Update on my Heated Seats Issue

[CurtJ]

So, the dealership replaced all the heating elements in both seats today, both the seat part and the lower lumbar part. They said all was good and gave me a paper from FCA stating the temps and operation of the heated seats. Low setting it said 100.4 and high setting 107.0 and it also said that after 1 hour of operation it would switch automatically to low then after another 45 minutes it will switch to off.

So, after we pickup the truck up we head home drop off her Jeep then take the truck for a drive. Turned both seats on high at 6:15pm and we get back home at 7:20pm and I pull in the garage and get my laser heat gun out and guess what? Both seats come in at 85.6 both the seat part and lumbar part on both seats and they never kicked down to low. All three led lights on the buttons were all lit up.

Looks like back to the dealer tomorrow to see if they are going to replace the control module under their drivers seat? That’s the only thing left to replace I guess unless there is something in the AlphaOBD that can be changed setting wise? If this doesn’t fix it I guess I’m just gonna have to live with Luke warm seats!

 

[Burn'n Oil]

Apparently there's no way to electrically test the elements/pads? Resistivity checks in heated elements have been around as long as heating elements and can typically be a good indicator of an element's capacity to produce heat. The dealer just changed them without any system checks?

 

[Lary0071]

You need to test the temp of the heating pad, not of the fabric above. In other words your test is not seeing the temp of the heating pad surface at all.
If I turn on my heated seats and do not sit in the seat to insulate it, the seat will not get warm to the touch. But once you sit over top of the heating element it absolutely begins to build heat and in just a couple minutes you feel the warmth. It is not supposed to be "HOT" in any way. It should feel slightly warm, as opposed to feeling like -10°F on a cold winter morning.

I think that you may be expecting to see the heating element temp on the surface of your seat with a thermometer, that is never going to happen. 107°F down in the seat under the outer seat foam that is bonded to the outer seat material is not going to do what you are expecting from it.

Did the dealer power up the heating elements and test/verify the temps prior to insertion? If so and the elements met the heating requirements in the procedure, they should be done with you and push you off down the road.

 

[CurtJ]

You need to test the temp of the heating pad, not of the fabric above. In other words your test is not seeing the temp of the heating pad surface at all.
If I turn on my heated seats and do not sit in the seat to insulate it, the seat will not get warm to the touch. But once you sit over top of the heating element it absolutely begins to build heat and in just a couple minutes you feel the warmth. It is not supposed to be "HOT" in any way. It should feel slightly warm, as opposed to feeling like -10°F on a cold winter morning.

I think that you may be expecting to see the heating element temp on the surface of your seat with a thermometer, that is never going to happen. 107°F down in the seat under the outer seat foam that is bonded to the outer seat material is not going to do what you are expecting from it.

Did the dealer power up the heating elements and test/verify the temps prior to insertion? If so and the elements met the heating requirements in the procedure, they should be done with you and push you off down the road.
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I can only assume they did as when I went to pick it up they said all is good to go. Either way it still doesn’t explain why it never kicked down to low after an hour. My2014 would do just as the paper says, after an hour on high which was hot! It would kick down to low. These stay on high forever! Why even have three choices? Might as well have on/off. Thanks for your input, I will take it as good constructive criticism. As far as “being done with me” and “pushing me off” down the road, I dont think that would be good business.

 

[CurtJ]

Apparently there's no way to electrically test the elements/pads? Resistivity checks in heated elements have been around as long as heating elements and can typically be a good indicator of an element's capacity to produce heat. The dealer just changed them without any system checks?

I assume they did? They told me all was good......:-/ Funny that when I spoke with the owner of the dealership he said his get SO HOT that he can’t leave them on high for more than 10 min. The paper from FCA says they will kick down to low after 1hr. I proved that to be wrong. Who knows, maybe I’m just being too petty? But compared to my2014 Ram these seats are terrible. Oh well, we will see what they say next and if they replace the control module and nothing changes, I guess I will just live with it until I trade again!

 

[RamCares]

So, the dealership replaced all the heating elements in both seats today, both the seat part and the lower lumbar part. They said all was good and gave me a paper from FCA stating the temps and operation of the heated seats. Low setting it said 100.4 and high setting 107.0 and it also said that after 1 hour of operation it would switch automatically to low then after another 45 minutes it will switch to off.

So, after we pickup the truck up we head home drop off her Jeep then take the truck for a drive. Turned both seats on high at 6:15pm and we get back home at 7:20pm and I pull in the garage and get my laser heat gun out and guess what? Both seats come in at 85.6 both the seat part and lumbar part on both seats and they never kicked down to low. All three led lights on the buttons were all lit up.

Looks like back to the dealer tomorrow to see if they are going to replace the control module under their drivers seat? That’s the only thing left to replace I guess unless there is something in the AlphaOBD that can be changed setting wise? If this doesn’t fix it I guess I’m just gonna have to live with Luke warm seats!

Hey Curt,

I regret to hear that the solution did not seem to work. Please be sure to keep us updated on what happens after you bring this up tomorrow!

Mark
RamCares

 

[Sarge33Army]

It appears that most of us have our own preferences. I turn off the heated steering wheel with the first two miles and my seat heater down to LOW within the first five miles. However, my wife keeps her seat heater on FULL forever and says that it's not as good/hot as her KIA Sorento SXL.
Good luck!

 

[CurtJ]

Hey Curt,

I regret to hear that the solution did not seem to work. Please be sure to keep us updated on what happens after you bring this up tomorrow!

