AMG GTC Ventilated Seat Question

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Old May 28, 2026 | 10:58 PM
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Question AMG GTC Ventilated Seat Question

I just noticed that when pushing the buttons for the ventilated seats, the passenger button only illuminates 2 of the 3 little blue lights on the button while the driver's side button illuminates all 3 little blue lights. I have owned numerous Merc's with ventilated seats and I have never seen this before.

Any ideas?

Thank you in advance for your replies........
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Old May 29, 2026 | 12:24 AM
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I was gonna ask if other than the LED not illuminated does level 3 work? But then I realized I'm not sure I could tell the difference between level 2 and level 3 myself. It's not like the seat heating where level 3 burns my buns. I always use the ventilation on level 3 or off, but I guess do you notice a difference if you go from 2 to 3 on the passenger seat even if the third LED doesn't illuminate? If so then I'd say the LED is busted.
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Old May 29, 2026 | 06:54 AM
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I guess the easiest way to tell is start the ventilation seat (as it defaults to max on startup) does pressing once stay at level 2 or goes down to level 1? If it stays at level 2 it would mean it just went down from level 3 so the burnt led theory applies.

Alternatively a mb scanner might be able to display the level satus of the ventilation seat.
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Old May 29, 2026 | 09:21 AM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
I guess the easiest way to tell is start the ventilation seat (as it defaults to max on startup) does pressing once stay at level 2 or goes down to level 1? If it stays at level 2 it would mean it just went down from level 3 so the burnt led theory applies.

Alternatively a mb scanner might be able to display the level satus of the ventilation seat.
Thank you for the reply. Actually, I saw another post about this after I made my post and assume it may be a burned out LED. Is it possible to change out the one switch or do I have to replace the entire bank of switches?
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Old May 29, 2026 | 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by pgolfco
Thank you for the reply. Actually, I saw another post about this after I made my post and assume it may be a burned out LED. Is it possible to change out the one switch or do I have to replace the entire bank of switches?
You're welcome. Answer is all of the above.
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Old May 29, 2026 | 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by pgolfco
Thank you for the reply. Actually, I saw another post about this after I made my post and assume it may be a burned out LED. Is it possible to change out the one switch or do I have to replace the entire bank of switches?
Funny I bought a new LC500 but in the graphite.
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Old May 29, 2026 | 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by c400ry
Funny I bought a new LC500 but in the graphite.
Small world for sure. I love my LC500 as my daily and the AMG GTC compliments it nicely (and is absolutely INSANE)!!!
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Old May 29, 2026 | 09:06 PM
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Originally Posted by pgolfco
Small world for sure. I love my LC500 as my daily and the AMG GTC compliments it nicely (and is absolutely INSANE)!!!
Ok now things are getting weird lol. You have a LC and GTC? What's the odds? The LC is a little LAGluster if you know what I mean
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Old Yesterday | 07:20 AM
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If it was a LFA...
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Old Yesterday | 09:27 AM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
I guess the easiest way to tell is start the ventilation seat (as it defaults to max on startup) does pressing once stay at level 2 or goes down to level 1? If it stays at level 2 it would mean it just went down from level 3 so the burnt led theory applies.

Alternatively a mb scanner might be able to display the level satus of the ventilation seat.
I'm a little surprised that you care about the ventilated seats. Candidly I have never been able to tell they are doing anything at any speed lol. Even other vehicles I have owned. I took my GTc in because I thought they were broken. Merc service manager said they are working but agreed they don't do much. Need AC seats instead 😉
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Old Yesterday | 09:37 AM
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Originally Posted by c400ry
I'm a little surprised that you care about the ventilated seats. Candidly I have never been able to tell they are doing anything at any speed lol. Even other vehicles I have owned. I took my GTc in because I thought they were broken. Merc service manager said they are working but agreed they don't do much. Need AC seats instead 😉
I understand where you are coming from with this but I guess they are better than nothing, I like it and know its limitations and don't pretend it is more than what it is (not a/c cooled seats just fans circulating cabin air) so I am happy. Perhaps OP thinks the same as well, maybe.
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Old Yesterday | 10:36 AM
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Originally Posted by c400ry
I'm a little surprised that you care about the ventilated seats. Candidly I have never been able to tell they are doing anything at any speed lol. Even other vehicles I have owned. I took my GTc in because I thought they were broken. Merc service manager said they are working but agreed they don't do much. Need AC seats instead 😉
We've had this debate in other sections here and I get it, you chose to live in the desert, but the ventilated seats do work at least if you live somewhere habitable where you don't need AC in order to not die from heat stroke. We do get hot days here in Cali and the ventilation keeps me comfortable. I know it makes a difference because I used to have leather seats w/o ventilation and we all know the sweaty back syndrome that causes. The seat ventilation while it doesn't actively cool, allows one's back to breath and cool via evaporative cooling. But I've also said this in the past, depending on your body shape, one might block most of the perforation in the leather, so not much air will flow. For example I notice a big difference between fully inflating the side bolsters so they hug my body for hard driving, and when I have them fully deflated for comfort which creates a gap between my body and the perforated leather, so the air can actually flow.

