X290 - step by step access to the under driver seat leisure battery compartment (1 Viewer)

gerry mcg

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Jul 28, 2016
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I‘ve prepared a step by step guide to removing the drivers seat and seat swivel in a Fiat X290 PVC (2016 Globecar 600L Revolution) with 2x95Ah Varta LFA AGM batteries fitted in case anyone wants to see how to access the leisure batteis that are located under the drivers seat.

Step 1
Remove 2 or 3 screws from offside plastic handbrake cover

1ABEB128-B2F3-4034-89D2-F7C2018E49BD.jpeg


Step 2
This Exposes a plastic inner cover - remove single retaining screw to expose yellow seat airbag connector
13BC3B53-BB10-4967-B25B-663A6E7FEC21.jpeg
D2D9DF86-BE17-4751-9BAE-2256306AE702.jpeg


Step 3
Push purple release button on yellow connector to separate airbag connector
F82CEA62-5408-48BB-8E5F-4683EB20C502.jpeg
EF5421BA-55AA-42EF-BCDA-486CCF3A0855.jpeg


Step 4
Look under the seat frame where the plastic cover was located.
locate 13mm bolt on threaded stud - this holds on seat earth cable.
remove 13mm bolt
35EA7054-5187-4191-B159-3FAC6FE8B810.jpeg
AB3C6D9D-559C-4966-A355-19685B2F15C1.jpeg


Step 5
Cover ring terminal to prevent shorting out on seat frame
3E052AE8-9938-49C6-8C80-433409D9F89A.jpeg
86F430FC-C361-4D13-A25F-ED2F5CFBFBA8.jpeg


Step 6
Gently withdraw airbag connector and seat earth connector out of central hole in seat swivel
3419324E-A836-480C-9208-40840772A61B.jpeg

9A0D5E95-E64C-4798-BAF4-6E45849C71B8.jpeg


Step 7
Slide seat fully back on the runners
use a T40 L lever to loosen the 2x T40 socket head bolts for the seat runners - it is easier with an L than a socket, as the seat padding somewhat fouls the socket.
D5165108-EEFE-42D7-A01A-EA38EFAC54A4.jpeg


Step 8
Now Slide Seat fully forward on the runners to make access to the 4x13mm seat retaining bolts and remove these
CF2F97AD-9A25-4935-9E30-AB75C45890DF.jpeg
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Step 9
Carefully lfit seat up off the rear runner studs - Careful as is very heavy and awkward
this exposed the seat swivel base
E5E14301-DC18-4B87-A668-88202B8E173E.jpeg

Step 10
Rotate seat base 45 degrees counter clockwise to expose 5 x T40 seat retaining bolts (front 2 are socket head, rear 3 are countersunk
remove with ⅜” T40 socket
DBAC9DA2-F4B0-4843-A336-C101E0371E51.jpeg

Step 11
Spin seat base another 45 degrees counter clockwise to align hole in top with mushroom headed bolt.
Use 20mm shallow socket to remove bolt by hole
6F75DB19-54E4-4442-A7F4-FA9C4348AA1C.jpeg
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9D221755-CBBF-4A81-80AB-8B563F278A1D.jpeg


Step 12
Seat base is still held by fixing on mid centre on inboard side
Remove 3 x crews from centre plastic seat base cover
AB96A61B-F6FB-4835-87EF-DAC895E6D4EC.jpeg

Step 13
Locate mirror of threaded stud holding earth wire on Step 4
9A2362A6-2235-43F4-93DE-405D66B191FF.jpeg


Step 14
Lift seat base off to expose battery compartment
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2815A860-BA28-441A-B58B-F9062D2640FA.jpeg


Step 15
Refit is reverse of removal
When refitting the seat swivel, locate all the 5x T40 bolts plus the mushroom head 20mm bolt finger tight before tightening any up. The fit is not great and If you tighten up a fitting before all the bolts are engaged properly in their threads it can make tightening some of them difficult an I guess you risk cross threading

Battery compartment dimensions
345mm front to rear
345mm side to side
195mm tall
 
Last edited:

marchie

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Mar 9, 2021
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Thanks, Gerry, for the very detailed [Idiots] Guide that has all of the steps, including those that knowledgeable people do on 'auto pilot', leaving those of us who put the 'Idiot' in Guide scratching our heads and swearing! (y)

Steve
 

davidroxburgh

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Apr 16, 2014
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Thank you - that is a fantastic resource. What would you estimate as the time to get everything off - assuming modest technical skill? that weight over 8KG is just the swivel so I guess the seat itself is much heavier. Mine have heard seats too!

