Seat heater only works on "5" OUCH...that's hot

[sourmash]

Oops, the Thread title should say "heater" not "hearter"
The seat heaters in my car only work on setting 5...anything less and you don't feel anything. Is this a common problem and is there a way to fix this?

[callisto9]

Originally Posted by sourmash

Oops, the Thread title should say "heater" not "hearter"
The seat heaters in my car only work on setting 5...anything less and you don't feel anything. Is this a common problem and is there a way to fix this?

i think it's common. i can barely feel 4 and 1 through 3 don't really seem to do anything. i'm guessing you'd have to have something re-wired.

[digitalputty]

Mine is the same way. Leather. My ex's GTi had cloth seats and I could feel the heat on lower settings.

[jdesigns]

Mod Note: Fixed thread title.



Our Turbo S seats work only on 4 and 5. I have to be really cold to crank it up to 5, but 4 is very comfortable.

I haven't seen any fixes for the lower numbers in the last 5 years, but that doesn't mean that there aren't any though.

[flip240]

so is that a TS thing? Our '01 with leather seats works perfect at 2-3 setting.. we've never used 4 or 5 before

[FallinApartBoy]

i would say that you would get more out of the normal leather seats because they have the little holes in the leather. turbo S and sport seats dont have this so you might now get as much.

[warren]

my GLX seats have always been full roast at 5, no perceptible heat at any other setting.

just one of those things...i sorta remember a discussion about this on the old forums, and you might be able to fix it by replacing the switch...

[zeusenergy]

Originally Posted by warren

my GLX seats have always been full roast at 5, no perceptible heat at any other setting.

just one of those things...i sorta remember a discussion about this on the old forums, and you might be able to fix it by replacing the switch...

If I recall the switch in the Audi 5000 TQ had the same basic switch, and it's nothing more than a rheostat (potentiometer or "POT")
It has a strip of resistive material, the closer you place the knob wire to the end of the stip that has the other wire attached, the more juice that flows. Sometimes these resistive strips get dead spots. Remember the old volume controls that would have static when you turned them in certain spots? same basic thing. Replacing the switch should help.
Or am I way off base and the newer VW/Audi cars have a different rotary control?

[boogety boogety]

I've mentioned this before regarding this... our '03 was this way, where settings 1, 2, 3, and 4 had nothing in the way of heat, while 5 was nuclear. Dealer said it was "normal, leather seat don't help, they all work that way." Suggested I turn it to 5, then dial it back down to the preferred level. Didn't make a lick of difference.

Our '06, though, has definite gradations, I can definitely feel it from 1 on (a huge relief, since I figured the '03 5-setting might have left burn scars that would reduce my sensitivity in the lower regions), and with higher heat levels at higher numbers (with 5 still having the London Broil setting). Somewhere along the way, VW obviously realized their previous switch or heater coils or something wasn't quite right, and they successfully changed it... if it is the switch, maybe one can be retrofitted from a newer model...? They're identical... it might be worth asking your dealer, or finding a donor car in a wrecking yard and getting the switch for a few bucks just to try it...

[zeusenergy]

Originally Posted by boogety boogety

I've mentioned this before regarding this... our '03 was this way, where settings 1, 2, 3, and 4 had nothing in the way of heat, while 5 was nuclear. Dealer said it was "normal, leather seat don't help, they all work that way." Suggested I turn it to 5, then dial it back down to the preferred level. Didn't make a lick of difference.

Our '06, though, has definite gradations, I can definitely feel it from 1 on (a huge relief, since I figured the '03 5-setting might have left burn scars that would reduce my sensitivity in the lower regions), and with higher heat levels at higher numbers (with 5 still having the London Broil setting). Somewhere along the way, VW obviously realized their previous switch or heater coils or something wasn't quite right, and they successfully changed it... if it is the switch, maybe one can be retrofitted from a newer model...? They're identical... it might be worth asking your dealer, or finding a donor car in a wrecking yard and getting the switch for a few bucks just to try it...

In my '01, with leather, I have to set the seats at 5 to get them to kick in, then if I reduce to 4 it's still burning my biscuits. But 3 works good. Weird, huh?

[flip240]

the switches in general must be just jacked.. i guess i got lucky

[mat3833]

anyone thought of moding it? put a rocker switch where the stock rotary dial is, and below that add a dial, or wheel from an electrical outlet. if you get a dial you can have even finer adjustment than the 15 my aunts caddy has...

Matt

[rcwatson]

ok silly question, where is the switch for the heated seats. We were told we have heated seats in the 03 NBC we just bought, no owners manual.......thanks

[mat3833]

in my turbo S its above the cup holders, its a little wheel dial.

Matt

[Billsbug]

Originally Posted by rcwatson

ok silly question, where is the switch for the heated seats. We were told we have heated seats in the 03 NBC we just bought, no owners manual.......thanks

Look under the a/c-heater control knobs and u'll see little white 'flames', one on the left and one on the right, that u roll up and down for each seat's heat levels.

Don't know if they even work, never used it.

[TheInvisibleDork]

Maybe I have a more sensitive bum than others, but I feel the 3 setting in my TS. I usually keep it on 5 through these cold winter mornings, and crank it down to 4 or 3 later in the day. I just love having toasty cheeks.