Heated seat indicators
Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,708
Likes: 7
From: Circle City
Heated seat indicators
Personally, I had a problem when I got my truck. I found that It was very easy to turn on my heated seats without knowing it.
I would brush my leg across the button while sliding in and out of the truck and sometimes the button would be pressed turning on the heating element.
I don't know what's worst, having my heated seat come on while it's already a hundred degrees out or having the passenger seat on constantly without knowing that it's cooking whatever I set there while driving.
Here are a few pictures of what I did to rectify the problem of not knowing when the blasted heating element was on or off. I would keep crouching down to look but it's impossible while driving.
in this picture, the seat heater is ON, can you believe it?!
and believe me, it's just as hard to tell in this picture as it is standing there looking at it in person
-------------------------------------------
This is a shot of the center console where I located the indicators, both are "off" .
For you guys with the bench seats, you will have to find some place on the dash for your LED's.
-------------------------------------------
This shows the drivers side "on".
The reason I located the lights behind the cup cubbies and not in front is because when there is a cup in the holder, the view of the LED would be obstructed.
It isn't rocket science to do this simple mod, I just removed the seats and attached the (+) wire to the red indicator to the "yellow" wire under the seat, this is the hot wire going to the seats heating element and grounded the other end of the LED.
At night, it really looks great and as you can see, during the daytime it is clearly visible to know when your seats are on.
Now I hope you guys would also post your contribution to how you customized your truck in one way or another.
So what do you think?
Thanks for your support.
I would brush my leg across the button while sliding in and out of the truck and sometimes the button would be pressed turning on the heating element.
I don't know what's worst, having my heated seat come on while it's already a hundred degrees out or having the passenger seat on constantly without knowing that it's cooking whatever I set there while driving.
Here are a few pictures of what I did to rectify the problem of not knowing when the blasted heating element was on or off. I would keep crouching down to look but it's impossible while driving.
in this picture, the seat heater is ON, can you believe it?!
and believe me, it's just as hard to tell in this picture as it is standing there looking at it in person
-------------------------------------------
This is a shot of the center console where I located the indicators, both are "off" .
For you guys with the bench seats, you will have to find some place on the dash for your LED's.
-------------------------------------------
This shows the drivers side "on".
The reason I located the lights behind the cup cubbies and not in front is because when there is a cup in the holder, the view of the LED would be obstructed.
It isn't rocket science to do this simple mod, I just removed the seats and attached the (+) wire to the red indicator to the "yellow" wire under the seat, this is the hot wire going to the seats heating element and grounded the other end of the LED.
At night, it really looks great and as you can see, during the daytime it is clearly visible to know when your seats are on.
Now I hope you guys would also post your contribution to how you customized your truck in one way or another.
So what do you think?
Thanks for your support.
Junior User
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 90
Likes: 0
From: DE
Not sure if there will be a need to delete this reply based on your
other thread,but its cool if that needs to keep the clutter down.
Just want to add..Looks great,Im willing to bet this will be something
many do,even if they dont brush against the button upon entry/exit.
other thread,but its cool if that needs to keep the clutter down.
Just want to add..Looks great,Im willing to bet this will be something
many do,even if they dont brush against the button upon entry/exit.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 131
Likes: 2
From: Cen, CA
I have the same problem it drives me crazy. Ill probly have to do this some weekend. Just not sure where I would want to add the lights since i have the bench seat.
BTW Very cool idea i never would have thought to do this lol
BTW Very cool idea i never would have thought to do this lol
Freshman User
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 44
Likes: 0
From: Louisiana
That looks great. I want to do this. My wife is always bumping that switch on. So where do you get these LED lights and how do they mount? Did you use the seat mounting bolts for the ground. Thanks. As you can see, I'm not a rocket scientist.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 176
Likes: 0
Has anyone done a mod to where you could lower the power or provide adjustable power to the heated seats?? This is a horrible implementation by ford.. Its either off or too damn hot.
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Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,708
Likes: 7
From: Circle City
First you want to find one that offers a "wide angle", there are so many led's out there, some you can't read unless you are almost directly over it. This one I got at radio shack, it has a 'lens' on it with concentric rings which offer the user to have a bright light even if they are at an acute angle to the LED. ( ok, so there is a little rocket science to it)
. I chose 'red' only because orange wasn't availible in this size. Blue or green wasn't an option since it these are not "hot" colors.This particular LED has a flat lens as apposed to one that is rounded which also offered a small lip to rest atop the drilled console. As far as grounding, this was done under the console.
I added a plug under the console so when it is ever removed again, the wires just "unplug". Same goes for under the seats, each one also has a connector for any future removal of the seats. I also went the extra step and put another layer of insulation over each wire to the LED as a precautionary measure instead of adding an inline fuse. This was just in case the indicator wire got pinched over time, because the gauge I used was pretty small. 22 gauge I believe.
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Thread Starter
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,708
Likes: 7
From: Circle City
Easy fix, you would have to install a voltage regulator in line with the heating element. Possibly locate it down by the seat switches using maybe a 3 position pot for control. (Low, Med, Hi.)
Reads ***** rules!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 3
From: So.Ca./ N.E. UT
One of the things I haven't gotten to that really annoys me, thanks for the post! Will be adding l.e.d.s shortly. I want to put the heaters in the rear bucket seats as well...anyone know the part #'s for the heating elements, etc? Without the rear passenger ducts it gets really cold back there when it's 17* out.
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 514
Likes: 1
From: Tampa
If anyone is interested in doing a variable temp setting I am sure a simple potentiometer in line with the led would work perfect, You can actually probably find a multi level led that gets brighter as the potentiometer is increased resluting in higher temps for the seats. I think I am going to try something like this. Maybe market it or something.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Utah
I used a small relay to control power to both seats. I wired it to one of my aux switches on my 05. That way I can kill the power to both seats in the summer. Then in the winter, all I have to do is flip the neat little switch Ford put in the dash and power is ready to heat the seat at the push of the seat button (on purpose or accidentally). At least it doesn't take all day to cool your toosh if it is accidental in the winter.
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 118
Likes: 0
From: Tacoma, WA.
On topic of heated seats, but kinda off topic too....
Can anyone tell me if there is a heating element in the butt of the seat and also the back of the the seat. Or, is it only in the butt.
The reason I ask, is that my heated seat stopped working so I ordered a new element and they sent me only one heating element. I've installed heated seats in 3 different cars and they all have come with back and butt heating elements, but does my 2004 Ford F350 quadcab only have it in the butt?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Can anyone tell me if there is a heating element in the butt of the seat and also the back of the the seat. Or, is it only in the butt.
The reason I ask, is that my heated seat stopped working so I ordered a new element and they sent me only one heating element. I've installed heated seats in 3 different cars and they all have come with back and butt heating elements, but does my 2004 Ford F350 quadcab only have it in the butt?
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