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gerry mcg

gerry mcg

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2016
1,648
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Glasgow, Scotland
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Globecar 600L Revn
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since 2016
Thank you - that is a fantastic resource. What would you estimate as the time to get everything off - assuming modest technical skill? that weight over 8KG is just the swivel so I guess the seat itself is much heavier. Mine have heard seats too!
30min to an hour to remove
15 min to reassemble
The seat is maybe 25-30 kg ? And awkward. Be careful not to mark interior wood work with runners. Put a rug or blanket down. It is really better to lift the seat as a 2 person job due to the awkwardness of it, but you can manage with 1 person
 
Apr 12, 2012
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as above
A very comprehensive guide that’s well written. The seats in my 55 plate transit based motorhome are both held in with four bolts. The only electrics under them are for the batteries. The drivers side is best leaned over on to the passenger seat rather than lifting it out . The seat belt is attached to its base.
I suppose that’s progress making it more of a dealer job.

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gerry mcg

gerry mcg

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 28, 2016
1,648
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Glasgow, Scotland
Funster No
44,285
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Globecar 600L Revn
Exp
since 2016
It is worth adding that one of the three rear large countersunk T40 bolts holding the swivel to the frame was so tight it started to strip the head, so I had to cut a slot in the head with a dremel and used a large screwdriver to remove, then I replaced with hardened (not stainless) bolts.
Hardened because they have greater tensile strength and the seat can be subjected to severe forces in a crash, and stainless could snap
 
Feb 19, 2018
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Wow, after looking at that, I'm happy that my hab batteries are under my bed behind the seat. 😱
 
Aug 6, 2018
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A great guide thank you. After removing the stud our ground cable connector was still trapped by the seat base, so had to cut the cable and add a bullet connector.

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Aug 6, 2018
215
425
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GLOBECAR CAMPSCOUT
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Since 2019
It is worth adding that one of the three rear large countersunk T40 bolts holding the swivel to the frame was so tight it started to strip the head, so I had to cut a slot in the head with a dremel and used a large screwdriver to remove, then I replaced with hardened (not stainless) bolts.
Hardened because they have greater tensile strength and the seat can be subjected to severe forces in a crash, and stainless could snap
I had the same issue, you've reminded me that I need to get a replacement as I only put 4 of 5 back in!
 
Feb 22, 2016
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Thanks for the really useful post. And it’s renewed my desire to have a Lengtool socket driver set!
 
Feb 14, 2021
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Burstner Lyseo 727G
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19 month year 18000 miles UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, Italy. Campsites and off Grid.
I have removed my seat half a dozen times now and had never seen this.

Just to say - I didn't need to do step 1 and 2 to access the nut in step 4. I was able to access it from under the seat through the front with a rachet/small socket extension/socket.

This saves a lot of the initial removal work involving the side plastic panel.

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Apr 12, 2010
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I just did my underseat battery replacement and I just unscrewed 4 bolts, 2 front two back and the whole seat tilted backwards allowing the replacement. Seemed fairly easy to me.
Phil
 

Steve N Tracy

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I just did my underseat battery replacement and I just unscrewed 4 bolts, 2 front two back and the whole seat tilted backwards allowing the replacement. Seemed fairly easy to me.
Phil
Hi Phil that's how I do mine, just the two17mm ones on the floor however no need to undo the back two just pull the seat and base forward as they have a slide in fork mounting, if the handbrake is off there is enough movement to move the driver's forward enough to tilt as well.

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Last edited:
Apr 12, 2010
4,795
51,047
Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk
Funster No
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MH
Weinsberg Cara
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since 2007
Hi Phil that's how I do mine, just the two17mm ones on the floor however no need to undo the back two just pull the seat and base forward as they have a slide in fork mounting, if the handbrake is off there is enough movement to move the driver's forward enough to tilt as well.
That’s exactly how I did mine, easy peasy. 👍I did loosen the rear one’s slightly so it slid out easily.
Phil
 

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