Heated seat diagnosis

[WickedGoat]

FWIW, you can buy a Tech2 for less than the dealer will charge you to reprogram a module; I got mine with Candi module and TIS2000 (module programming software) for $300. You'll have to have an older laptop (Window XP I believe) to pull up the software to program modules.

As far as the seat sliding the wrong way, have you checked to see if that switch flips around? I wonder if maybe somebody didn't replace a switch at one point and get it in backwards and say "Screw it, I'm not tearing it all apart again".



I would check the wiring out first... I would hate to invest in new warmers to find out it was a chaffed wiring harness.

I just trashed our XP laptop a month ago...

We have owned the truck since 2008. We bought it during the economic meltdown since the GMC dealer was practically giving trucks away. The seat switch and memory functions all worked as they should. It just started malfunctioning one day and we just lived with it. So none of those switches or any electronics have been replaced unless I did it. The truck has only seen a repair shop for the instrument cluster replacement (dealer extended warranty), vehicle inspections (I don't have an inspection license) and once for a dealer oil change (I wasn't available to do it and told my wife to go to the dealer). Oh, and tire replacement a year ago. Otherwise, all maintenance and repairs within my scope of knowledge have been done by me.

I have seen the cheap Tech 2 setups and have been tempted to buy since I am primarily a GM guy. I will get this figured out eventually, just don't have time right now... Chiefs game this weekend and my daughter has a swim meet all next weekend. My wife will just have to wait... she knows the alternative... spending unnecessary money at a shop... money that could be put towards something else, like beer and BBQ at the Chiefs game at Arrowhead!

 

[mountie]

I want to delete the heated seat switches.... My fingers touch the heated seat switch while adjusting windows. ( stupid location so near window switch)..... I wonder if I can remove a fuse for the heat switch??

 

[cmc76]

The heated seat element going out is pretty common. Drivers because it's uaed the most .Bottom, well because it gets the most compression.
Mine was doing the same .Swapped out the foam. Element and seat cover. No issues since.
I used the seat shop. But I know there are alternatives available

 

[M1Gunner]

My heated seats used to randomly come on and off on their one. Sometimes they would do this repeatedly and very rapidly. The indicator on the door would light up from 1-2-3 then off super fast with specific rhythm/pattern which obviously meant the relay would click along with it too sporadically.
Then one day my seat cuahion spring broke and I pulled one from a junkyard and then seat cushion was also still in really good cushion so I grabbed that too which included a heater.

When I fixed the springs I replaced the cushion and heater. Problem never happened again after that.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I just trashed our XP laptop a month ago...

We have owned the truck since 2008. We bought it during the economic meltdown since the GMC dealer was practically giving trucks away. The seat switch and memory functions all worked as they should. It just started malfunctioning one day and we just lived with it. So none of those switches or any electronics have been replaced unless I did it. The truck has only seen a repair shop for the instrument cluster replacement (dealer extended warranty), vehicle inspections (I don't have an inspection license) and once for a dealer oil change (I wasn't available to do it and told my wife to go to the dealer). Oh, and tire replacement a year ago. Otherwise, all maintenance and repairs within my scope of knowledge have been done by me.

I have seen the cheap Tech 2 setups and have been tempted to buy since I am primarily a GM guy. I will get this figured out eventually, just don't have time right now... Chiefs game this weekend and my daughter has a swim meet all next weekend. My wife will just have to wait... she knows the alternative... spending unnecessary money at a shop... money that could be put towards something else, like beer and BBQ at the Chiefs game at Arrowhead!

Sounds like a Tech 2 is in your future!!!! I haven't regretted it one bit...

 

[corvette744]

Im willing to bet its just one of the heating elements,you need to check the ohms on the wires.So raise your seat as hi as it will go,get an ohm meter and probe the connector- for the lower and upper at the connector.I would have someone sitting in the seat moving around-i had to do that when i found mine.Anything over 5 or 5.5 ohms its junk and needs replacing.Replacing the bottoms is easy the tops a little harder-and tops are more money.I cant stress the importance of pushing the seat or when someone is sitting in it to move around when testing-sometimes it wont show bad unless the burnt wires are touching.Thats how i fixed mine.

 

[TJ Baker]

I'll be looking forward to the OPs solution as mine is similar, including the reversed power seat control (press forward and it moves backward and vice versa).

 

[sumo]

This tool makes diag on heated seat easy to tell if it’s working or not. You can pick up a Milwaukee version from home depo. A lot of the times a section of the heating element shorts out rips or breaks. Once that happens current can’t flow and it won’t get warm.

 

[WickedGoat]

Ok, so I finally got around to playing with this today. I replaced the lower element on the drivers side... no dice. System still shuts down. I disconnected the power adj brake pedal and no change. Tomorrow I will test the wire and connector with the meter, with someone in the seat moving back and forth and see what the Ohms reading is. All of the wiring I could see was fine... no chafing or burning anywhere. I will keep at this and hopefully figure this out.

 

[corvette744]

Test all elements before replacing anything.Should be very obvious on the meter which one is bad.Mine was the upper drivers seat.