Heated Seat Element

[AlexS925]

Drivers seat heats up to lukewarm and takes a while to heat up, like 5-10 minutes. Does anyone here have any experience working on them? It still works, but doesn't get hot. It's not at the top of my priority list but I'm trying to figure out if I should swap the elements (if possible) or just buy a new seat. Would hate to because everything works except heat output.

 

[yaycandy]

Check to see if the other seats work first. Something to do with the venting to the seats is possible. A recent thread came up, not sure if there was a final fix though

 

[Majestic]

Drivers seat heats up to lukewarm and takes a while to heat up, like 5-10 minutes. Does anyone here have any experience working on them? It still works, but doesn't get hot. It's not at the top of my priority list but I'm trying to figure out if I should swap the elements (if possible) or just buy a new seat. Would hate to because everything works except heat output.

There are no elements in the SHO front seats. If you want really warm front seats, you need to manually select floor heat and the fans will pull that up through the seat cushions. You might also verify what you haven't clogged up the ventilated seat cushions with leather conditioner.

 

[AlexS925]

Check to see if the other seats work first. Something to do with the venting to the seats is possible. A recent thread came up, not sure if there was a final fix though

I saw it when it was first posted and there weren't any informative replies at the time. Now I see there is, thanks.

There are no elements in the SHO front seats. If you want really warm front seats, you need to manually select floor heat and the fans will pull that up through the seat cushions. You might also verify what you haven't clogged up the ventilated seat cushions with leather conditioner.

Thanks. I'll try that. About 60k miles out of my possession so that's a possibility. My '14 SEL had leather heated seats but they weren't ventilated, so there must've been coils of some sort. I thought the ventilation was just for the cooling, but for the SHO it seems like there's some sort of heater for each seat that blows hot air through. I suppose the first order of business is trying to unclog anything that could be clogged

 

[RoketRdr]

There are no elements in the SHO front seats. If you want really warm front seats, you need to manually select floor heat and the fans will pull that up through the seat cushions. You might also verify what you haven't clogged up the ventilated seat cushions with leather conditioner.

Incorrect. There ARE heating elements built within the seats. That's where the heat comes from.

 

[RoketRdr]

I saw it when it was first posted and there weren't any informative replies at the time. Now I see there is, thanks.

Thanks. I'll try that. About 60k miles out of my possession so that's a possibility. My '14 SEL had leather heated seats but they weren't ventilated, so there must've been coils of some sort. I thought the ventilation was just for the cooling, but for the SHO it seems like there's some sort of heater for each seat that blows hot air through. I suppose the first order of business is trying to unclog anything that could be clogged

The seats do have heating elements built into them and that's where the heat comes from. The ventilation just pulls air from within the cabin and circulates it through the seat perforations. You might wanna check the seat filters and/or replace them to make sure air is circulating. That still doesn't explain why your heating elements aren't warming up though. Sounds like you're not getting full power to them or they may need to be replaced.

 

[AlexS925]

The seats do have heating elements built into them and that's where the heat comes from. The ventilation just pulls air from within the cabin and circulates it through the seat perforations. You might wanna check the seat filters and/or replace them to make sure air is circulating. That still doesn't explain why your heating elements aren't warming up though. Sounds like you're not getting full power to them or they may need to be replaced.

Fan spins fine, also the filter wasn’t really a filter but rather a plastic cap.

 

[RoketRdr]

Fan spins fine, also the filter wasn’t really a filter but rather a plastic cap.

There's a filter under that cap. They're supposed to be changed ever 30K or so. The heating elements for the seats are really cheap, but quite a bear to change if you don't have experience with auto upholstery.

https://www.getoemparts.com/oem-par...kwnm7gck6LCgsl0k7baZw0m9-JHXb6RxoCNQsQAvD_BwE

 

[Majestic]

Incorrect. There ARE heating elements built within the seats. That's where the heat comes from.

I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time. But since I've had this car, I've always been able to heat up the steering wheel with just the ignition in the run position. The seats don't heat up unless the car is running and not until the coolant temp is close to normal. The rear seats must be electric as they will heat up without the car running.

 

[RoketRdr]

I could be wrong... wouldn't be the first time. But since I've had this car, I've always been able to heat up the steering wheel with just the ignition in the run position. The seats don't heat up unless the car is running and not until the coolant temp is close to normal. The rear seats must be electric as they will heat up without the car running.

Your car is acting very weird.

