jester1

I have multi-contour/massage front seats & just completed a 5 hour drive with the top seat-cooling fan function (3 blue lights) on the whole time.

My tush didn't feel any cooler & could not feel any air against my butt.

I'm wondering if the inflated air-bladders in the seat base prevent the movement of fan air from exiting the inside of the seat.

Anyone else with must-contour seats notice this?

nookie

I've had them on for a few times and don't notice lot of air movement either. more fan noise than anything...

GLE43_Sube

Ventilated seats don't "blow" cool air. It's a vacuum. It draws warm air away from your body. Hence, the effect is somewhat subtle. Having said that, you still should be feeling some of the effect. Be careful not to plug up the holes when using leather conditioner on the seats.

jester1

Since I only have 300 miles on the car,the holes aren't stopped up yet.

In my wife's Volvo,if you put your hands down on the sear,it feels chilly.

I didn't know that MB's ventilated seats work by drawing air into the seat.

Interesting.You'd think that design wouldn't work well with a person's butt & thighs blocking air movement.

yavor

I have the multicontour seats with ventilation option. Before ordering them I knew from the forums that people overall consider MB system of seat ventilation inefficient compared to other vehicle brands. My experience with this option although I've used them only a couple of times because it was winter here is that it is subtle, yes, but on the long drives prevents you back from sweating. I can feel the ventilation only if I wear thin clothes, T-shirt and thin trousers, impossible to feel it with a jacket for instance. And yes, it is noisy, but all SUVs I test drove had noisy ventilation, the X5 was even noisier, the Touareg had very unpleasant vibrations in the seat when ventilation was on max, and all of them were more or less the same. I have never driven Volvo, would like to test it if they kept the 5 cylinder D5 at least, unfortunately not.

GLE43_Sube

This design is not unique to MB. That's the way they all work.

jester1

"....And yes, it is noisy, but all SUVs I test drove had noisy ventilation, the X5 was even noisier,"

I don't hear anything.I hope it's my crappy hearing & not an indication that the fans aren't operating.

yavor

If you are driving at 150 km/h you definitely don't hear the fans because of the tyre and engine noise, but if you stop at the streetlights you can clearly hear them especially if they are at max

jester1

I haven't had it over 65mph yet.Even at a light I can't hear the fans.

yavor

Good for you, maybe mine is noisier.