Help with heated seats
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa, OK
Do any of you have 2005s? My 2003 would "cycle off" after maybe 10-15 minutes, but it got real hot before it did. My 2005 is different. It has a thermostat and the LED light on the switch stays on all the time. But...it seems to barely heat and is very unpredictable whether it will give you a noticeable bum warming or not.
Any help in this group of experts on the 2005 and later seat heaters?
Any help in this group of experts on the 2005 and later seat heaters?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 2
From: Flat Rock, MI
My 05 cycles the temp from high to low over several minutes (never timed it). I'd guess you seat heater needs to be replaced. Earlier in this thread I posted the Ford part number and what I paid for it over 2 years ago. It was a fairly easy swap. I removed the seat, set it on my bench and an hour later it was done and working.
To remove the seat bottom cover, there are plastic clips sewn to the seat material and you have to unhook these, they are at the front and back and are roughly 5" long. You many need a small screwdriver to help the clip come off. I can't recall, there maybe a hog ring or two on the sides. The lumbar **** just pulls off, make sure you slide your seat material over the lumbar stem otherwise you'll tear the material. There are also 3 (IIRC) hog rings that hold the heater element to the pad.
To remove the seat bottom cover, there are plastic clips sewn to the seat material and you have to unhook these, they are at the front and back and are roughly 5" long. You many need a small screwdriver to help the clip come off. I can't recall, there maybe a hog ring or two on the sides. The lumbar **** just pulls off, make sure you slide your seat material over the lumbar stem otherwise you'll tear the material. There are also 3 (IIRC) hog rings that hold the heater element to the pad.
Do any of you have 2005s? My 2003 would "cycle off" after maybe 10-15 minutes, but it got real hot before it did. My 2005 is different. It has a thermostat and the LED light on the switch stays on all the time. But...it seems to barely heat and is very unpredictable whether it will give you a noticeable bum warming or not.
Any help in this group of experts on the 2005 and later seat heaters?
Any help in this group of experts on the 2005 and later seat heaters?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,420
Likes: 16
From: Ouray, CO
My '05 seats heat up to HOT and then after a few minutes
cycle back off for a while and then come on again.
Somewhere I recall there is a timer that controls this vs.
a heat sensor.
I usually just use it to warm up the seat on those few cold days here
in FL then turn it off. It also helps on long drives if my back gets sore.
cycle back off for a while and then come on again.
Somewhere I recall there is a timer that controls this vs.
a heat sensor.
I usually just use it to warm up the seat on those few cold days here
in FL then turn it off. It also helps on long drives if my back gets sore.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 2
From: Tulsa, OK
My '05 seats heat up to HOT and then after a few minutes
cycle back off for a while and then come on again.
Somewhere I recall there is a timer that controls this vs.
a heat sensor.
I usually just use it to warm up the seat on those few cold days here
in FL then turn it off. It also helps on long drives if my back gets sore.
cycle back off for a while and then come on again.
Somewhere I recall there is a timer that controls this vs.
a heat sensor.
I usually just use it to warm up the seat on those few cold days here
in FL then turn it off. It also helps on long drives if my back gets sore.
Tuned
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 325
Likes: 1
From: Rhode Island
My wife let me know sunday night that her "bum" warmer wasnt working on the passenger seat.... I want to thank all you guys who figured this out. I followed this to the letter. Well actually, not to the letter, I did not take off the lumbar adjuster because I couldnt get it off. The hog rings in the seat were not difficult at all. After reading this entire thread, I made the repair in 15 mins. Maybe even less time. Wife is happy she has her bum warmer back, and thats all that matters!! Thanks again!!
well got the drivers working it was just a break in the heating element on the front of the seat.. simple solder and electrical tape and its all good.. 
im showing you in the picture what wires to check for resistance, if theres continuity its good, if theres no infinaty resistance it has a break in the wire.you can probe this plug after you disconnect it from under the seat and push around on the common areas on the seat with without taking it apart and somtimes you can see where the break is if you push in a certain area and the meter starts reading. both wires are lt blue with pink tracer. the red wire in this pic is just a wire from my meter to fit into the plug since the poker on that probe is busted off.
Good luck its pretty easy though, i suggest checking the resistance before removing the cover just in case its the controller instead..
Ray
im showing you in the picture what wires to check for resistance, if theres continuity its good, if theres no infinaty resistance it has a break in the wire.you can probe this plug after you disconnect it from under the seat and push around on the common areas on the seat with without taking it apart and somtimes you can see where the break is if you push in a certain area and the meter starts reading. both wires are lt blue with pink tracer. the red wire in this pic is just a wire from my meter to fit into the plug since the poker on that probe is busted off.
