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On my 24 GLE 350, Anyone else's cooled seat seem to suck? I feel like only the bottom works on mine and I feel like it doesn't work 24/7. I can barely feel it.
On my 24 GLE 350, Anyone else's cooled seat seem to suck? I feel like only the bottom works on mine and I feel like it doesn't work 24/7. I can barely feel it.
Yeah, they aren't the best. I had read that they aren't actually "cooled", they are ventilated, so they only allow the air from the fan to pass through them. When I first got my 2024 GLE, I tested them and heard the fan going and felt it a bit but it wasn't a hot day (it was in March). The one day I actually went to use them because my seats were hot (middle of June), I almost didn't think they were working. I couldn't feel anything.
Ventilated seats are a gimmick. In my Porsche the ventilation mechanism is suction into the seat rather than exhaust onto the occupant. It creates a mild sensation of moving air but very little cooling effect. It’s a feature not worth having.
What kind of seat material do you have? MB-Tex? Standard leather? Nappa leather?
In theory, the ventilated seat functionality should be the same regardless of the seat material, but maybe it does make a difference? In the same vein, perhaps the seat color affects the functionality? Dark colors (i.e. black) absorb more heat, so the ventilation isn't as effective?
How much you "feel it" could also depend on what clothing you're wearing. Probably won't feel it as much when wearing jeans or heavier shirts.
Yeah, they aren't the best. I had read that they aren't actually "cooled", they are ventilated, so they only allow the air from the fan to pass through them. When I first got my 2024 GLE, I tested them and heard the fan going and felt it a bit but it wasn't a hot day (it was in March). The one day I actually went to use them because my seats were hot (middle of June), I almost didn't think they were working. I couldn't feel anything.
Same here, It's basically like they're not working. I don't understand it. I only hear the fan sometimes as well. Never 24/7. I rolled my windows down the other day with the key to test it and the fan for the seats went on. Like wtf.
Ventilated seats are a gimmick. In my Porsche the ventilation mechanism is suction into the seat rather than exhaust onto the occupant. It creates a mild sensation of moving air but very little cooling effect. It’s a feature not worth having.
Yeah, the Porsche ones suck as well. My Panamera it was just to have an extra button. Otherwise they never did anything. But the MB is a 2024, they need to improve on this.
What kind of seat material do you have? MB-Tex? Standard leather? Nappa leather?
In theory, the ventilated seat functionality should be the same regardless of the seat material, but maybe it does make a difference? In the same vein, perhaps the seat color affects the functionality? Dark colors (i.e. black) absorb more heat, so the ventilation isn't as effective?
How much you "feel it" could also depend on what clothing you're wearing. Probably won't feel it as much when wearing jeans or heavier shirts.
I have MB Tex Black interior, color shouldn't depend, yes black sucks in more heat. However, you should still feel the cooling coming out of the seats. I'm in Shorts and T shirt 99% of the time. Even in the winter.
If the car is parked in the sun, and the seats take a direct hit, the seats may never cool down if you only have to drive a short distance.
My 20 Ram had cooled seats, they cooled down with in minutes to the point it was super super cold. It always felt like I was sitting in a fridge. Both had black interior, both are tinted dark.
My 20 Ram had cooled seats, they cooled down with in minutes to the point it was super super cold. It always felt like I was sitting in a fridge. Both had black interior, both are tinted dark.
I drove a rental Expedition and it felt like the seats were cooled with refrigerated air sourced from the vehicle HVAC system. Not the case with Porsche and it seems also with MB.
I drove a rental Expedition and it felt like the seats were cooled with refrigerated air sourced from the vehicle HVAC system. Not the case with Porsche and it seems also with MB.
Yeah it's some BS that MB & Porsche can't figure it out but Ford and Dodge can.
It's hard to say if ventilated seats work or it's just the perforated leather / overall heat profile of the car that allows the heat to dissipate better. We haven't been uncomfortable this summer with outside temperature reaching 95-100F. What does work is the acoustic glass as it has the IR coating, it's noticeably cooler in the blue GLE compared side by side to our white Jeep after leaving it under direct sunlight. You can also feel it radiates the heat less during normal driving.
Ventilated seats don’t do anything really. Apparently no one wants to direct the actual cold air to the seats. Maybe they are worried about mold. 20 years ago I had a loaner Cadillac that had cooled seats. Haven’t felt it since.
The effectiveness of the ventilated seats seems to vary by type of seat. I've got the AMG Performance seats with Nappa leather and the ventilation is very effective. First off, leather itself is breathable as it's natural and has pores and the performance seats have perforation in the side bolsters, not just the back and the cushion. I have a mostly black interior in a black car and if the car has been sitting in the sun, the ventilation quickly cools the seats. Prior cars with leather could fry an egg in the same situation. If the cooling is not enough initially I turn down the AC and then I can feel more of a cooling effect. The colder the air from the AC the cooler the seats get. MB-Tex on the other hand is plastic. It's not breathable, so the only place where the air can move is through the perforation and most of that is covered and clogged by your body.
