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Re: Seat heater problem!!! Ari, anyone, please help!
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Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Tue, 5 Feb 2008 09:23:36 Share Post by Email
In Reply to: Seat heater problem!!! Ari, anyone, please help!, Eric, Mon, 4 Feb 2008 22:44:14
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A lot of information, but still not enough...

As to what pad to use, I can't be of help. I will say that I've never replaced a seat heater element - I've always just repaired them.

The 12 volts on the yellow wire to the switch comes from a fuse; no big surprise it works. The fact that the controller works on the passenger side says it works.

You haven't said if you've measured the resistance of the seat heating element. Yes, that will go first. And second. And third. I've fixed a lot of elements, I've repaired one controller. Under the seat, pop off the connector that goes from the seat to the connector bolted to the rail. Measure the resistance between the fat yellow wire and the fat black wire. 3 or 4 ohms is about right, but all that matters is that it isn't an open circuit. It most probably is an open circuit.

The best way to access the connector is to unbolt the four bolts holding the seat tracks down. Moving the seat forward and back helps. And with the moveable, fixing the heater element is a lot easier.

I would try repairing the element first. It's cheaper and easier, and you know you've got the right element, because it came with the car.

Tools: needle nose pliers. Wire cutting pliers. A a few of pieces of twine. Soldering iron, solder. Some tie wraps. A little heat shrink tubing is nice.

Lean the seat back, so the bottom is accessable. Make sure you've disconnected any connectors so you aren't stretching cables. At the front of the seat, the cover is held to a metal bar with a couple of loops of stiff wire. Cut the loops (it's OK, you'll put it back with tie wraps when you're done). Under the seat you'll see metal wires coming through holes in the seat cushion, with bends at the end that loop over springs under the seat. Tie a piece of twine to the metal wire, and pull on it; with the slack, slip it off the spring holding it in place; it'll push back up into the seat cushion. The twine will make it easy to get later.

You will probably have to loosen the plastic on the side of the seat where the seat control switches are.

You want to loosen up the seat cover by unhooking the wires connected to the springs. I usually don't undo them all; I start at the front outside corner, and get just enough slack to start peeling the seat cover back. The wire break is usually at the front outside corner or the outside; I don't pull off more cover than I need to in order to get access - that much less to put back. I have had to remove the entire cover once, but it's rare.

Look for a burned spot in the foam on the seat. Usually pretty obvious. The foam will be burned away, too. Pull out a little of the wire ends, and clean them off by scraping with a knife blade. Slip the heat shrink over one side, solder the ends together, slip the heat shrink over the joint, and use the side of the iron to shrink it. The heat shrink isn't for electrical insulation; it's to give the joint a little mechanical strength. Don't pull out inches of wire, but don't be shy about pulling out one or two 'zig-zags' if it'll get you the access you need.

Check the resistance at the connector; if all is well (a few ohms), reassemble. I find that twine makes it easy to pull the wire hooks back down through the cushion. Don't try and reattach until most of the cover is in place. Slip the hooks over the springs, reattach the front of the seat with some tie wraps, bolt the seat down, reconnect the connectors, and have a warm butt.

posted by 192.249....
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