Good luck its pretty easy though, i suggest checking the resistance before removing the cover just in case its the controller instead..
Ray
New User
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Heated Seat - No light, No heat
Does anyone have this heated seat problem?
A common problem seems to be the light on but not heat. I have no light?
I push the button for heat, the light flashes for a second then goes out, no heat. My "on" button does not latch, seems to be a momentary contact? Also I have the heated seat modules, not relays.
My seats are out of a 2002 F250 Lariat but I put them in my 2004 F250. All of the seat controls (up/down, forward, reverse etc.) work fine 'cept for heat. Switched the modules around and they both do the same thing. Resistance checks seem OK, Pulled leather off but did not find any burn marks on either back/seat heater. Any ideas??????
Many thanks.
A common problem seems to be the light on but not heat. I have no light?
I push the button for heat, the light flashes for a second then goes out, no heat. My "on" button does not latch, seems to be a momentary contact? Also I have the heated seat modules, not relays.
My seats are out of a 2002 F250 Lariat but I put them in my 2004 F250. All of the seat controls (up/down, forward, reverse etc.) work fine 'cept for heat. Switched the modules around and they both do the same thing. Resistance checks seem OK, Pulled leather off but did not find any burn marks on either back/seat heater. Any ideas??????
Many thanks.
Last edited by shiprek; Mar 1, 2012 at 08:07 PM. Reason: Updated Header
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Cross-Country
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 97
Likes: 1
From: Southern New Mexico
The brother of a friend of mine, lost a seat in his Super Duty to a fire, likely caused by a seat heater malfunction. Seeing the pics in this thread, I can see the potential.
Guess I'll do a little proactive repair to my seat heaters and get rid of those super fine connecting wires.
Herb
Guess I'll do a little proactive repair to my seat heaters and get rid of those super fine connecting wires.
Herb
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 685
Likes: 0
From: Ft. Worth, TX
I'm in the process of trying to fix my seat heater as well and ordered part number 6C3Z14D696B on ebay for a fairly good price. I was disappointed to find out, however, that this was only the SEAT part of the heating pad, and not the seat and back. I was under the assumption that it was both.
Anyhow, are you guys finding that it is almost always the bottom element that is burned out? It makes sense to me since almost all of the pressure and movement from getting in and out would be on the bottom of the seat, as opposed to the back. I only want to take the seat apart once (or pay someone to do it once). I tried taking it apart before but was not successful... I got as far as the hog rings and couldn't see in there nor understand how anyone gets their hands or tools in there to undo them.
Anyone in the Austin, Texas area want to show me how to do it???
Anyhow, are you guys finding that it is almost always the bottom element that is burned out? It makes sense to me since almost all of the pressure and movement from getting in and out would be on the bottom of the seat, as opposed to the back. I only want to take the seat apart once (or pay someone to do it once). I tried taking it apart before but was not successful... I got as far as the hog rings and couldn't see in there nor understand how anyone gets their hands or tools in there to undo them.
Anyone in the Austin, Texas area want to show me how to do it???
New User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
Well I decided to tackle my heated seats in the 2000 excursion diesel today, well one of them anyhow, the passengers side, in case i messed up i could leave it apart and my wife could still go to work i figure.. 
I would give this repair a rating of 4 out of 10 difficulty just because it involves soldering wires, although you might be able to butt connect them but i would not suggest it since the heating element wires are tiny tiny tiny!!
So here is my tools i started with did not really even need them all so i will name the ones you will need.. 1 Phillips screwdriver, 1 soldering iron, some flux (makes the solder stick), and some silver solder, a set of needle nose pliers, and a long flat tip screwdriver.
First lift up the recline lever and remove the phillips screw under that, then slide the flattip screwdriver under the **** and pop that off just pry a little and it will come right off, there will be another phillips screw under the **** remove that one also, now remove the plastic cover on the recline lever with the phillips screw in the center of the plastic, ok now to the back of the seat, remove the plastic christmas tree fastener holding the back on, now pull the cover over the recline lever and let it dangle from the front screws you do nto need to remove them but you do need to disconnect the wires from the switch to the heated seat to get the fabric off. this is a picture of the **** and lever plastic cover i took off also you can see the christmas tree fastner i broke taking out.
