Heated Seat Not Working Correctly

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

I use the heated seat feature (at 5am woo hoo )and thought it felt like the bottom was getting warm but not the top and this was confirmed when I sat in the passenger seat. both were on high with the selector on "both" and the drivers bottom was cooking but the top was meh. The passengers side was almost too hot to sit in between the bottom and the back.

Anyone have any ideas? Maybe theres a connection loose that I can check? Common issues?

Thank you!

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Probably the element, they aren't available anymore. Used is possible but it'll cost you.

If you take the seat covers off and inspect the portion of the seat that doesn't work you'll probably find a burnt section or two where the wires are ran inside the element.

My passenger side stopped at 130k and half my drivers side quit @ 140k. At that point I installed a non-heated seat panel and said to hell with it.

 

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

That sucks

Would it be too difficult to take the two seats and swap them so the drivers works? Car just rolled over 70k last week even though its as old as it is.

 

[chargerxr]

Dorman makes heated seat replacement elements for many different vehicles. If you really want them to work, I would do some research and see if you can't make a new replacement for another vehicle work in the Mark VIII seat. Of course you will still have to remove the seat skins, but with a little ingenuity I'm sure you morph one into the Mark seat. At least you would have a new element, that would hopefully last longer than a used Mark VIII element.

 

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

Dorman makes heated seat replacement elements for many different vehicles. If you really want them to work, I would do some research and see if you can't make a new replacement for another vehicle work in the Mark VIII seat. Of course you will still have to remove the seat skins, but with a little ingenuity I'm sure you morph one into the Mark seat. At least you would have a new element, that would hopefully last longer than a used Mark VIII element.

This is what I was thinking. I thought someone would've done this by now. It is starting to get colder here and I am missing the back heater more and more.

 

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

Does anyone have pictures or measurements of the element so I can find one close to stock?

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Does anyone have pictures or measurements of the element so I can find one close to stock?

I think I have my old foam top and bottoms with elements attached in the garage, i'll have to check when I get home.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Back portion:

Top center-

16" wide @ top
10" wide @ bottom
9" tall

Bottom center-

11x8

Sides-

17x5

-----------

Bottom portion:

Front-

18x8

Center-

11x9

Sides-

13x4.5

Why they usually stop working-

 

[Modular97LSC]

you can always sit on a heated pad.

 

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

I am not too concerned with getting it replaced perfectly, but if I can find something that I can just stick in the back portion to heat up my back.

Biggest thing is getting in the car in the morning and having a cold leather seat. Thats the only reason I don't like leather.

Thank you very much for the pictures and measurements. That is a great help.

 

[RUMBLE BEE 1546]

The ones I am finding are low/high units. Will they still work ok with the factory wiring and switches?

 

[2002WRXSTi]

My '98 had a new unit installed in it before I bought it. Seemed to have an intermittent problem. I fixed it by replacing the entire car with one that didn't have heated seats