thorney motorsports half cage does not. Or at least that’s what they say

It might on mine, I have a 570GT.

 

[Allday12C]

It might on mine, I have a 570GT.

ahh ok. Ya might require cutting either way

 

[invisiblewave]

ahh ok. Ya might require cutting either way

Yeah, I'm not sure I'm quite ready to take the plunge yet. I'm going to be trying the Senna seats for the first time in a couple of weeks, hopefully I'm wedged in tightly enough that I don't really need a harness. I'm not trying to set lap times, and I don't want to destroy the rotors, so braking may not be that big an issue.

 

[Allday12C]

Yeah, I'm not sure I'm quite ready to take the plunge yet. I'm going to be trying the Senna seats for the first time in a couple of weeks, hopefully I'm wedged in tightly enough that I don't really need a harness. I'm not trying to set lap times, and I don't want to destroy the rotors, so braking may not be that big an issue.

I’m hoping the same that I can swap the seats and be in tight enough to not need to go to the harness, however I did go to the AP racing brake kit so may need harnesses!!!