Heated seats not working

[zoomer]

Hi can anyone help, heated seats not heating up. Switches light up when pressed but no heat,tried to locate a fuse but nothing to indicate which one it might be, checked connections underneath seats they seem ok !:(
Any suggestions????

[mjb]

If I remember correctly the connection is a red 2-pin jobbie. Stick a multimeter on the pins and see if you get 12v when the switch is pressed (requires the engine to be running like the heated rear windscreen). If you get the 12v your heater element is probably toast. If not, you're lucky because it's a wiring issue

[zoomer]

Thanks for the advice mjb, will give it ago. .....If it is the heater elements are they expensive to replace or is it just a pig of a job to do, or worse than that is it both!!

[jameslxdt]

if its the element its easier to find and fit a used seat

[neildavies]

I've only ust (last weekend) replaced the heated seat (just the base element) of my coupe. Fiddly awkward, seat out of the car job, but I'd do it again over taking to somewhere. Not sure of the differeced over the saloon and coupe seats, but I could offer advice possibly.

The seat element was £103 (bastards!) and I knew the seat base element had gone as for the last few months, it has been burning the left cheek of my arse!

[Welly]

What is it? like a pad thing? and is there one for the base and one for the lower back?

How do you get the thing out? where is it? do you have to remove the sponge?

So manys Q's....not enough time........

Anyway - Brave job Neil!!!!

[neildavies]

It's like a thin layer of foam that's sticky back and sticks to the foam. There's one for the seat base and one for the back. On the coupe, the back one costs about £70 and the base cost £103. When you take the leather off the seat, the foam is loose.

The seat is taken out with 4 bolts on the runners and shed loads of colour coded connectors.

[Ritchie]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread

How difficult was it to replace the heating elements once the seat was off Neil? I don’t have a coupe like yourself, but I can’t imagine it would be a great deal different.

The universal heated seat kits are only about 50 quid and come with 2 base and 2 back elements. For that price I was thinking of giving it a go.

The Haines manual says it’s to difficult for the home mechanic, but its obviously possible as you have managed it

[mjb]

I always had it down as needing to unstitch the arse-facing part of the seat, which is why i never bothered to try it on my tubby

[neildavies]

It was about a 3 hour job from getting the toolbox out to washing my hands. Not tasking on the brain, just really tricky. I replaced the metal rings (you'll know what I mean if you take it off) with small cable ties, that way you can break them off with a wire cutters. The heating element is then a sticky cover over the shape of the cushion. The leather had to come off to fir it though, that's the metal clips I was on about.

I wondered if it was worth it and it's only that while I have this car, I want all the toys that goes with it.

As you say, I can't imagine the saloon being much different.

[Welly]

You could allways get a price from one of these re-trimming places????

[Ritchie]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I might give it a go as the next winter approaches. Seems silly doing it now when it’s going to start getting warmer again (I hope!)

It is a feature I could live without, it’s just that I get pissed off when things don’t work.

Welton… do you mean like an upholster?

[Welly]

Thanks for the replies guys.

I might give it a go as the next winter approaches. Seems silly doing it now when it’s going to start getting warmer again (I hope!)

It is a feature I could live without, it’s just that I get pissed off when things don’t work.

Welton… do you mean like an upholster?

Winter? mine are on for probably 9 months of the year

And yes, an upholsterer but one which does car interiors - they'll have the leather off and, more importantly, back on properly in no time. If you can just deliver the whole seat to them with the spare heater pads, they will do it in one day.

[DaiRees]

Where are you from Ritchie?

I know a good car upholsterer in South Wales if that's any use to you?

[Ritchie]

I think when it’s a nice day and I’m in the mood I might get the seat off and take a look at what’s what. If it looks too complicated I might go and see if I can get a quote from an upholsterer

DaiRees… I’m in Surrey, so it’s a bit far for me to go ;). Thanks anyway.