Last edited by superswiss; Yesterday at 12:19 PM.
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Old Yesterday | 11:04 AM
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Originally Posted by c400ry
Ok now things are getting weird lol. You have a LC and GTC? What's the odds? The LC is a little LAGluster if you know what I mean
I have a Honda S2000, too. All three cars are great at what they do.
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Old Yesterday | 12:08 PM
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Don't forget the colour of the vehicle also plays a factor in terms of retaining heat. Even in 70F weather, with the sun shining non-stop at the car for 1 hour, opening the door, it will naturally feel like an oven. Tinting might help but windshield is illegal to be tinted here and that is another entry point.
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Old Yesterday | 12:29 PM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Don't forget the colour of the vehicle also plays a factor in terms of retaining heat. Even in 70F weather, with the sun shining non-stop at the car for 1 hour, opening the door, it will naturally feel like an oven. Tinting might help but windshield is illegal to be tinted here and that is another entry point.
It certainly plays a role, but FWIW my car is Obsidian black with mostly black interior, and the seat ventilation quickly gets the heat out of the leather and seat as a whole. The seat is a major heat sink and absorbs heat from your body, so the ventilation gets that heat out. While I generally look for shade to park, if it has been sitting in the sun I use the convenience open feature to lower the windows and open the panoroof. This also turns on the seat ventilation, and I can sit down without burning my skin if I’m wearing shorts.
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Old Yesterday | 03:52 PM
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Originally Posted by superswiss
It certainly plays a role, but FWIW my car is Obsidian black with mostly black interior, and the seat ventilation quickly gets the heat out of the leather and seat as a whole. The seat is a major heat sink and absorbs heat from your body, so the ventilation gets that heat out. While I generally look for shade to park, if it has been sitting in the sun I use the convenience open feature to lower the windows and open the panoroof. This also turns on the seat ventilation, and I can sit down without burning my skin if I’m wearing shorts.
Good idea I should use the summer convenience feature more. I tend to put a piece of paper (like those paper floor mats from service) on the seat before exiting the vehicle to reflect the sun from the leather, I have the same colour leather. The problem is the rest of the cabin is an oven, how long do you stand outside the vehicle with all the windows open and ventilation on before getting in? What is the typical temperature when you use this feature?
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Old Yesterday | 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by W205C43PFL
Good idea I should use the summer convenience feature more. I tend to put a piece of paper (like those paper floor mats from service) on the seat before exiting the vehicle to reflect the sun from the leather, I have the same colour leather. The problem is the rest of the cabin is an oven, how long do you stand outside the vehicle with all the windows open and ventilation on before getting in? What is the typical temperature when you use this feature?
Don't really know what the typical temperature is, but I don’t think that matters as much. The sun here is strong and especially if I forget to close the panoroof shade it doesn’t take long for the seat to get hot. In fact, I was having breakfast at a place in Palo Alto when I made the post above. It was only 62F. I remember, because I was sitting outdoors. It was sunny. Car was parked on the street around the corner. When I came back, the seat was hot. Not burning hot yet, but like a heating blanket on high when you don’t need one if you know what I mean. Got in the car and turned on the ventilation. Within less than a minute the seat was at ambient temperature. Also, I don’t wait outside the car at all. Most of the heat escapes right away. I activate the feature as I walk up to the car and by the time I’ve put my hat in the trunk etc. it’s fine to get in.
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Old Yesterday | 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by superswiss
Don't really know what the typical temperature is, but I don’t think that matters as much. The sun here is strong and especially if I forget to close the panoroof shade it doesn’t take long for the seat to get hot. In fact, I was having breakfast at a place in Palo Alto when I made the post above. It was only 62F. I remember, because I was sitting outdoors. It was sunny. Car was parked on the street around the corner. When I came back, the seat was hot. Not burning hot yet, but like a heating blanket on high when you don’t need one if you know what I mean. Got in the car and turned on the ventilation. Within less than a minute the seat was at ambient temperature. Also, I don’t wait outside the car at all. Most of the heat escapes right away. I activate the feature as I walk up to the car and by the time I’ve put my hat in the trunk etc. it’s fine to get in.
That is pretty good I will give it a shot.
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