Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
Driver heated seat not working - done some diagnosing, help!
Hi all,
back here with another issue, beautiful car, plenty of issues, no regrets of ownership but wish to sort out the issues.
so since the past 9 months, one day my heated seat just gave up, i had a look at some threads on here, went through them all, saw that sometimes its just the base thats faulty and doesnt allow the back section to work, so i went ahead and found the two connectors today for the base heated element, disconnected both, still no luck with the back rest section working. when i press the button for heating the seat, it has the 2 dots, then after some time goes to 1 dot, that seems to function fine. all other seats heat fine, 2 rears and passenger, so i havent checked fuses because id assume they all run off the same fuses? so before i head to a garage and get charged like mental, i thought i would give you all experts a shout.
anyone know anything else i can do to diagnose? any particular fuses or something?
i may consider opening the seat base to see, i would have if i knew the base was the issue, but after disconnecting the cables for those, the top section doesnt work either so not sure there is a point. i know the top is very difficult because you have to remove the leather which is way harder on the top, i removed them on my first 1999 vw polo and it was tough.
Thanks all
30th Sep 2017 5:26 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Find the connectors again, this time with a multimeter. Checking for voltage is always a good place to start. If power is good you can then go on to continuity/resistance checks.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Member Since: 14 Oct 2005
Location: Somerset
Posts: 1144
It's usually the base that fails, due to the weight of a person sitting on it. The backs rarely fail. Assuming you have power to it, the base is most likely. When the base fails, it stops the back from working (wired in series).
You can buy the heating pad for the base, the little rings that hold the cover are a pain, but not too difficult to change. The whole base cushion can be removed without removing the seat.
Regards
Steve
30th Sep 2017 6:27 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
Hi Steve, but shouldnt the top work when i disconnect the two connectors for the bottom? or is this something ive misunderstood?
also i read when you change seat element and you get another one its not as strong as the original? is this true? or is it true only when getting aftermarket part and the original LR part would be the same as what used to work?
any help would be appreciated!
thank you.
30th Sep 2017 6:45 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
Robbie wrote:
Find the connectors again, this time with a multimeter. Checking for voltage is always a good place to start. If power is good you can then go on to continuity/resistance checks.
Hi Robbie, so i aint an expert with multimeter, i used to have an old one i used to know how to work but then that broke, i got this, way more complex, i know how to get to the bit where it beeps but im assuming i need the mode that tells me some numbers of the power. can you help with where the red connector goes from 10A, A or V? and also the mode i need it on from the 30 odd modes it has?
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
Nearly all multimeters are like that, in reality you need the 20v and 20ohm bits the rest are pretty much irrelevant for everyday use
Black lead to black bit, red lead to V/horseshoe bit which is actually the ohm symbol.
Few minutes on youtube will put you right, very handy tool if you know what you are looking for.
30th Sep 2017 8:07 pm
SteveNorman
Member Since: 14 Oct 2005
Location: Somerset
Posts: 1144
As the seat pads are wired in series, it goes through the base, carrying on into the back, then back again. If either element fails then both will stop working.
So the usual cause is a break (and burn hotspot) in the base pad, assuming you have 12v supply going to it.
Genuine Landrover pads are identical to the original and heat by the same amount.
Regards
Steve
1st Oct 2017 10:37 am
3disco
Member Since: 23 Sep 2010
Location: devon chardstock
Posts: 504
Apparently they are not fused always handy to have a small fire in your seat!
1st Oct 2017 11:08 am
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
imagine driving on a motorway and then suddenly you feel that burn
1st Oct 2017 2:19 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
lynalldiscovery wrote:
Nearly all multimeters are like that, in reality you need the 20v and 20ohm bits the rest are pretty much irrelevant for everyday use
Black lead to black bit, red lead to V/horseshoe bit which is actually the ohm symbol.
Few minutes on youtube will put you right, very handy tool if you know what you are looking for.
thank you, with your info and some youtube videos, i think ive got it, so i measured the voltage on the plugs.
so ive labelled the pins ( i connected the black wire from the multimeter to the last pin, black wire which i assumed is earth, correct me if wrong please)
for 1. i got 5.01
for 2 i got 14.25-14.26 this morning and 13.65 last night.
for 3 i got 0.01
and also i went to measure the plugs in the back but couldnt get anything from them weirdly? i know one plug should have some output right? since it comes from the bigger plug? i put the black multimeter pin to one wire and the red to the other, but still got nothing. and tried the other way around too, do i need to plug the black lead else where? ive labelled it too so if its easier for me to know what you all are referring to.
£80-90 for the element is quite a bit, it should be part no HGL500012. does anyone know where i can get it for cheaper? a genuine one also.
thanks again for your guidance and help.
1st Oct 2017 2:36 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
SteveNorman wrote:
As the seat pads are wired in series, it goes through the base, carrying on into the back, then back again. If either element fails then both will stop working.
So the usual cause is a break (and burn hotspot) in the base pad, assuming you have 12v supply going to it.
Genuine Landrover pads are identical to the original and heat by the same amount.
Regards
Steve
ah ok, got it, so theres no way to test a single one, but as you said, most likely its always the base, hoping im getting enough voltage and a confirmation that the wiring is ok, im going to give removing the seat base a go, hoping i can perhaps fix the broken element as opposed to pay for a new one. but if no choice then will go with a new one, a heated seat in the winter is always handy
thank you for clearing up the fact that if ones breaks then it stops both and theres no way to test just one.
thanks!
1st Oct 2017 2:40 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
Robbie wrote:
Find the connectors again, this time with a multimeter. Checking for voltage is always a good place to start. If power is good you can then go on to continuity/resistance checks.
Hi Robbie,
thanks for getitng me started, is it possible you can take at the numbers i got and help please?
thanks
1st Oct 2017 2:42 pm
lynalldiscovery
Member Since: 22 Dec 2009
Location: Maidstone
Posts: 7274
Make sure you get the right heat pad as I think leather seats have a different more powerful one than cloth seats, mine actually got so hot in one spot it started to burn the leather and took some skin from my thigh.
I fitted genuine but if doing it again I think I would try one of the carbon aftermarket types as for the same money you get 4 pads for two whole seats.
Ive fitted the wire style elements same as the D3 in a few cars and they take quite a bit of time to warm up, mate stuck the carbon ones in his 90 and reckoned they were excellent.
A pair of cheap hog ring pliers from ebay helps a lot as well.
1st Oct 2017 4:43 pm
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
anyone can help to with the figures i got please?
4th Oct 2017 12:02 am
CJP2017
Member Since: 27 Feb 2017
Location: London
Posts: 183
lynalldiscovery wrote:
Make sure you get the right heat pad as I think leather seats have a different more powerful one than cloth seats, mine actually got so hot in one spot it started to burn the leather and took some skin from my thigh.
I fitted genuine but if doing it again I think I would try one of the carbon aftermarket types as for the same money you get 4 pads for two whole seats.
Ive fitted the wire style elements same as the D3 in a few cars and they take quite a bit of time to warm up, mate stuck the carbon ones in his 90 and reckoned they were excellent.
A pair of cheap hog ring pliers from ebay helps a lot as well.
yeah i will check for them on ebay, do you know if it is a direct fitting to the wiring? or any additional modifications?
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