heated seat tips

Does anyone have any tips for how to do aftermarket heated seats efficiently? Right now, I am around 3 hours to do 2 and feel like I am crawling. I work on mainly Toyotas, which have a cover over the fuse box, so I have been relaying off of an accessory wire. Also: How does the switch regulate Hi and low? Has anyone had issues with pads burning out? I have had one bad one out of the box (pulling 19A from one pad and a burn mark) And the ones in my car went out the first year. How much can you extend the switch legs? Our kits come come with 3 foot extensions, but it takes 2 of these, which extends the circuit 12 feet, to reach the factory knockouts.Andrew Knoflicek

Inver Grove Toyota

I really can't offer much help, but I have done a couple. Both were Chrysler products and each took about 3 hours. The most time consuming part of the install is pulling the seats and center console. Pulling the seat covers and installing the heating pads was the quick part. I guess if I was looking to cut down on time, I would probably forget pulling the console and run my wires along the door sills. I imagine you'd have extend the wires a bit though. As for a power source...I just tapped into the key-on accessory power port. That's where the Chrysler OEM add-on heated seat kits get their power.

I do a lot of Toyotas myself, rarely do I need to remove a seat. Most times you can work the seat up/down, front back enough to get the pads in. I remove the bolts and lean it back but rarely do I take the seat totally out. Most shops around here mount the switch on the side of the seat itself and if I can I do to make it easier. Even if you need to mount console why do you need 12 feet???? The console is right there! I always get power on Toyotas from the cigarette lighter. Most are 15/20 amps and is plenty to run them.Mike M2

Tech Manager

CS Dealer Services

I said 12 feet because I have to use two of the 3 foot extensions to make it to the factory knockouts. 6 foot switch legs extend it 12 feet. With 20A, I would consider that, as each seat has a 10A fuse. I have measured them at less than 3A, so maybe I need to go less heavy duty. I am assuming that you pull the center console to tag onto the accessory outlet, right?Andrew Knoflicek

Inver Grove Toyota

if each seat is rated for 10 amps then you need each feed to be fused at 10 amps, not to a single 20 amp. this will keep anything from burning because if you had one burn at 19A then your 20A fuse wouldnt do you too much to stop a fire. judging from your language, "switch leg" " knock outs" im guessing you have been an electrician at some point. if you have a burning problem then less heavy duty is not what you want... it is never a bad idea to oversize your wire but you still need the right size fuse to protect the device itself.

I meant less heavy duty a set-up in general. My setup: 86 ground 85 accessory at ignition connector 87 100A BCM feed 30 40A out from relay, split to (2) 10A circuits, one for each seat. And that's funny that you caught residential verbage. I spent some time in the oil fields and rewired some houses after flooding. Now, I just fix my apartment and am currently stuck trying to turn on the light in my entryway with a hall sensor. Struggling to amplify the 10k resistance to 5v up to 5v 100mA to trip 5vDC relay.Andrew Knoflicek

Inver Grove Toyota

so yea i got you now, less heavy duty... you could definitely go smaller. what on earth do you need a 100A input for? i seriously hope there is a much smaller fuse as close as possible to where you tapped into that main. if your total normal system draw is 20A then there should not any fuse in that line bigger than 20A no matter what size wire you have, and then where you split that output to go to each seat there should be a 10A fuse on each line and you should be good with that. you know they make replacement switches that come with a motion sensor switch built in, you can just replace your original hall light switch with one or put it second inline with the original switch so you can have the option to turn it off entirely.

I use the feed to the body controller, as every fuse in the fuse box does. Then I split it into 2 10A circuits before making the 2 runs. I am aware of shorting potential. Thanks for the suggestion on the motion sensor. I am just looking for a cheap electronics DIY project, rather than a permanent, classy solution.Andrew Knoflicek

Inver Grove Toyota