As time goes on, I can barely feel the air conditioning coming out of my seats anymore. How do you get into the seats cushions to clear the air passages?

 

Does your Navi have a seat filter and has it been changed?

 

I've been waiting for a long time for someone to post the answer to your question. It comes up here every now and then, but never gets any air time. I'd say it is pretty unlikley the filter will do anything to help. The system doesn't really draw all that much to the point the filter would get clogged. I went down that path and it did nothing except lighten my wallet by $30. The typical problem is that the foam breaks down and clogs the holes. I'm hoping someone will have a nice solution for getting the seat cover off and cleaning the holes, and/or a process for replacing the cushion.

 

allwaysford41 -

I have a 2003 Expedition EB 5.4 4x4 and the seat cushions took 3 minutes to pull off and 4 minutes to put back on!

Of course, my seats still don't produce heat or cool... but that is another issue, yet unresolved. Fuses checked, switch replaced, no wires running up the back of the seat, filter clean.

But the seat cushions are slip on with plastic clips to stretch and hold them on.

 

Can't you disconnect the ductwork from the seat and blow it clean with a shop-vac?

 

gzimmer...That's what I was looking for! Were the foam passages all filled with crumbled foam?

alloro - without the cushions off, no place for the stuff to blow out of! I expect with the covers off I'll be able to vac from the top side which I presume is the direction the crap fell into the passages from.

 

his subject anyone know where i can get a replacement seat bottom? (Medium parchement 03 EB )I have a tear in mine and just need the lower cover replaced.
Nice to see it can be removed...thanks!

 

Dealer
Junk Yard
Ebay (some there now for 195)
Local Shop to have it repaired

 

I checked the filter and it was like new.

To get started, you have to remove the side control panel first. This actually was the hardest part. It's held on with 1 screw in the front and 4 other varying retainers along the side. 2 pull out and 2 lift up. Be carful, I broke a couple of mine trying to figure it out but it still works. Also in the front there is a long plastic trim piece that just pulls off.

I found the plastic clips that hold the cover on but they are more like U gutter shaped strips that wrap around the steel seat frame. There is one long one in front, two short ones on each side and a couple of velcro straps that go around back. The leather also had a couple of velcro strips where it attached to the top center of the foam cushion. Once I got the leather removed the foam pad lifted out.

There was a lot of crumbled foam around the frame to vacuum up. I stuck the vacuum in every place I could see on the cushion and slapped the foam at the same time. I started the engine and turned the seat fan on high and vacuumed the duct while making as tight of air seal as I could.

After reassembly it is working again although my foam is so deteriorated along the edges I went ahead and ordered a new cushion from one or our sponsors www.partsguyed.com for $90.52. I called around and that was a great price.

I will be doing this all over again as soon as my new cushion arrives.

 

You should've waited a bit and alwaysfords41 would've bought it for you.

 

I still take donations!

 

Hey, you critcizing???????????????

 

I think you could have done this without taking off the surrounding trim. At least on the Expy, I got the seat cover all the way back by just unclipping the front clip and the two side ones from underneath in the front. I vac'd all around and blew air out through the open cell foam and perforations, and then vac'd from both sides as well. I also lifted the foam and vac'd the blower out. Seems to be a little better than it was, or maybe my butt is just being nice and trying to convince my brain it worked. I'm curious to see what you have to say with the new foam installed as mine was a bit broken down.

 

Nope...plotting revenge!

 

I will see if I can do the clips like you say, from the front when the new cushion shows up. Especially since I can't afford to brake any more retainers on the side panel.

I think most of the blockage I had was within the foam cushion passages that distribute the air through the thick foam cushion. The air runs from the fan, up through the flexible plastic duct, into the foam formed duct, out of the cushion distribution holes on the top of the foam cushion and into the bottom of the seat cover where the open cell foam is attached and distributes air through the leather perforations. I don't know if any of that makes sense unless your looking at the cushion, but there it is.

Unfortunately for those hoping to vacuum from the top or blow from the bottom without disassembly, I don't think you'll have much success.

My butt definately has me convinced it's cooler. After I get the new cushion installed, I guess the air conditioned back rest is next on the list for me.