Heated Seat Element Burnt Out?

My driver's side heated seat just quit.

I tried swapping in the controller from the passenger side, but the seat still does not heat up. I've also checked that there is power coming in and out of the controller, and that the power arrives at the plug under the seat (thank heaven I didn't set off the airbag somehow while tinkering around).

Any other suggestions?


Does anyone know what wires go to/from the element? I assume that if the resistance is infinite then the element is buggered.


ps. The dealer estimates $400 to replace the element.....it only cost $205 to get both heated seats as an option when buying the car.

[ September 13, 2001: Message edited by: Steve ]

Your right on the resistance thing. Open circuit, lots of resistance (Infinity). Short circuit, no resistance (Fuses die). Some resistance - element should be OK.

I just received the Bentley manual for my car. I will search for this stuff tonight - though it may not be in there. I have not "tripped" over it yet.

I am very interested in this, as I also have heated (leather) fanny check heaters.

Many Regards

Non-leather seats: At the 6-pin green connector under the seat, pin 4 is to the heating element in the seat which is in series with the heating element in the backrest via a double-connector below the driver's seat pin 1. Ground for the heater is through pin 2 of the double connector and that goes back to pin 3 of the green connector and that goes to ground. Pin 2 of the green connector goes to the temperature sensor in the seat and pin 1 provides its ground.

If either the backrest burns out, or the seat burns out, neither will heat.

Since you say voltage is getting to the heating element, it would indicate that the sensor is good.

For leather seats, all heating elements are in parallel. Voltage supplied on green connector pin 4. From there it goes to driver seat heater via 4 pin connector pin 4, with pin 3 to ground via green connector pin 3. The bolster heaters are connected directly to the green connector pin 4 (same ground at the green connector). Drivers backrest heater supply voltage is from the green connector pin 4 to double connector pin 1, then another double connector pin 1 (both under the drivers seat), and grounds through pin 2 of both connectors and to the same common ground at green connector pin 3.

At least that is the info I can glean from the Bentley.

Thanks for the help. Looks like I'll be checking out pins #3 and #4 tonight.

If only one of the two elements is burned out, perhaps I could bypass it and operate with only one good element.

(I don't want to go through a Canadian winter with just the miserly heat output of the TDI engine to keep me warm.)

A word of caution with heated seats. Don't kneel on them. This could stress the heating foil and damage it.

Harry.

I agree with MIGOLFGLSTDI. Found on pages (starting at) 97-182 for non-leather, and 97-186 for leather.

Hopefully your troubles are only a loose connection. The cost of replacement is rather high.

Good Luck

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve:
....perhaps I could bypass it and operate with only one good element.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Steve, how did you make out with that test & bypass? I think I may have the same problem. I checked, and the fuse is good, passenger seat heats fine. I replaced the rotary switch, but still no heat. I fear it's an element.

Does anyone know how I can replace the element myself? (assuming of course that the element is the problem). Are there instructions posted someplace (I searched, but did not find them).

Thanx for any input...

I still haven't progressed past diagnosing a bad element.

I did contact the dealer to determine how many $$$ a replacement element is ... get this $395!!!!!! And that's just for one of the two elements in the seat.

VW doesn't sell the elements separately. You have to buy a new seat cover which comes with the heating element. Almost $400 for the bottom seat cover. I didn't ask how much the seat-back cover would cost

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Steve:
I did contact the dealer to determine how many $$$ a replacement element is ... get this $395!!!!!! And that's just for one of the two elements in the seat.

VW doesn't sell the elements separately. You have to buy a new seat cover which comes with the heating element. Almost $400 for the bottom seat cover. I didn't ask how much the seat-back cover would cost

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

So you're saying that to just do the seat bottom, it'll be almost $800? or does the 395 you quoted include the seat cover. Good grief...I sure hope so.

I wonder if it would be cheaper to buy a new seat.

No, $395 was the bottom seat cover and the bottom heating element (they are listed as one part number by VW).

Steve said:

"I don't want to go through a Canadian winter with just the miserly heat output of the TDI engine to keep me warm."

As a fellow Calgarian I found this comment of interest as I am contemplating purchase of a TDI 2 door for which heated seats are not available AFAIK. I've read other comments as well re the low heat output of the TDI and am leary of experiencing excessive bun freezing - would you have bought a TDI without the heated seats??

Since you opened the gate, I'll expand on whether heated seats are required or not and give you my opinion of the car after 55,000 km in 2 years (one winter of operation so far):

1. Generally I'm satisfied with the car, but mostly because of the TDI engine. The rest of the car is average.

2. VW service isn't too hot, but it seems to have improved over the last year.

3. The TDI engine is the saving grace - I am very impressed with the engine.

4. The gearbox/shift assembly (5-speed) is not very good. I have trouble getting the car into 2nd gear when it is cold out.

5. When it's cold out (say -20 C), it takes about 8 km of driving to get heat out of the car. My normal commute is about 12 km, so most of the trip I rely on the heated seats.

6. When it's really cold out (say -30 C), the heater never gets really hot unless you're driving at highway speeds. City driving gives you luke-warm heat (but enough to keep you warm and the windows clear).

To sum up, the heated seats were really nice to have, but were not essential. I would still buy a TDI without heated seats, and just suffer through the first 5-10 minutes of driving in the cold.

(Perhaps aftermarket heated seats are an option??? Apparently the air-bag in the seat is a bit of a problem with aftermarket heaters, but I haven't inquired).

Curious Steve... on the cold/really cold days, do you use the heat with recirculate or fresh air mode?

Fresh air mode. On re-circ I think the windows will fog up too quickly.

Steve, I came across this info and that it may be of use. Check it out. A repair may be cheaper than replacement.

Audi heated seat repair info.

MIGolf:

Thank you. It looks like it'll work! My seat heats intermittently. The fuses are all ok, and the switch has been replaced. This leaves only the wiring, thermostat and elements as being the cause of this intermittent problem. With it being intermittent, it points to a bad connection somehow/somewhere. When I get a chance in the next week or so, I'll check it out, and post back here to advise of the status.

I have also come across

http://www.audifans.com/archives/1998/08/msg02410.html

and this (caution: it may be hard on the eyes - the background color is a loud red!)

http://www.20v.org/seatheat.htm

Good luck with your repairs. Let us know how you make out.

Thanks for the links! BTW I called a second dealer to get a price for a replacement element - they only wanted $209. I don't know why the first dealer is asking $395 for the same part.