How to Troubleshoot the Heated Seats in Vehicles

Vehicles manufacturers many types of Vehicles from Vehicles vans and Vehicles to sedans and sports cars. Some Vehicles are equipped with heated front seats. The seats have a built-in heating system that can be turned on Vehicles the touch of a button, located on the side of the seat. Heated seats are a great feature if you drive in cold winter months. If your heated seats are not working properly, the most likely reason is that the electrical fuse needs to be replaced.

Under The Hood:

• How to Troubleshoot the Heated Seats in a Dodge
• How to Troubleshoot Heated Seats in a 2004 Ford Explorer
• How to Troubleshoot Heated Seats in a 2003 GMC Yukon
• How to Troubleshoot the Heated Seats in a 2006 Chevy Silverado

 How to Troubleshoot the Heated Seats in a Dodge

Turn on the heated front seat in your Dodge by pushing the side power button. Let the seat heat up for one minute. If you do not feel any heat when you touch the seat, replace the fuse.

Locate the fuse box under the driver's side console in your Dodge vehicle. Refer to your owner's manual for a diagram of the fuse box location, if you are unable to locate it on your own. Remove the fuse box cover. You'll notice that a diagram of the fuses is printed on the cover. Locate the fuse for the heated seat.

Remove the fuse for the heated seat by sliding it out. Throw the fuse away. Slide the replacement fuse into place and close the fuse box cover. Turn on the heated seat switch and allow the seat to heat up for one minute. You should feel heat radiating from the seat.

 How to Troubleshoot Heated Seats in a 2004 Ford Explorer

Check the fuses in the Ford Explorer. The fuse box is underneath the driver's side console. Detach the cover for the fuse box, which will reveal a diagram printed on the opposite side showing where the heated seat fuse is placed. Slide out the fuse and inspect it to see if the fuse is broken. If so, replace it with a new fuse. This is the easiest and simplest fix for the heated seat circuit.

Turn the Explorer on and turn on the switch for the heated seats. The heated seat image near the switch should light up. If it does not, then that may mean something in your switch is bad. Remove the console where the switch is placed, and use a voltmeter to check different parts of the circuit around the heated seat button. If you find a bad connection, use a soldering iron or replace the connection with a new part.

Use a voltmeter to inspect the connection between the electrical system for the Explorer and the heated seat element. Turn the heated seat switch on. Test the connection by applying the voltmeter to the circuit before and after the heated seat connection. Unplug the heated seat connection module and test the three pins on the inside for continuity with the voltmeter. Clean any loose debris, dust or dirt that may be getting in the way of an electrical connection between the car's electrical system and the heated seat connection. If the connection on the electrical system's part is registering but the connection on the part of the heated seat module is not, you have a bad connection that must be replaced with a new connection switch.

Remove the seat cover. Inspect the underside of the seat cover and the rest of the insulation material for burnt spots along the tracks of the heated seat element. Burnt spots indicate where the circuit has broken. You can solder the circuit back together or replace the entire circuit. The latter would make more sense, because you have already gone through the trouble of exposing the heated seat element. However, if you do choose to solder the circuit back together, wrap it in electrical tape and use heat shrink wrap material to protect your soldered circuit.

 How to Troubleshoot Heated Seats in a 2003 GMC Yukon

Check the Controls

Turn the key in the ignition to the "On" position. The heated seats will not work if the ignition for the vehicle is not on.

Determine which part of the seat is not heating to the desired comfort level. The seat consists of a backrest and the lower seat which are controlled separately.

Press the button on the control panel for the heating option you prefer. Activate the backrest by pressing the button the "Heated Seatback" button. Press the "Heated Seat and Seatback" button if you want to activate both the lower seat and the backrest.

Verify that the indicator lights come on for the button that you pressed. Press the button once to select a different temperature option. Temperature options include high, medium and low.

Verify that the correct option is selected by observing the indicator lights above the button. Three lights indicate high, two lights indicate medium and one light indicates low.

Check the Fuses

Locate the fuse panel that is under the dash on the driver side, and remove the fuse panel cover.

View the diagram on the cover to find the fuse for the heated seats. Pull the fuse out of the panel with the needle-nose pliers or fuse puller.

Examine the fuse to see if the metal strip is broken, which indicates a blown fuse. Replace a blown fuse with a new one.

Check the Wiring Connector

Disconnect the connector for the heated seat circuit. This can be found under the driver and passenger seat.

Test the connector with a voltmeter. Insert one end of the probe into one of the pins on the connector. If there is no reading on the voltmeter then the connector is malfunctioning.

Clean the connector thoroughly and check it again with the voltmeter. If there is still no reading the connector needs to be replaced.

 How to Troubleshoot the Heated Seats in a 2006 Chevy Silverado

Press the correct control if the seat isn't heating properly. The seatback on its own, and the seat and seatback together can be controlled separately. The controls are located on the driver and passenger doors. Press the heated seatback switch, which is the control with the heat waves icon superimposed on a seatback icon, for seatback heating on its own. Press the other control---which has an icon of heat waves passing through both the seat back and the seat---to turn both seat and seatback heating on together.

Press the button multiple times if the temperature is uncomfortable. Each press toggles through the settings which can be "Off," "High," "Medium" and "Low." The lights show the level selected with one light for low, two for medium and so on.

Restart the engine and press the heated seat buttons again if the engine is turned off and the seats become cold. The seats will only heat while the ignition is on. They will be turned off if you turn the ignition off.