Last edited by superswiss; Jul 11, 2024 at 07:30 PM.
The effectiveness of the ventilated seats seems to vary by type of seat. I've got the AMG Performance seats with Nappa leather and the ventilation is very effective. First off, leather itself is breathable as it's natural and has pores and the performance seats have perforation in the side bolsters, not just the back and the cushion. I have a mostly black interior in a black car and if the car has been sitting in the sun, the ventilation quickly cools the seats. Prior cars with leather could fry an egg in the same situation. If the cooling is not enough initially I turn down the AC and then I can feel more of a cooling effect. The colder the air from the AC the cooler the seats get. MB-Tex on the other hand is plastic. It's not breathable, so the only place where the air can move is through the perforation and most of that is covered and clogged by your body.
Haha...no, it's simply one's body covers most of the perforation when you are sitting in the seat, so the ventilation helps move the warm air out of the seat, but it doesn't really reach your skin. Perhaps a picture helps. Notice how my seats have perforation on the side, so I get airflow from the side? If I inflate the side bolsters and press them against my body, the cooling effectiveness noticeably drops.
Main point is as mentioned above. The seats are ventilated not actively cooled. There's a major difference.
Last edited by superswiss; Jul 11, 2024 at 07:56 PM.
Haha...no, it's simply one's body covers most of the perforation when you are sitting in the seat, so the ventilation helps move the warm air out of the seat, but it doesn't really reach your skin. Perhaps a picture helps. Notice how my seats have perforation on the side, so I get airflow from the side? If I inflate the side bolsters and press them against my body, the cooling effectiveness noticeably drops.
Main point is as mentioned above. The seats are ventilated not actively cooled. There's a major difference.
I didn't think so haha. You make good point's. I guess I was used to my Ram's seats. I could run a 5k and come back into my truck and be cooled down instantly. Now it's like eh.
It's hard to say if ventilated seats work or it's just the perforated leather / overall heat profile of the car that allows the heat to dissipate better. We haven't been uncomfortable this summer with outside temperature reaching 95-100F. What does work is the acoustic glass as it has the IR coating, it's noticeably cooler in the blue GLE compared side by side to our white Jeep after leaving it under direct sunlight. You can also feel it radiates the heat less during normal driving.
The acoustic glass is something else. I can talk on the phone going 60 and people think I'm just in my living room.
Dont be confused that the seats don’t cool. Nowhere in any mb literature has there been mention of cooling for the seats. They are ventilated. I’m sure we all know the difference. It’s the difference between a fan and an air conditioner. We just need to make sure if we want a certain option, that the car model contained that option. Sure, other cars have cooled seats, likely patented and why mb can’t do certain things. Or perhaps stupid European rules are why it was never implemented. I’m pretty sure I’m not buying a ford to experience their cooled seats.
But I will say my seats are great and my ventilated seats have always worked as advertised. Run the air and it pulls the cool cabin air through the seat. E55, E63, s55 all cool the seats. As mentioned above, when you use the key to roll down all the windows, it will even start to ventilate the seat because it’s assuming you roll the windows down because it was warm inside.…
I don’t understand why nobody gets this. The Mercedes seat tech has been the same for over twenty years and can be researched very easily.
I didn't think so haha. You make good point's. I guess I was used to my Ram's seats. I could run a 5k and come back into my truck and be cooled down instantly. Now it's like eh.
And it doesn't help opting for a non-breathable vinyl material for the seats. That's kinda like wearing latex in the summer and complaining that it's hot .
Dont be confused that the seats don’t cool. Nowhere in any mb literature has there been mention of cooling for the seats. They are ventilated. I’m sure we all know the difference. It’s the difference between a fan and an air conditioner. We just need to make sure if we want a certain option, that the car model contained that option. Sure, other cars have cooled seats, likely patented and why mb can’t do certain things. Or perhaps stupid European rules are why it was never implemented. I’m pretty sure I’m not buying a ford to experience their cooled seats.
But I will say my seats are great and my ventilated seats have always worked as advertised. Run the air and it pulls the cool cabin air through the seat. E55, E63, s55 all cool the seats. As mentioned above, when you use the key to roll down all the windows, it will even start to ventilate the seat because it’s assuming you roll the windows down because it was warm inside.…
I don’t understand why nobody gets this. The Mercedes seat tech has been the same for over twenty years and can be researched very easily.
First world problems for sure
I agree with your perspective.
Another temperature control feature on my GLE 450e which I like is preconditioning. Having the vehicle heat or cool as needed before entering. Ventilated seats help cool the seats as the cabin cools.
In my experience the ventilaton of the seats on my 2024 GLE 450e is more effective than the ventilation of the seats on my previous 2018 E Class 400
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