my driver side heated seat is not functioning. Also the back part of the passenger side. Where can i go to get it fix except the dealer? what could the problem be?

 

Is the back portion of the driver's seat supposed to heat up? Because my car has never done that. Sorry to bust in your thread like this. But are you still covered under some type of warranty? I had mines go too and the heated seat pads needed to be replaced. Hope that helps.

 

if you car over use the heating system in the seats they do burn out over time. especailly if you keep it on the high setting all the time. the Heating mechs needs to be swapped out. if you decide to used your heated seats put it on high first to warm them up once warm switch it to low so that its not over worked but your back side is still warm

 

the heated seat failure is a known issue and the only way to fix it is to get a new element from the dealer or try to find a aftermarket unit that will fit and work

 

but any idea where i can go for the repairing job?

 

dealer would be best and if its a fairly recent car they might cover it under warrenty

 

yes.....but not the passenger seat.

 

my ride is out of warranty. I just called the dealer, this guys quoted me $545 just for replacing both pads on the driver's side. $90 to do a diagnostic test!

 

It must be that time of year because I was just coming on here to ask a similar question. I'm trying to find a way to do a diagnostic of my own to make sure everything is working properly. I know the easiest way is to sit down in each seat and feel if they get warm, but I want a more quantifyable way to test. Like which parts of the seats are supposed to get warm? How hot are they supposed to get? I havn't done a search for this yet, but does anyone know of a seat heater related DIY?

 

do u need heated seats that bad??
the dealer is a ripoff

 

Measure the resistance on the heater (off and isolated), and check amperage (current draw) when on.


To both of you, Do you need a heated seat in CA?

 

yes yes, in so. calif...

 

I wonder if you could replace them yourself??? I would take the seat out and take a look at it before I spent $600 to get it fixed.

 

If You Can Find A Junked Car Maybe You Can Rip Them Out Of There

 

You mean, not the passenger seat BACK. Both driver seat bottom and seat back should heat, but only the passenger seat bottom.

 

yup

 

Need it? Probably not. But hey,.. If I have them, they should work. Besides, it's just one more reason to enjoy driving the TL. And just because we're in CA, doesn't mean that it doesn't get cold out here. Wether I'm cruisin' down the coast in a cold fog, coming down the mountains after a snowboarding trip, or driving home after a scuba diving trip in the 48 degree pacific,.. my butt likes to be warm.

 

FuzzyNutz! <~~~ you da man! i like to burn my balls w/ it! Pass fews days been rainin and cold, missed my heated seat so much...

 

48 deg. is warm.
If it is that temperature here, I would not even contemplating a move.

I guess your nuts are all fuzzy.
But checking the resistance and current draw should tell you if the heating element is bad or not.
I guess you can always swap the passenger side one, they are probably identical.

Burning the balls is one way of natural birth control.

 

I'm also looking for a DIY on these heating pads. I assume that there's two per seat. Anyone know if you have to replace both or can you just do one. I have passengers complaining that only one side of the seat is heating up. Although I would probably replace both if I were to fix it. If you find any info , I'd be interested in seeing it.

 

me waitin too...!

 

How far up the drivers seat back should heat up?

 

The heated seat doesn't work on the back of my passenger seat either. It says in the manual it won't. They give a lame excuse for it.

 

Okay look:

There are TWO heating elements in the driver seat. One in the seat bottom and one in the seat back. There is ONE heating element in the passenger seat bottom of 2000+ TLs because OPDS and the heating element don't like each other, for lack of a better way to put it.

These are expensive to replace because the seat upholstery has to be removed. Owner beware, removing the seats involves dealing with side SRS components and this can be dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

The driver's seat back will heat up your mid-back but doesn't reach to your shoulders.

To use this feature turn the switch to high until it gets warm, then flip the switch to low. This will keep constant heat and is easiest on the car's electrical system. Leaving the setting to high is a strain on the electrical system (per manual) and it will cut off once it reaches a certain temp. I use mine like this: I turn it on high until it warms up, then on low... after a few minutes it feels really nice and its not harming anything.

 

O.k. not wanting to be "that guy" that resurects and old overly used thread but my drivers heated seat just went out too. Now the thing is, both the bottom and the back heater stopped working at the same time which leads me to conclude that it's not an element problem 'cause what are the chances that both elements went bad at the same time. Anyway I know the best way to test this is to grab a volt meter and test the connections at every harness from the button to the element. If it's the actual relay switch from the button could I just switch it with the pasenger one for now? I'm just wondering if anyone has any other suggestions?

 

Is it just the 2000+ TL's that have only one element in the passanger seat? I have a 99TL and both the driver and passenger seats have two heating elements.

 

In 2000 they added side airbags and that's when the passenger seat became bottom-only.

 

i want to know why? the drivers side has side air bags and it has 2 elements

 

Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS).

In the passenger seat, there is a matrix of seven sensors. They are the ones that trigger the "SIDE AIRBAG OFF" light when it detects an out-of-position passenger or a car seat.

The driver's seat isn't affected because it has no OPDS sensors and is not tied into the "SIDE AIRBAG OFF" light in any way - despite Nalley Acura insisting that it did. They're the whole reason I hate dealers.

 

Anyone one who needs their seat heater replaced and doesnt want to do it themselves. Im willing to offer my service. Im in NJ..anyone close they can travel to me..i'll remove and install the new seat heater for 75$ in Labor.

PM me.

 

That's a good offer... anyone in that area, take advantage! Luckily my seat heaters are still working. What causes them to go out? And is there any way to "take care" of them, or are they just a feature with a life expectancy not as long as the rest of the car?

 

I know that, what i should have said, if other cars can do it why not acura?

 

there is absolutely no way to take care of them or treat them.

The seat heater is a pad, it lays underneath the leather on top of the cushion. Inside of the heat seater pad, there is a band that runs through it. Thats the heater, the heater then heats up the fire-proof pad and therefore warms your ass.

There are various reasons as to why seat heaters malfunction. Mostly because some people run them continuously and that heater band that runs through out the pad breaks therefore causing an OPEN in the circuit. That type of OPEN in the circuit is considered a component failure. You will actually see the "fire-proof" pad BURNT!

What i usually find is when people use them all winter, then stop using them all of the sudden for the summer, then go back to use them in the winter...it doesnt work.

Can't really explain it.

But yeah, if anyone is intrested, they can actually come to my house on my day off or even my work and watch me do it so they can go teach someone else, really doesnt matter to me..as long as i get paid BIATCH!

 

I should have figured that you knew that..

 

OK you all sorry I don't have a solution at this time but am here in Canada and having the same problem with my driver seat as well (both upper and lower seat). I spoke with the dealer said there's no warrantee for this part but that it's for sure the coil that's been burnt.

 

Hey Loud_Whispers, am really trying to get my seat working as well, am in Ontario Canada so its kind of hard getting to you. Anyway I could get the part though, dealer is a rip off......

 

I just had all three seat heating elements replaced under warranty (2 driver; passenger). If your car is still under warranty this should be covered. Your dealer is wrong.

 

Might have to take you up on that. For some reason after my TL-S being in the shop for 3 weeks both heated seats have stopped working.