( these are laying in the door pocket for storage tell i was ready to reinstall)
Now look under the front of the seat there is a white plastic strip that hold the seat fabric on it just goes over a flat piece of metal so you can just peel it off and push down on the front of the seat cushion that will give it some slack, and it will come off with your hand , it goes on flat metal kinda like door edging.
OK now peel that seat cover back over the foam, you may need to use the needle nose pliers to remove the 3 hog rings in the first valley to the cushion to get a comfortable work area, you just use the needle nose pliers and rotate the rings and they will come off.. you will see the problem area pretty easy after its rolled back
OK here is my burned wires towards the center console side of the seat they were burned good along with the foam..
there was about 6 inches of total wire burned to crisps here they are removed
Now here is the other side of the seat, the wires look good so im going to leave them alone, beside i might want something to fix later on too..
OK heres the wires cut and stripped read to be tinned with solder and have my new wire soldered in
And heres it repaired and working good!
nice warm elements again! i used i believe 12 gauge wire to repair it, could be 14 gauge though i just cut it out of a old harness i had laying around..
I gave it a little extra wire and pushed it down in the valley so it would not be so tight like the factory ones. putting it all back togeather is just reversed im sure you can figure it out.
Well hope you enjoyed my little write up.. now i will make my wife drive everywhere so i can enjoy the passenger side heat tell i fix the Drivers hehehe!
Ray
I would give this repair a rating of 4 out of 10 difficulty just because it involves soldering wires, although you might be able to butt connect them but i would not suggest it since the heating element wires are tiny tiny tiny!!
So here is my tools i started with did not really even need them all so i will name the ones you will need.. 1 Phillips screwdriver, 1 soldering iron, some flux (makes the solder stick), and some silver solder, a set of needle nose pliers, and a long flat tip screwdriver.
First lift up the recline lever and remove the phillips screw under that, then slide the flattip screwdriver under the **** and pop that off just pry a little and it will come right off, there will be another phillips screw under the **** remove that one also, now remove the plastic cover on the recline lever with the phillips screw in the center of the plastic, ok now to the back of the seat, remove the plastic christmas tree fastener holding the back on, now pull the cover over the recline lever and let it dangle from the front screws you do nto need to remove them but you do need to disconnect the wires from the switch to the heated seat to get the fabric off. this is a picture of the **** and lever plastic cover i took off also you can see the christmas tree fastner i broke taking out.
( these are laying in the door pocket for storage tell i was ready to reinstall)
Now look under the front of the seat there is a white plastic strip that hold the seat fabric on it just goes over a flat piece of metal so you can just peel it off and push down on the front of the seat cushion that will give it some slack, and it will come off with your hand , it goes on flat metal kinda like door edging.
OK now peel that seat cover back over the foam, you may need to use the needle nose pliers to remove the 3 hog rings in the first valley to the cushion to get a comfortable work area, you just use the needle nose pliers and rotate the rings and they will come off.. you will see the problem area pretty easy after its rolled back
OK here is my burned wires towards the center console side of the seat they were burned good along with the foam..
there was about 6 inches of total wire burned to crisps here they are removed
Now here is the other side of the seat, the wires look good so im going to leave them alone, beside i might want something to fix later on too..
OK heres the wires cut and stripped read to be tinned with solder and have my new wire soldered in
And heres it repaired and working good!
nice warm elements again! i used i believe 12 gauge wire to repair it, could be 14 gauge though i just cut it out of a old harness i had laying around..
I gave it a little extra wire and pushed it down in the valley so it would not be so tight like the factory ones. putting it all back togeather is just reversed im sure you can figure it out.
Well hope you enjoyed my little write up.. now i will make my wife drive everywhere so i can enjoy the passenger side heat tell i fix the Drivers hehehe!
Ray
What happened to the pics????
Great Write up though!
New User
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
I have taken the seat out twice and soldered the burned wires together. Now the temps have lowered and once more my sear does not work. Each time I take it apart it has burned a new section of wire. Has anyone replaced the entire element? Or better used an aftermarket kit to replace the OEM heater?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1,174
Likes: 2
From: Flat Rock, MI
I have taken the seat out twice and soldered the burned wires together. Now the temps have lowered and once more my sear does not work. Each time I take it apart it has burned a new section of wire. Has anyone replaced the entire element? Or better used an aftermarket kit to replace the OEM heater?
Freshman User
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
My seat is the same shape as the pictures posted here. I remove the bad ends of the wires and since the wires were long enough(someone had used bigger wire and fix the seat before) I twisted them together just to see. Turn the seat heater on and just a minute or two the wires started to smoke. Any ideals?