 

[Majestic]

Your car is acting very weird.

Wouldn't be the first time. Seems like one of the Ford techs on here stated the same; that the front seats don't have elements. But this thread does have me thinking that I'll take a paper clip to my seat cushions tomorrow and clear out the leather conditioner.

 

[RoketRdr]

Wouldn't be the first time. Seems like one of the Ford techs on here stated the same; that the front seats don't have elements. But this thread does have me thinking that I'll take a paper clip to my seat cushions tomorrow and clear out the leather conditioner.

Check out the link I posted just a few posts up. All 2010-19's with heated seats have the in-seat elements. They're really cheap but not easy to change out unless you have a lot of experience with auto upholstery. I've learned my lesson many years ago about using leather conditioner. Its a whole lot easier to get it out of the perforations when its fresh.

 

[xFallenxCripplex]

What is your hvac temp set I have noticed that the higher that is set the hotter the electrical elements get

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

 

[SHOrod]

If your Taurus has climate controlled seats, they use a Thermo Electric Device (TED, aka Peltier Device) to heat or cool the seats with the aid of a fan. The front climate controlled seats do NOT use a heated seat pad/mat/element as some have suggested above. The heated rear seats do use a heated pad/mat/element though, as do Taurus models with only heated seats (versus climate controlled front seats).

One disadvantage to the TED is that is can only heat or cool a certain number of degrees above or below the ambient temperature, unlike a resistive heating element, and they require good airflow to the work effectively. So make sure the filters are clean and understand that you're not going to get heat as quickly when the car is really cold as you would if the cabin is already warm or the HVAC ducts are blowing warm air already.

-Rod

 

[Majestic]

If your Taurus has climate controlled seats, they use a Thermo Electric Device (TED, aka Peltier Device) to heat or cool the seats with the aid of a fan. The front climate controlled seats do NOT use a heated seat pad/mat/element as some have suggested above. The heated rear seats do use a heated pad/mat/element though, as do Taurus models with only heated seats (versus climate controlled front seats).

One disadvantage to the TED is that is can only heat or cool a certain number of degrees above or below the ambient temperature, unlike a resistive heating element, and they require good airflow to the work effectively. So make sure the filters are clean and understand that you're not going to get heat as quickly when the car is really cold as you would if the cabin is already warm or the HVAC ducts are blowing warm air already.

-Rod

I knew I had read that before. Thanks for clearing that up.

 

[AlexS925]

If your Taurus has climate controlled seats, they use a Thermo Electric Device (TED, aka Peltier Device) to heat or cool the seats with the aid of a fan. The front climate controlled seats do NOT use a heated seat pad/mat/element as some have suggested above. The heated rear seats do use a heated pad/mat/element though, as do Taurus models with only heated seats (versus climate controlled front seats).

One disadvantage to the TED is that is can only heat or cool a certain number of degrees above or below the ambient temperature, unlike a resistive heating element, and they require good airflow to the work effectively. So make sure the filters are clean and understand that you're not going to get heat as quickly when the car is really cold as you would if the cabin is already warm or the HVAC ducts are blowing warm air already.

-Rod

Thanks for the response Rod. I think that answers my question. I checked the filters and they’re clean. It would make sense now that it’s getting pretty cold in Michigan (15-30 degrees) that the system would take longer than usual to heat up fully.

 

[Majestic]

Does anyone know if there is a way to increase the seat fan speed in settings or Forscan? They blow a lot harder in the cooling setting vs. on heat.

 

[RoketRdr]

If your Taurus has climate controlled seats, they use a Thermo Electric Device (TED, aka Peltier Device) to heat or cool the seats with the aid of a fan. The front climate controlled seats do NOT use a heated seat pad/mat/element as some have suggested above. The heated rear seats do use a heated pad/mat/element though, as do Taurus models with only heated seats (versus climate controlled front seats).

One disadvantage to the TED is that is can only heat or cool a certain number of degrees above or below the ambient temperature, unlike a resistive heating element, and they require good airflow to the work effectively. So make sure the filters are clean and understand that you're not going to get heat as quickly when the car is really cold as you would if the cabin is already warm or the HVAC ducts are blowing warm air already.