Mark
RamCares

Went back to the dealer this morning and between Craig the Ser.Mgr and Burke the Prts Mgr they are ordering a new module ASAP and changing that out. Staying optimistic!!!!!! Nothing else to be changed after this and I guess there is no AlphaOBD setting to change to make more amps go to the elements.....:-/ Will keep you posted!!!!

 

[RamCares]

Went back to the dealer this morning and between Craig the Ser.Mgr and Burke the Prts Mgr they are ordering a new module ASAP and changing that out. Staying optimistic!!!!!! Nothing else to be changed after this and I guess there is no AlphaOBD setting to change to make more amps go to the elements.....:-/ Will keep you posted!!!!

I'm glad to hear that they are exhausting all resources in addressing this. I will definitely be on the look out for your next update here!

Mark
RamCares

 

[thestuarts]

You need to test the temp of the heating pad, not of the fabric above. In other words your test is not seeing the temp of the heating pad surface at all.
If I turn on my heated seats and do not sit in the seat to insulate it, the seat will not get warm to the touch. But once you sit over top of the heating element it absolutely begins to build heat and in just a couple minutes you feel the warmth. It is not supposed to be "HOT" in any way. It should feel slightly warm, as opposed to feeling like -10°F on a cold winter morning.

I think that you may be expecting to see the heating element temp on the surface of your seat with a thermometer, that is never going to happen. 107°F down in the seat under the outer seat foam that is bonded to the outer seat material is not going to do what you are expecting from it.

Did the dealer power up the heating elements and test/verify the temps prior to insertion? If so and the elements met the heating requirements in the procedure, they should be done with you and push you off down the road.

I agree the seat temperature should be measured after sitting in the seat for at least 5 minutes. My laser thermometer measures a seat surface temperature of 107 after I sit in it for about 5 minutes on the high setting.

 

[CurtJ]

I agree the seat temperature should be measured after sitting in the seat for at least 5 minutes. My laser thermometer measures a seat surface temperature of 107 after I sit in it for about 5 minutes on the high setting.
View attachment 3318

I sure wish mine would have. I shot mine as soon as I pulled in the garage and got out of my truck with it running. 85.6 And mind you, that was after driving for over an hour with them on high and by the paper they gave me they should have never stayed on high after 1 hour of being on.....:-/. I’m optimistic that it will get fixed, if not I will just have to deal with it after exhausting all possible fixes.

 

[Burn'n Oil]

No laser thermometer butt with a remote start and five min warmup, my dual calibrated glutial maximized sensors tell me to turn the seat heat down about a half mile down the road. And that's with the OAT between -20 and -30C. I'll typically turn them off after about 20 min.

 

[tpk0999]

My seat warmers are on the meh side. I usually dont feel them until about 10 minutes into the drive. I blame it on the leather seats. I've never had issues with a clothe seat but seeing this is my first leather seat. It takes a while I suppose.

 

[CurtJ]

My seat warmers are on the meh side. I usually dont feel them until about 10 minutes into the drive. I blame it on the leather seats. I've never had issues with a clothe seat but seeing this is my first leather seat. It takes a while I suppose.

This will be my last go around with all the issues I have had with this RAM.........it’s sad really. I will be eligible to trade at the end of May due to me buying with my Green Slips, so I will make a decision then on wether or not I switch to the GMC HD.
The tech at my local that has been there for 35 years said last week that the 2019-2020 RAMs have had the worst electronic type issues he’s ever seen. Sad but true!

 

[Burn'n Oil]

My seat warmers are on the meh side. I usually dont feel them until about 10 minutes into the drive. I blame it on the leather seats. I've never had issues with a clothe seat but seeing this is my first leather seat. It takes a while I suppose.

Leather in the LongHorn - seats get hot, hot, hot!

 

[wowens79]

This will be my last go around with all the issues I have had with this RAM.........it’s sad really. I will be eligible to trade at the end of May due to me buying with my Green Slips, so I will make a decision then on wether or not I switch to the GMC HD.
The tech at my local that has been there for 35 years said last week that the 2019-2020 RAMs have had the worst electronic type issues he’s ever seen. Sad but true!

I hate to say it, but I’m debating between a Ram and GM, and reading forums on both, and I don’t think the GM is any better.

 

[Lary0071]

I hate to say it, but I’m debating between a Ram and GM, and reading forums on both, and I don’t think the GM is any better.

As a Ram owner... And a Ford owner... And a once was GM fan to the point that my 20 year old daughter is named Chevy.... I'd buy Ford if not the Ram.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 80]

I hate to say it, but I’m debating between a Ram and GM, and reading forums on both, and I don’t think the GM is any better.

You can take that to the bank! Been there, done that, Lemon Lawed that.

 

[tpk0999]

So question. Mine do eventually get warm. How fast does yours warm up. I find when I pre warm the truck my seats are ice. It takes a good couple of minutes to 10minutes before I can actually feel them. By then the truck is warmed up.

Leather in the LongHorn - seats get hot, hot, hot!

 

[RamCares]

My seat warmers are on the meh side. I usually dont feel them until about 10 minutes into the drive. I blame it on the leather seats. I've never had issues with a clothe seat but seeing this is my first leather seat. It takes a while I suppose.

Hey @tpk0999 - If this is something you ever decide to address with your dealer, please be sure to let us know via private message. I am more than happy to get you connected with a specialist for further support through that process!

Mark
RamCares