Heated seats not working

[mackguy]

My heated seats aren't working. I checked the fuses. How can I trouble shoot the issue?

 

[Spastik Monkey]

Check power and ground at the heating element.

 

[Ironhead]

To expand on the reply from Spastik Monkey, I would get a multimeter, and check for voltage at the plug under the seat. I would assume you have to turn the switch for the seat heat on before doing this. Not sure how the circuit is wired, but if the fuse is OK, it would be a safe bet that the power goes to the switches, and then to the harness under the seat. If there is no power under the seat when the switches are on, I'd check for voltage at the switches.

Having said all that, you mentioned that both seats are not working. Possibly a ground issue.

 

[jkeaton]

My heated seats aren't working. I checked the fuses. How can I trouble shoot the issue?

Did this just start? Checked the fuses? Checked for power at the elements?

 

[mackguy]

Haven't worked during our ownership. Where are the plugs etc to check?


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[sewlow]

More than likely, the wire of the heating elements, which is embedded into the foam when it was molded, has broken down & probably separated in more than a few spots.
Or, like mine, they go wet right into the foam when they were on & shorted out the element wires. Found some seriously melted spots in the foam around those wires when I pulled the covers! That was kind of a moment just to stop & pause a bit. Ooo. Ouch.
The best fix is if (if!) you can find a good OEM or repro foam cushion with that embedded element. Good luck finding anything in the wreckers. These seats are old.
Only real fix is to run aftermarket heaters, wired into the factory switches.
The aftermarket heaters are encapsulated in an airtight kinda plasticy/nylon unit. Which I would think to also be somewhat water proof.
Still, I'd still be pretty careful not to spill a drink in my lap. Not a safety factor that I'd wanna test out.

 

[sewlow]

Did this just start? Checked the fuses? Checked for power at the elements?

That too! And the switches can act up. They can filled with gunk. They're pretty simple. Take them apart & clean all the contacts. The wiring pin connections sometimes have to be played with to get to work. The plastic housings break down just from exposure or could be broken from a P/O. Check along the wiring harness from the switch to where it goes in to the foam. I've seen where that has been cut or rubbed through from the raw edge of the seat pan as it runs along that. Seen that wiring get pinched or pulled too from so many reclines & flip forwards over the years.

 

[mackguy]

Thanks all, definitely some things here to check!