-Rod

So you're saying that every parts supplier and manual on these cars are wrong?

https://www.getoemparts.com/v-2013-ford-taurus--sho--3-5l-v6-gas/electrical--heated-seats
https://www.getoemparts.com/oem-parts/ford-seat-cushion-heater-ag1z14d696n
https://www.getoemparts.com/oem-parts/ford-seat-back-heater-ag1z14d696q?c=Zz1ib2R5JnM9cGFzc2VuZ2VyLXNlYXQtY29tcG9uZW50cyZsPTI0Jm49QXNzZW1ibGllcyBQYWdlJmE9Zm9yZCZvPXRhdXJ1cyZ5PTIwMTMmdD1zaG8mZT0zLTVsLXY2LWdhcw==

EDIT: Just realized there's a difference between the climate controlled vs non-climate controlled.

 

[Johnbigdog]

Its pretty standard for the heated/cooled seats to take 10 mineuts to get hot.

The ted unit that you were lookig at that has that grill in place that can be removed (side note that the filter is no longer there on later units) has to heat (or cool) the whole seat cusion by heating (or cooling) up a thermal electric device (ted) and blowing air over that ted heater to your tush. There is another unit for the seat back. The ted can only add like *UP TO* 100 degrees to the ambient air. its a small device with a big seat and a big cold butt in it. And over time your tush is going to crush that duct work in the seat or stuff is going to move.

For cooling the seat back gets heat soaked after some time in use and won't really blow cool. This is normal too.

A TED will heat or cool based on the way current flows through it. No matter what heat is generated on one side of the TED. When you look at that ted and fan unit there are two metal radiators on each side of the ted. The fan blows across both radiators. One side will blow heated or cooled air into the seat ductwork and the other into the cabin. So in cooling mode the side that blows into the seat is cooled, but the other side of the ted is getting hot and blows into the seat back or cabin for the seat bottom. There is a trunk to rout this hot exhaust air out of the seat back, but its not enought and the air in the seat back just gets saturated with hot air. And eventually it doesn't feel cold.

The new heated/ventilated seats on new ford/Lincoln products went back to the heated seat mats. For cooling ther is a fan that sucks ambient air through the seats. Heated seats (different from climate controlled seats) do warm up faster and is one reason the TED system was kinda abaondoned.

Now there is ways to adjust how hot the teds get and its not necessarily based on blower speed. If the TED gets too hot, the unit can become damaged and why the TED temperature is monitored.

I'm late to this party, but wanted to maybe fill in some holes.

 

[AlexS925]

Its pretty standard for the heated/cooled seats to take 10 mineuts to get hot.

The ted unit that you were lookig at that has that grill in place that can be removed (side note that the filter is no longer there on later units) has to heat (or cool) the whole seat cusion by heating (or cooling) up a thermal electric device (ted) and blowing air over that ted heater to your tush. There is another unit for the seat back. The ted can only add like *UP TO* 100 degrees to the ambient air. its a small device with a big seat and a big cold butt in it. And over time your tush is going to crush that duct work in the seat or stuff is going to move.

For cooling the seat back gets heat soaked after some time in use and won't really blow cool. This is normal too.

A TED will heat or cool based on the way current flows through it. No matter what heat is generated on one side of the TED. When you look at that ted and fan unit there are two metal radiators on each side of the ted. The fan blows across both radiators. One side will blow heated or cooled air into the seat ductwork and the other into the cabin. So in cooling mode the side that blows into the seat is cooled, but the other side of the ted is getting hot and blows into the seat back or cabin for the seat bottom. There is a trunk to rout this hot exhaust air out of the seat back, but its not enought and the air in the seat back just gets saturated with hot air. And eventually it doesn't feel cold.

The new heated/ventilated seats on new ford/Lincoln products went back to the heated seat mats. For cooling ther is a fan that sucks ambient air through the seats. Heated seats (different from climate controlled seats) do warm up faster and is one reason the TED system was kinda abaondoned.

Now there is ways to adjust how hot the teds get and its not necessarily based on blower speed. If the TED gets too hot, the unit can become damaged and why the TED temperature is monitored.

I'm late to this party, but wanted to maybe fill in some holes.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah, my grill doesn't have a filter on it. I think my seat has been mushed in slightly just from normal wear and tear, which could explain my issue. I'm glad they stopped using the climate controlled seats, it's a good idea in theory but the mats just work better, at least when it comes to heating during the winter. My old 2014 SEL had a mat in it and I noticed the heat difference on the SHO immediately in the first week on the heated seats. It works, but just not as powerful and is slower to heat. Oh well, no biggie. At least I know now. Thanks