Seat Differences?

benmarks

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
Location
Portland, OR
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS Sedan Platinum Gray
I am helping a friend redo a front driver's seat. It is a 2004 Jetta TDI sedan. There's a guy on eBay that sells new-old-stock OEM leather seat covers with the heating elements already in them. I was also going to get new seat bottom and seat back foam. I wouldn't normally do the seat back foam, but the bolster wore through to the point where the foam is crumbling.

However, with the leather parts from the guy on eBay, they all come up as 1999.5-2002. I can't seem to find corresponding part numbers for 2003-2005. And, for the foam, there is a dividing line as well in the 2002 year.

Are there actually any differences with the front seats, "early" vs. "late?" They aren't Recaros, and they aren't the seats that have the "extender' in the front. They are just the normal manual seats.

Side note, I recently re-did the seat bottom foam in my driver's seat when I switched from 2004 manual heated leather seats to 2000 GLX power/memory/heated leather seats. Side by side, I couldn't eyeball any differences in the foam, but that doesn't mean I might've missed something.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
Only real difference is the electrical connectors. Otherwise they can be swapped around, you might just need to do some repinning. If I remember correctly, it's the airbag connector that's different.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
If I lived in Portland I'd not use heated seats. If the car has the heat stuff already, it would be nice a few days every year. Portland, Maine different story.
 

Nero Morg

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
Location
OR
TDI
2014 A6 TDI, 2001 Jetta TDI, 2014 Passat TDI
I drive through Portland daily, and I've used my heated seat almost daily. We've been seeing low/mid 30s every morning lately.
 

benmarks

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
Location
Portland, OR
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS Sedan Platinum Gray
It been in the 30's Fahrenheit overnight here the last few weeks so I have definitely been enjoying them.
 

ToxicDoc

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Location
Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
I am helping a friend redo a front driver's seat. It is a 2004 Jetta TDI sedan. There's a guy on eBay that sells new-old-stock OEM leather seat covers with the heating elements already in them. I was also going to get new seat bottom and seat back foam. I wouldn't normally do the seat back foam, but the bolster wore through to the point where the foam is crumbling.

However, with the leather parts from the guy on eBay, they all come up as 1999.5-2002. I can't seem to find corresponding part numbers for 2003-2005. And, for the foam, there is a dividing line as well in the 2002 year.

Are there actually any differences with the front seats, "early" vs. "late?" They aren't Recaros, and they aren't the seats that have the "extender' in the front. They are just the normal manual seats.

Side note, I recently re-did the seat bottom foam in my driver's seat when I switched from 2004 manual heated leather seats to 2000 GLX power/memory/heated leather seats. Side by side, I couldn't eyeball any differences in the foam, but that doesn't mean I might've missed something.
You have a link to the eBay guy? I need a seat back and have only found used. From VW they are NLA
 

rwthomas1

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2002
Location
Wakefield, RI
TDI
'03 Jetta
If you have links for foam suppliers please share. Fabric on my seats is in good condition, but the foam is breaking down.
RT
 

benmarks

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2003
Location
Portland, OR
TDI
2004 Jetta GLS Sedan Platinum Gray
I picked one of the leather auctions at random: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-Vo...epid=0&hash=item2ce8173dcf:g:RhEAAOSwfCtffHL3

I use oemepc.com to try and find the right part numbers.

The eBay user is "oe245." He's in Latvia, but shipping is only around $20. I didn't count them, but he has 25-30 different styles. He has leather covers for the backs and the bottoms. And, it seems legit because he has actual photos of almost all of them, so it's not one of these guys who posts exploded images and then doesn't have the part.

For foam, I will probably order from OEMVWShop.com. They are in the Czech Republic, but 2 or 3-day shipping via DHL is a flat rate of around $35. I have ordered many things from them without issue, and they're prices for a lot of things are cheaper than here in the US when compared to the dealer or a place like Cascade German or ECS. And, I have found many things there that have been long gone in this country.

Seat bottom foam for a 2002-2005:1J0881375AJ
Seat back foam for 2002-2005:1J0881775AM

For example, after converting from Euros to Dollars, you can get both pieces for $250 from OEMVWShop but from ECS or eBay, you're looking at $350-400.
 

ToxicDoc

Veteran Member
Joined
Mar 1, 2018
Location
Virginia, US
TDI
2001 Jetta, S7, .216
Oh I've used plenty of Latvian parts in my Jetta. Thank you for the links. I've been looking.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
Regarding coverings, AFAIK there are 4 types: GL cloth, GLS cloth (fuzzy), GLS leather, GLX leather (softer).

-J
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Canada had one additional option: super-cheap cloth - found on the Golfs that came *without* power windows (and sometimes without A/C).

In order of cheapness:
Flat polyester cloth (like sitting on a leisure suit from the 1970s):


Velour-ish cloth:


"Textured" cloth (I think this showed up on 2003 model year):
 
Top