my passenger side heated seat isn't working. can anyone recommend points of inspection for me to try to troubleshoot before going to the dealer? i'm having an oil change this weekend and asked if they could inspect why the seat isn't heating up when i turn it on. driver side is working fine tho.

 

I believe someone has to be sitting in the seat in order to feel the heat.

 

raizen82........see your PM's

 

my cousins told me it's not heating up when they rode with me and thanks mazurfer. is your name dave? that's funny coz i'm dave, too

 

Ironically, I think mine aren't working either. I just checked the fuse, it's intact.

I know that a person needs to be sitting in it for it to work....but neither the passenger nor driver's sides are working.

Any advice from the initial poster?

 

check your messages. sent you the help i got from mazurfer.

 

Yes, the name is Dave. I hope that helps, if not let us all on here know and we will try to help.
I would check the fuses first, then I'd go and check all the connectors. You probably know by now that there is a crucial one under the back of the passenger seat and sometrimes moving that seat back and forth can make the connector come loose. Check that out.

Good luck!

 

I find the heated seats on the 8 is slow to heat up. Unlike my 92x where it reaches heat within 1 minute.

 

thatz very true

 

your heater thermostat controls the seats. set it to high for max seat heating

 

I've never heard that before....

 

check your owners manual, pg 2-6

 

You can't adjust the thermostat for the heated seats. My owners manual states this on page 2-7. Your heated seat will come on without someone sitting in the seat.

Our heated seats cycle, so they will heat up, then cycle up and cool down, then heat again. It's a fire protection thing. Most heated seats give the option to have a low or high setting. The high setting would cycle like ours do; and low setting keeps the seat heaters on the whole time (at a lower heat setting). The cycling thing is limited to newer cars. It would have been nice to have the choice, but not a big deal in the scheme of things.

 

from OM: NOTE The thermostat regulates seat temperature by turning the current on and off.

 

Valpac......the thermostat you reference is located in the seat. Each seat has one and it isn't regulated by any heater setting or any other switch you can control(except for it's on/off). All this thermostat does is take the measurement from the thermometer(also in the seat) and opens(or stops the current) in the circuit when the temp threshold is reached. It will then start flowing the current again when it cools down and reaches it's lower threshold. You cannot control it..........and to the others...........nor does someone have to be in the seat. The below is taken from part of the procedure used to troubleshoot it.

 

Sorry...............Not true!
See my post further down!

 

Correct.....see my post further down!

 

i checked all connections and fuse and everything seemed ok. brought it in for an oil change and also had them check the seats. their verdict has something to do with the seat cushion and warping of the warming device. they said they'll be replacing it under warranty and they ordered the part for replacing the seat cushion.

i'm wondering if it means i'll be getting a new bottom part of the seat with new leather upholstery or if they'll just be putting in new foam inside. i'm worried about having mismatched seats if i do get new leather... everything else has old, wrinkled leathers and you look down and see a shiny new bottom seat... gotta call and clarify with them...

 

thx Maz. I stand corrected.