Dirk Diggler

Hi guys,

I have an '03 TL-S (awesome car btw), the driver seat heater on the butt isn't working. The back part still heats, however. Just wondering if anyone else had this problem, and what's involved in fixing it? I've got over 60,000km, so I think it's out of warranty.

Thanks,

Joe.

Ken1997TL

Check underneath the seats for electrical connections that might be loose.

If not, the the heater pad is probably burnt out. Get it replaced under warranty.

derrick

You're still under warranty. (I heard it costs A LOT to get that replaced).

erdoc48

I had mine done- both the seat and back pads were burnt. Cost was $630 including parts/ labor (car had 70K miles on it at time of repair). If you have 60,000 KM (not miles) you're in luck- get it fixed now.

JimmyTLS

Wait hold on a minute! The back part of the seat is supposed to heat up too? I have an 03 TL-S by the way.

VTEC11

Ouch, that's expensive. The seat bottom on my driver's side dosn't heat up either. Seems like a common and expensive problem if your out of warranty.

shawn744

wow this is really funny....couple weeks ago i started noticing that the right side of the seat was getting hot enough to really hurt....i thought it was just me......so starting yesterday, the seat doesn't heat at all?....wtf....just the seat back heats up....a little hotter now too....

guess it's back to the dealer.....i can just imagine what they're gonna fuck up this time while fixing the seat....(that it if they fix it.....they might claim that the switch wasn't in the ON position or some other dumb shit like that).....can't wait to buy another one of these babies....

alleyesonmeee

The dealer told me that it would be over $700 for each seat, most of that is labor costs to take the leather off and put it back on after replacing the elements.

You're still under warranty though, so just bring it in to the dealership.

shawn744

sounds good.....but i thought the elements were accessible from the rear and bottom of the seat.....they have to take the leather off?......wtf?? dunno if i want them to do that....eek....risky.

reloaded

Damn..that's hella expensive... I have rarely ever used the heat seaters in my TL because I heard that using the heater screws up the seat quality. Someone told me the seats get all hard and cracked overtime. What you guys think about that? You guys think it's true or not?

shawn744

yeah, i don't think so.....


but if you're comparing over like 40 yrs....not even....if you just treat it with leather conditioner every 3 months you're fine.

carlos gonzales

i caught that before buying my tl-p 02 used (the front lower pad was not heating as much as the one on the back), i told the dealer to fix that before i pick it up. Ofcourse it was not fixed!!, next time i drop it off and when i picked it up i notice that now the lower pad of the passenger was not heating up as much!!!! WTF!! i gave them hell for this and they said it was probably just a coincidence that the other JUST stopped working.... ya right!! i bet they just switched it over.

anyways they replace all with brand new ones (so they say), and now they are working perfectly so far (its been a year)

LiQiCE

Just as a note, the passenger seat only heats the ass portion of the seat. The driver's side does both the ass and back portion. Its because there's an airbag sensor in the passenger seat that turns off the passenger airbag if a child is sitting there.

And I've found the leather on my driver's side has "bubbled" a bit from the heated seats ... so when you look at the leather, it isn't completely flat anymore. Probably could be fixed if it got stretched again but I've heard asking the dealer to do that will probably just make your seats worse.

May not be as much of a problem on the TL-Ps since you guys don't have the perforated leather on the seat.

alleyesonmeee

They are only partially accessible from what I understood from the service man at Acura. He told me that they have to completely un-upholster and re-upholster the leather off of the seat.

It is alot of $$$ just for seat heaters to be replaced. I don't think the heat messes with the leather when it is not used often for long periods of time. If you take care of the leather in your car, you should not have any problems with the heating elements affecting your leather. In the summer, use leather conditioner for parchment leather every month or so, and darker leather needs it every week or two. Also, tinted windows and keeping the sunroof closed while the car is parked helps maintain the interior.

Dirk Diggler

Thanks for the responses. According to you guys, I'm still under warranty so I'll give Ack a call on Monday. Too bad they have to remove the apolstry, I hope it goes back on as good as it was, or I'm going to p*ssed.

Joe.

reloaded

Thanks for the new info man..I didn't know both the heaters were only on the driver's side. But yea..I've noticed that bubbling on the ass part of my driver's side seat. It sucks..

Good luck Joe.

Dirk Diggler

Spoke to Acura, they told me the seat heater is out of warranty. 3yrs, 60,000km only. I've got 68,000km. I may have to yell and scream to get it covered now... bummer.

Joe.

smt51

The heated seat on my TL-S went a few weeks after I bought it and the extended Warranty doesn’t cover it. I got quoted $400CDN from the dealer just for parts. Luckily I found a local shop that installs a new kit that heats the bum and back for $250 per seat everything in.

russian_in_TLS03

I just got from the dealer today, my driver's seat bottom-and-back had almost non-detectible heat on LOW, but heated up hot the bottom only on HIGH. The technician just told me that he would get me new cushions (I understood complete cushions with elements in them, not to replace the elements only). I am under warranty so I am Ok, but interesting detail that he mentioned that those elements are of ceremic nature and can easily break inside the seat. One thing for sure that labor estimated at 2 hrs per cushion, not sure of the materials.

Comet2404

Wait a minute... Someone said that the passenger's ass portion only heats up and not the back part due to the airbag sensor? Well that might not affect the 99's right... since we dont have side airbags. I dont think I've ever used the passenger seat heater in my car.

NJ Aegean 03

It's not the side airbag, it's a sensor for the front airbag. If there is a child in the passenger seat (under a certain weight) the sensor is there to turn the airbag off in the event of an accident.

Mr Hyde

No he was right.

For 02 and up TL's, there is a sensor in the passenger side seat that turns off the side airbag if you arent seated correctly. If someone was leaning up against the door, and it went off, the side airbag would do more harm than good. Sensors detect that, and turn off BOTH side airbags if that happens, not the passenger side front airbag.

Check your owners manual.

obespalov

Same problem 2000 TL. Except it's passenger side so I am too cheap to have it fixed for that kind of money. I doubt I would pay more than 150$ for this fix, which does not seem to be possible.

shawn744

i was checkin out parts for the TL.....and unless i didn't read the parts right, the actual costs of the heater elements are around $120.....for the seat and and back....for the driver's side.

all labor charges aside of course.....i don't think this is DIY appropriate.....