More about the heated seats not working.

[brc19761]

Hi,

 

I psted a couple of weeks ago about my heated seats not working in my 1994 Pathfinder LE. The passenger side heated seats button on the center console lights up, but the driver's side does not light up. I tried them out one cool morning this week and niether seat works. At the fuse panel the heated seats fuses are not blown.

 

I was wondering if anyone knew what powered the heated seats. I mean are there fuses under the seats that could be blown? Where does the power for the heated seats come from?

 

I have got everything working on this Pathfinder since I bought it a couple of months ago. I have no experience with heated seats and I don't want to cause more trouble or mess up anthing that is working by fooling around with the seats. Down here in South MS it doesn't get very cold. But this was the last thing to tackle and get working.

 

I would appreciate anyone's ideas or comments. I want to thank the people who have responded to my previous post about other things and to this forum which both have saved me a lot of time and money.

 

Thanks,

 

brc

[Slartibartfast]

I don't think they've got fuses under the seats, but you might check the plugs that hook into the seats to be sure. I can imagine somebody yanking a seat out without remembering to disconnect the plug. (Kind of sounds like something I'd do TBH).

[brc19761]

Thanks I will check that first.

[vagabond]

we did the deed and went to radio shack and picked up a packs of bulbs, disassembled the switches and removed the rubber piece that holds the bulb. The wires are kind of wrapped around the rubber light socket, installed the new bulbs and trimmed the excess wire then reistalled them in the switch.

When reassembling the switch it's easier if you have the rocker on the part with the bulb then just snap it back together.

One switch went together with no problems the other I had to disassemble about 4 times before I got it right, but now we have lights in both switches.

Anyone doing this just take your timeas it can get frustrating with the tiny wires and the reassemblyWell

Edited October 7, 2012 by vagabond

[brc19761]

Sorry about not getting back sooner but I have been out of town for four days. In the pictures and info you have above. Does the lights on the on the heated seats have to be lite up in order for them to work?

 

Thanks for the reply and the detailed response.

 

brc

[Trogdor636]

If its like the cruise control, hazards, dimmer switch etc.......then no. The light is just for convenience.

[Alkorahil]

The bulbs do not complete any sort of circuit in the switch as far as making the electircal item the swtich controls work or not.

 

 

I took a look at the heated seats parts. The seat back and seat bottom heaters are not connected in serial to each other. The subharness is a Y shaped harness. So if the seat back heater element is burned out or unplugged, the seat bottom will still work. I would be looking to the subharness and connections for your trouble spot. I would unhoook the subharness where it plugs into the heater element and see if you have power there, then unhook the subharness where it connects to the main harness, test the subharness for continuity. It it is fine then the power supply problem is in the dash somewhere.

Electrical gremlins can be fun.

If you have power in the subharness, then the elements are burned out.

 

IIRC there is a fuse in the fuse bock in the accessory2 position for the heated seats.