Long road trips can be a big pain if your seat isn't as comfy as you'd like. This customer, a frequent long road trip taker, wanted an upgrade from his A4's stock seats and went with only the best, Recaro Topline seats. This seat install isn't an easy swap, like most would think. A special hurdle included modification of the Audi seat brackets for differences between the European seats that Recaro designed thier brackets to fit and the US spec seats we were replacing. We also took the time to install the Audi SRS seat occupancy sensors from the stock seats into the padding of the Recaro seats.




Parts Installed:
Recaro Style XL Topline


The Build

This seat install was a unique one. Aside from all the bracketry and wiring work that needed to be done, there is one thing the stock seats had that the Recaro Toplines did not and that was a seat occupancy sensor. Without the seat occupancy sensor, the airbag system won't function so it was very important that they were moved to the new seats as well. Switching them around isn't difficult as much as it is time consuming. Seat occupancy sensors are found within the seat itself, inside the cushion to be more precise, and required us removing the leather from the stock seats to reach and remove it. Performing the same technique to the Toplines, we placed the sensor in the cushion of the Recaros, replaced the covering and these seats were ready to go.


Stock seats



Seat bracketry removed from one seat


Close up showing how the US brackets are welded to the rails (Euro seats would have bolts in the 3 holes)


The motor assembly is welded on as well


Recaro bracket lines up with where the bolt holes SHOULD be


Lots of wiring to remove and transfer over!


Audi seat rails with the brackets cut off to facilitate Recaro brackets


No seats



Initial fitting of the drivers side Recaro


Other Audi seat bracket/rails


Audi passenger seat dissasembled


This wiring gets uncovered and certain portions transfered over to the Recaro seat


Seat bracket/rail assembly with control module and motors


Wiring that will be transfered is installed


More dissasembly


Brackets and motors that were cut off


Modified rail/bracket assembly


Modified rail/bracket assembly with wiring run and mounted


Modified Audi rail/bracket assembly installed on a Recaro seat


Carefully slipping in the Recaro seats




Drivers Recaro installed


Passenger Recaro installed





The goal here was to give this Audi owner all the perks of his A4's stock setting but with comfort into a higher priority. All in all, we hope the seats will make the long drive not feel as long anymore.



For more on this build, click here to visit its gallery. As always, feel free to message us or comment below with any and all questions!