sl63joe

Never had or driven in a car with cooled seats until I got my 2013 SL63. How are they supposed feel? I don't think they feel any different with the cooling fan on or off. There are three levels but even on high I don't seem to feel anything. My wife also doesn't seem to feel any difference in the passenger seat. I know the fan is on because I can hear it if I listen for it. They are active seats if that makes a difference.
tia.

cal1

A 2013 SL63 is an R231. Not to be picky, but you posted in the R230 AMG forum. Since you did, I will give you my answer based on the R230. Do keep in mind, I might be completely full of it as I know little about the R231.

The seat cooling system (R230) is really just a fan that circulates cabin air through the holes in the seat. How well the system works seems to depend upon cabin air temp. If you have the top down on a warm day and run the seat cooling system, you will likely find no advantage. I will tell you on a long drive with the top up and AC on, I find a subtle cooling effect in the seat. Especially if I have a cotton dress shirt on. I find that I arrive at my destination without the sweaty wet back that is common in the summer when driving and wearing a dress shirt. Otherwise, I notice very little if any cooling in the seat.

fxrs1955

This, there is no A/C unit in the seats.

sound 8

Can't say I ever used it, but then this is the UK, heated seats more important.
S8

r_martin126

I too find the cooling feature is great for not arriving with a sweaty back in the summer! Even on a short drive when the air coming through the seat isn't cool it works surprisingly well at keeping your back dry. If you wear dress shirts a lot this is an absolute God send! Honestly one of my favorite features of the car!
Over a long drive when the cabin temp gets low the ventilation is much more noticable.

sl63joe

Everyone, thanks for the replies. So I guess mine is working as designed. I know there is no A/C unit in the seats, just the fan blowing the cool cabin air. So I guess you really don't actually feel the air, the seats just stay a little cooler. Does anyone use any setting other than high?

sl63joe

Sorry for posting in the wrong forum, I didn't see an R231 section. But cooled seats are cooled seats.

cal1

No problem posting here. I just wasn't sure if MB did something to improve the fan cooled seats in the R231. Sounds like they still suck. Well, I guess they blow.

Viper98912

I wondered this myself - I don't really find that the "cooled" does much in my SL...

fxrs1955

Before I went into business for myself I managed several new car dealerships. You would be amazed at the number of people that buy new cars with cooled seats and think the seats have A/C units built in. That being said I wouldn't be without mine on a hot day in Dallas.

carguyshu

on some cars the seats actually do have a vent tube coming from the heater box that pushes cool AC air into the seats, which the fans in the seats then push through the seats. I know on the E55 forum someone replaced the fans in the seats with much stronger and larger fans and they said that it made a difference. If I ever get enough free time I plan on trying this upgrade on the SL

sl63joe

You lost me at heater box. What is a heater box and how do you get cold air from it? I can only think of the heater coil in the dash. Larger fans might help but wouldn't they be noisy? Besides, I don't know if I want to mess with the active seats.

fxrs1955

I think he's talking about the evap core housing under the dash.