xxaarraa

Having gotten used to the absolutely rotten BMW dealer network, I am pleasantly surprised by my first MB dealer visit in many years. Among other things, they replaced my seat heater pad, engine mounts and tranny mounts.

I know the seat heaters were a known weak link. I thought the remedy was to replace the entire seat bottom. But my SA told me they had to only replace the "heating pad" underneath the seat cushion.

Can anyone confirm this? If true, could be an easy DIY for future seat heater failures (which I am sure will happen).

Quicktwinturbo

I had mine replaced 2-3 times by the dealer and they replaced entire seat bottom...

saer1one

Did the c32 also come with butt heaters..?? If so, both of mine are out..

chris.bachman

The back of my seat warms up but definitely not the bottom. Would like to know as well.

Quicktwinturbo

I'm pretty sure it did....

MIKESV8

+1 mine too, but not as many times. just once.

Newzchspy

Was your car still in warranty or was this done under a TSB??

xxaarraa

Warranty. The seat heater was straight forward. On motor and tranny mounts, I merely asked them to take a look as a precautionary measure. They called and said they replaced them.

xxaarraa

Why do people in Houston worry about seat heaters?????

Newzchspy

I think my drivers side just went out on the Kleemann

xxaarraa

If this "heating pad" theory pans out, you may have a relatively easy fix.

EDIT: Or Not. I googled this and it does not sound easy:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w163...ing-again.html

WaveyKat

i have C55 Seats in my C320 and Only the Back Heats up and not the butt! on both Passenger and Driver side.. there is no wires running to the butt cushion. :-(

chris.bachman

I'd gladly sit on cold seats in the winter for cooled seats in the summer. On the rare occasion that I park my car uncovered, the black leather takes a beating from the sun and feels like sitting on a griddle. Maybe that's why I smell bacon after getting in it.

JUAN CASAUS

Get a nice sunshade and will up your rear shade...it helps.

mrobinso

I do this. Makes a night and day difference. Also, my driver side butt seat heater is burnt out as well. Honestly, it is incredible how common this is. It seems wrong for MBZ to be able to gouge us C55 owners for the replacement of this expensive part when it breaks like clockwork in a majority of the cars. That being said, I can live with a broken seat heater provided the rest of the car holds up. I wouldn't trade the seat heater fault for a faulty rear turn signal component that causes the cruise control to become stuck preventing you from slowing down your car (what is currently happening with the MB recall of 2002-2004 Mercedes MLs).

gt4awd

A friendly Mercedes dealership? Oh wait, you're under warranty still. Nevermind...

mgiannetto

If this is true, then why are so many guys replacing the seat bottom? Perhaps the '05 has the butt heaters and the '06 does not. My car (an '06) only heats the back - both seats - and the heaters have hardly ever been used as I don't drive the car in the winter. So I'm wondering whether mine are broken (seems odd given the lack of use) or the car does not heat the bottoms???

mrobinso

Yours are broken.

WaveyKat

i think some cars has heated back only and some with both back & Butt

see the attached pic. notice its a Two pin connector and i think the cars that has both back & butt has a Four Pin Connector.. pics are Seats From a C55 2006. i Retrofitted the seats into my C320. the wire harnes i purchase from the dealer has a 4 pin connector. and the part number was for all W203 Models with heated seats

W203Ramos

LOL!!! they all had "back & butt" heaters if yours is out then it's broken PERIOD.

ruben65

They all have back and butt heaters.

As for replacement the dealership replaces the whole bottom leather part of the seat because the butt heater is sewn into the leather... not sure if they changed that due to how many are breaking, but when I had both my front seat butt heaters replaced last year it was all new butt seat leather in both front seats.

This is a known issue on the butt part of the heater going out, it is usually caused by a wire in the seat butt heater failing and wearing/breaking from the constant movement when you get in or out of the car causing the butt heater not to work because the circuit is no longer complete, when that happens only the back will heat up, and you may notice the back gets even hotter when the butt heater part is broken.