KJ_Gopher Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 My seat heater is no longer working on the driver side but is fine on the passenger side. What do I need to do to figure out what is not working and is it possible to buy the correct part and fix it myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 14, 2010 Share Posted October 14, 2010 common failure, heated seats don't typically last long. replacement is possible but rather complicated too. i swapped the entire seat. there's some other threads about it. the heated seats are weak. i didn't install the extra set i bought into my other car like i thought i would because the OBW that has them isn't that impressive. the car warms up so fast that by the time it warms up and i feel it through my layers of clothes the car is already blowing hot air. and even then if the rest of me is 10 degrees i could care less about a few squares inches being warm. given the difficultly in fixing i consider it novelty, but it is a nice novelty. maybe i can install two seat heaters in each seat, would that warm it up quicker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WoodsWagon Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 The seat heater grids get busted from people kneeling on the seat or people with exceptionally boney buts. If the light on the heater switch lights up on high but not on low, then at least 1 of the grids is still working (usually the one in the chair back). You have to remove the seat from the car, then take the plastic trim off and cut all the hogrings holding the upholstry on. Replace the heater grid, then redo all the hogrings and "assembly is the reverse of removal". Aftermarket heater grids are available and cheaper that the factory ones. Heaters are nice if you have a bad/sore back. Other than that they're pretty pointless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted October 15, 2010 Share Posted October 15, 2010 Heaters are nice if you have a bad/sore back. Other than that they're pretty pointless. +1000 My back gets too tight to even drive in very cold weather. I HAD to add some heated seats to both my daily drivers. (89 GL wagon, 84 GL sedan) Only rig that doesn't have them yet is my Lifted 84 Wheeler wagon and my Toyota van (of course the Van the seats are directly over the engine so they're heated that way:lol:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bheinen74 Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 I think heated seats in Minnesota do qualify as necessity, It is colder than cold for 6 months of the year. temps of -20 are the norm there in Jan/Feb for weeks straight. those of you who say they are pointless, are not from there.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted October 16, 2010 Share Posted October 16, 2010 (edited) a few of us have FSM's and could probably send you the appropriate pages for disassembling the seats if you were interested in it. an upholstery place might do it for you if you took them the seat. they're probably more equipped and maybe cheaper than subaru. just make sure they know it has side air bags if it does. any difference between cloth/leather i wonder? a friend of mine said his other cars (i forget which he meant - BMW maybe) warmed up much quicker? i've never used them in other cars. those of you who say they are pointless, are not from there....maybe. for me, the colder it is the more their inefficiencies stand out. they aren't fast enough..colder and thicker clothes won't help that. bottom line for me is the car is warm by the time they're getting you warm. preference i guess, when i reach my limit there's need of serious attention, not just a bit of added comfort. my wife, with lesser tolerance may like the added comfort...although ironically she never uses them. i thought she'd like them more than me. they feel good from time to time but as a cold weather combatant i haven't experienced it. Edited October 16, 2010 by grossgary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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