Build & Personal Blog

Alright everyone, I’m doing a post regarding WRX seats in a Forester. For scope, I have a 2015 Forester XT Touring, it came standard with Power Driver and Manual Passenger both, with heated leather. I found a seat of 2015 WRX cloth manual seats with heat and knew I had to grab them.

****The WRX seats with the WRX seat rails will bolt into the FXT but, you’ll be riding on the floor****

Passenger Side

1. Disconnect the Negative battery terminal and let all the residual power drain out via holding down the horn or brake pedal

2. Start on the rear passenger side and remove the passenger seat rail plastic covers. The removal is much easier if you have a pick or a small screwdriver to push down on the tab that’s on top of the cover but in-between the rail itself. 

3. The outer cover is easy, its the inner one that’s a PITA. (Inner referencing towards centerline of the vehicle) There are two covers on the inner cover, and you have to mess with it and remove a Phillips head screw in order to remove it.

4. Once the covers are off, you can go ahead and remove the two rear seat rail bolts (14mm) using a deep socket and extension. They’re really on there. Next move to the front and remove the two (14mm) seat rail bolts.

5.Tilt the seat forward to reveal the under side of the seat. My FXT seats had 3 sets of plugs underneath. One for the airbag, another for the seat belt sensor, and the other was the one that detects someone sitting there. (For the airbag plug, there is a black slide that you have to push down on the female side of the plug and then depress the clip on the male side at the same time to remove it) Also, helps to have someone hold the seat leaned forward while you do this.

6. After you’ve removed the plugs you’re ready to remove the seat. I found it easiest by tilting the seat outwards from centerline and then rotating the seat counter clockwise through the rear passenger door.

7. Set the FXT seat upside down on a towel or grass or something non-abrasive and then look for (5) 12mm nuts on the underside of the seat rails. There are 3 on one side and two on the other. Use a ratcheting wrench if you have one, if not a regular wrench will work. Don’t try and use a socket, not that I would know not to use one.

8. Once all (5) nuts are removed you’ll be able to pull the seat rail off the FXT seat.

9. You’ll want to remove the FXT seat belt as well, its a (17mm) nut and just be sure not to yank on the wiring connected to the seatbelt.

10. It’s going to literally be the same removal process on the WRX seat rails. The only difference will be the WRX seat belt is held on by a (14mm) nut.

11. Install the FXT rails and seat belt by reversing the removal process and be sure to use the (14mm) bolt to secure the FXT seat belt

12. Now you should be able to mount the WRX seat back into the Forester using the factory FXT hardware and plastic trim covers for the rear passenger seat rails. 

Driver Side

1. In order for the new WRX seats to sit at the correct height (Factory FXT Seats), you’re going to need to buy a 14+ FXT 2.5i Manual seat rail. Yes, you can mount the WRX seats in the FXT without this rail but, believe me, you will be sitting low even if you have the WRX rail at it’s highest point. 

2. Once you’ve bought the 2.5i seat rail, things a bit more complicated. Before you even take the seat out of the FXT. Raise the power seat to it’s highest setting, take the headrest off as this will help with removal. 

3. Remove the rear drive seat rail covers. There are (2) 14mm bolts, remove those. 

4. Move to the front of the driver seat, there are (2) more 14mm bolts remove those as well. 

5. Tilt the FXT seat forward towards the steering wheel from the driver side rear and remove the (3) plugs from underneath the seat. 

6. With the plugs removed go ahead and remove the seat from the car. 

7. Look on the bottom of the seat underneath the side trim cover, where the controls for the power seat are, you’ll see Torq/Star bolts you need to remove, there are (2) on each side of the seat. IIRC they are T40. Once those are removed you’ll be able to separate the upper seat rail from the lower. 

8. On the WRX seat, it’s literally the same process but, because the WRX seat rail isn’t power just manually raise the seat to gain access to the Torq/Star bolts.

9. There will be bushing/spacers that fall out once removing the upper rails from the lower rails on both seats. NOTE THE LOCATION of them! 

10. Simply swap the WRX upper rails w/seat attached to the 2.5i lower rails and install using the correct spacers for the correct corner. 

11. Once you have everything tightened down, you can go ahead and install the new Hybrid WRX seat into the FXT. Be sure to plug in the plugs on the bottom. 

12. You’ll be left with an extra male plug, that was for the power seat, I’m not sure if this could be usable in another application depending on the voltage out but, my thought process is, it might be nice to have a spliced in plug-n-play power source for other electronics such as a Dashcam or Gauges or something...

In the modern automotive world, especially the tuning scene, being boosted is king. Currently driving a boosted vehicle, I can definitely see the mass appeal. The sounds, the building of boost under acceleration, and the “bragging” rights. But, what about the all motor builds? I remember back when I owned my 03′ 350z and struggled with what direction to take my build (either way it didn’t get far) boosted or all motor. I then stumbled upon a video on YT that made sit in awe.