StanNH

I thought my ventilated seats were not working, and actually called for an appointment with my dealer to have them checked out.

I'd been feeling for air flow under and around the seats, and could feel nothing, so I thought they might not be working. Then the other day, while sitting in the driveway, my wife noticed the sound of a fan coming from her seat. The sound changed with her seat settings, and stopped when turned off. I checked my seat, and heard the fan as well. So, apparently, the ventilated seat function is working.

I still don't know what part of the seat is ventilated ... and can it be felt with your hand? I have yet to feel any air flow coming from either front seat.

vic viper

Four fans per seat, two in the seat ad two in the backrest, they are pretty weak, it may not be possible to feel air flow with your bare hand.

floridadriver

Hi Stan, ask your dealer to take a good feel the seats of another Mercedes. After they say, 'excuse me, you wanna feel what', you'd be able to see if yours abnormal.

Mine feel noticeable, but subtle and diffuse. There's not a lot of difference between low and high. I had another car which directed the vented seat air it right at the back side, and it felt a bit too personal. MB did it right for the hot weather we have here.

Boudicca

lol......I don't think it's for keeping your hands dry.....

mmaldin

I hear mine but can barely feel them.

jolt8631

In the UK the output must be really poor - so much so that MB decided (for us) we didn't need it!

It's a shame really, there are probably, at least, three days a year where we can switch off the heated seats (or so it seems) and would appreciate the coolers. Jags offer them, so too do most of the larger SUVs.

Oh well, bit like the 360 camera - another option I would have liked, but can't have.

StanNH

I use the paper towel dispenser that comes with the US Interior Package for that, Queen Boudicca.

floridadriver

Yea...the MBUSA towel dispensing package...I think I found a pic of it (Child portion of the dispenser not included standard, but if added, she'll hand you a towel if you use Comand system and say "Towel Please")

nbar1

Do I have to turn this on somehow? I've never noticed it..

edit: nvm, thought this was standard.

bwoodbmw

this is too bad.... well ventilated seats are amazing. Having them in my Overland Grand Cherokee makes me think I could never live without.

PeteInGilroy

The output of the ventilated seats is weak, but noticeable. Hard to believe but it's better than Lexus and Toyota vehicles.

It is more noticeable if you activate it after being parked in the shade, rather than the seats being exposed to direct sunlight.

XPS

I used it on my sister's Optima on a hot day, and it felt like I had cold sweat. lol

PeterUbers

These ventilated seats are the worst around

However it works ideally when the cabin temp is very cool... As the intake is behind the seats... It's too bad some AC can't be routed to the intakes

Someone said they bought those taxicab bead seat covers and it (lol!!) improved airflow to their swamp a$$ to make the vents more usable... True story

Something to consider

Xzer0

I've never used the ventilated seats

What do they feel like?

and what happens if you use them with the heated seats? do you get warm/hot air?

DRbenz809

This was a feature I was really looking forward to and was greatly disappointed.
Only way you can possibly feel anything is once the cabin is super cold.

Dfpjr111

Any idea if a 2003 lower drivers side seat cushion from a e350 will directly bolt in to a 2007 e350? The cushions look almost identical

hyperion667

is this your first MB?

StanNH

For me, yes. Overall, I am very impressed with the car, but it certainly does have its oddities. The "delicate" nature of the ventilated seats is odd, but the inability of the car to tell you that a door is ajar is really strange. You get all sorts of transmission/Park notifications, but then it leaves it up to your own investigative skills to try to figure out what it really means.

Yidney

Just happened to see this thread on the home page. Nice to know MB has not managed to improve this option since my car was built in 2008. It's so dumb I forget I have it. If your back is already sweaty, then you can sense that your back feels a bit cooler, but it's so subtle that it could almost be your imagination. Having said that, I'd still buy it, at least in my car, because to me the perforated leather looks so much better than the smooth leather.

hyperion667

call me crazy but I can feel 'cooler' than normal air in my seat: my E class sucked, but they work well in the S

Quadcammer

guys, this sounds like a fundamental misunderstanding of the operation here.

The fans do not blow through the holes in the seat but rather suck air through the holes in the seat and blow it out the back of the seat.

They are not cooled.

Some w211 guys have gone to bigger and more powerful computer fans to increase the feeling, but they are a bit noisy and require some cutting of the seat insides.

Yidney

I know they are not cooled - but air moving across a sweaty back feels cooler. If it didn't, then these would be totally useless. As for direction of flow, never really paid much attention because it hardly matters given how little flow there is in any direction.

Xzer0

I tried my ventilated seats today for the first time, it was surprisingly strong. I could definitely feel it in my bottom and lower back side.

StanNH

Were you wearing clothes?

hyperion667

^lol