ZAutobahn

I have a 2002 G500 and I want to get all my seat heaters working. Present situation:

• Driver seat heater completely nonfunctional. Lights on the switch do not light up and the seat doesn't get warm.
• Passenger front seat: Switch lights up properly, but only the seat back gets warm. Seat bottom remains cold.
• Rear seats: Both side's switches light up. But while one side seems to heat up both seat bottom and seat back; the other side seems to only heat up either seat bottom or seat back but not both (can't actually remember whether it is the seat bottom that works or the seat back).
• None of the seat sections that heat up seem to heat up very much even with the switch(es) set to High.

Questions:

From what I see online there are only pads available for the seat bottoms, so why are my seat backs getting warm??? Perhaps I just haven't found the info on the heating pads for the seat backs.

• Is it as much of a PITA to diagnose and fix this situation both in terms of time and money as it looks to be?
• Am I nuts to even try?
• Is there a good source for the presumably needed seat heaters other than the dealer, and regarding the dealers, are all these pads still available or are just some of them?
• Am I nuts to have bought a 20 year old truck for as much money as I could have spent buying a nice General Aviation aircraft?

Seriously, I love my Geländewagen! But my bottom wants to be warm in the winter.

Best wishes,

John

Texas E63

John - ironically our G63 heaters were hit and miss ("failure to duplictate" per delaer) but our 08' G55s work well - but are seat bottom only as best I can tell.

Toby over at Scheelman might be able to assist with an aftermarket solution if you can't chase it down within the wiring or fuses.... I'm hoping to upgrade my truck to a pair of his seats in the next few months ....

best of luck and post up the solution...

E

ZAutobahn

Thanks for the info and the referral to Toby at Scheelman. If I get this solved I will post the solution and results. But this is looking like it's going to be a long term project.

By the way, I checked it out again and the passenger seat bottom is definitely is not working but the seat back actually is working pretty well, but not the lumbar area (only the middle and top portion of the seat back). But that upper section does get nicely hot. I had thought the performance was mediocre because I had only felt the lumbar area of the seat back the other day and it just felt a little warm. Turns out that was heat radiating down from the upper portion of the seat back. I am surprised only the upper two thirds or so of the seat back heats up and now I wonder if part of the heating pad is just not working.

Texas E63

I'll check mine this weekend to see if the backs heat up - hadn't needed them since we got it.... BTW i'll probably have the full set of seats avail once we get our order it....they're in great condition, PO did new OEM Designo covers and lower seat foam last year. they come with all motors, electronics etc.. rear seats might be an option as well -they're like new.

You might post location in case the collective had suggestion for a good indy shop near you.- if you're near Houston I have guy...

E

Diablo360

In my 2002 the seat heaters were all non functional (both front and rear) when I bought the car. I ordered new leather to reupholster the seats so I took the old (OEM) covers off anyways, and upon further examination discovered that the seat heating elements are built into the seat covers. I ended up ordering generic seat heating elements on Amazon and wired them to he existing factory wiring (wasn’t much work) and was able to use the same plugs. I’m not very experienced with car electronics but it was still simple for me, basically just splicing the wires together. They now function like new.

One side note though, taking the covers off is a MAJOR PITA. I doubt I’ll ever do this repair again lol. If you value your time I’d just take the car into an automotive upholsterer and have them do it. The cost shouldn’t be too much ( maybe $1k or so for front and rear), and it’ll save you a lot of time, hassle, and cut, bruised fingers/skin.