Hey guys. I am really annoyed that the heated seats in my truck don't even start to heat until you sit on them. So when it's 5F outside and I go inside after starting my truck to let it warm, when I come back out it's still completely freezing inside the truck. Of course there is no heat at 5F for miles of driving, so it really stinks to sit there and shiver for a few mins while the seat heats up. Short of laying a heavy book (dunno if that would work) on the seat, does anyone have any idea how these heated seats work/determine you're sitting there? I'd love to somehow bypass that so they heat up right away! Just thought I'd throw this out there, haven't seen any posts on it yet.

 

My seats heat when warming up. My gal always comments that her seat is nice and warm when she gets in. Maybe I got better heaters since its a Canadian truck eh.

 

My seats won't warm up until sat upon as well (Canadian truck). Possibly they're such low power that the body insulates the seat and allows it to warm up?

 

Looking at the wiring diagram, I don't think the seat heater knows if it is being sat on...

My guess would be that the leather needs to be pressed into the heating element in order for you to feel the heat.

There was an earlier thread where a guy was contemplating attempting to alter the signal from the temp sensor to get them to run warmer... I suspect the control module would detect the out of range value and go into error mode, but maybe he got it to work?

 

Hmmmm, I don't have a third gen so I don't know. But I would bet on Jeffs's guess as well. That was first thing that crossed my mind. When it's 5 F inside your truck the seat surface would be very cool. The element would not be touch the surface of the seat.

When your butt sits on the seat, you force the seat surface into closer contact with the element, then slowly raise the temperature of the seat itself.

 

Don't feel to bad. They wouldn't heat up in my old Jeep until there was weight on the seat either. I think the thresh hold was around 50lbs to get them going.

 

I do feel too bad, because my $15k Jetta TDI had far better heated seats. There were 5 levels of heat to choose from, they heated up WAY WAY WAY faster than these POS dodge heated seats, and you didn't have to sit on them. This is the only vehicle out of 6 that I've owned/experienced with heated seats that you have to sit on. The fact that they dont get hot enough or heat quickly enough is beside the point though. I'd just like them to be warm when I get in the truck.

 

Look at it this way, you're a lightweight and not a fattie like Scottie that's crushed his seat to the elements.

BTW, not giving anyone a hard time... my seats would toch the element too. lol

 

Bubba - look at it this way, I work in the lighting industry

Maybe I could get Scotty to come crush my seat anyway though, so mine would heat up right away.

 

WHAT?

It's not cold in Cleveland, is it?

We're having a heat wave down south of you right now, 35*. Feels like summer next to the two weeks of 0-10* weather we had.

You're complaining cause your seats won't warm up, I can barely get my TRUCK to warm up

Just kiddin', I don't get to mess with the Ohio boys too often,
Chris

 

If you leave the control on recirc, it will start blowing warn air in just a couple minutes. I let my truck idle for about 5 minutes, come out and put it on recirc and warm air is blowing, even in the COLD.