i hate to ask this question because it doesnt matter to me, but my wife loves heated seats but do the '03 TB's have a drivers front heated seat? i know the passenger seat is because i can see the controls for it on the door panel but i cannot find controls for a drivers side heated seat. why would they only make the passenger seat heated and not the drivers seat?!? the only controls on the drivers door are for the windows, locks, mirror, and the power seat memory presets.
heated seat
- Thread starter niceguypmp3
- Start date
???? Sounds like someone swapped out switch panels. Heated seats are there, or they're not and should be both sides unless someone has "tinkered" with them.
Blckshdw
Moderator
After hearing about your instrument cluster getting downgraded, I'm betting the driver's side door module was also replaced with a base model version, as they are also plug and play. Probably a victim of getting some rain water dripping into the buttons, and shorting out the circuit board.well jeez this sucks lol. i guess it's a good thing they are plug and play. i'll have to ask my wife how important the heated seat is and might have to find the correct one for it.
Mooseman
Moderator
- Jul 22, 2015
- 2,724
Ok... with this strategy, you've already lost the battle. Because as soon as you 'ask', you're going to be the bad guy if you don't do it quick like a bunny.
The only answer she's going to give is "yeah, that would be nice to have" (and tbh, you'll say the same thing, once you've got it working)Rather, turn this around to your advantage. Tell her you found out the driver's seat should be heated as well, and you are going to find the parts to re-enable it. Win for you.
Even better, you'll have all the time you need (although to have it working by January scores you bonus points)It's all about messaging...
Now, on a more serious note... easy way to check, before searching all over for a driver door module (DDM) ... pull the switch assembly from the p/s, and use it to test the connections on the d/s. If the seat starts getting warm... you know that's all you're going to need. Don't pull the connectors with the heaters 'on'. Turn them off, or key off, before disconnecting the switch, to safeguard against shorting out the switch (and having to then buy a replacement for the p/s).
Actually, the DDM you need may be longer than the one you have now, without the heater switches, and if that's the case, the armrest in the door panel may have a different cutout (to which, you can either find the matching door panel, or get enterprising with adapting the existing armrest to fit the larger switch.)
It's been awhile since I messed around in that area with my Envoy, so I don't remember if the DDM assembly can be pried up with the door panel in place, or if it has to be removed (on my full-size pickup, the door panel has to come off; I had to clean the switch contacts on it, recently).
I do seem to remember there are two latches on either side of the 'long' ends of the switch. Use a trim tool, and be careful. Also, find a picture of one online, so you get an idea of where the latches are, and how they connect.
If you get a 'brand new' switch assembly, it has to first be programmed / initialized with a high-end scan tool, thanks to the way GM did these things, back in the day. But a used one will already have been done -- another reason for you to get one of those, besides being cheaper. Junkyards and online sources like E-bay and car-part.com are your friend, here.
Mooseman
Moderator
Not longer, the same except it has cut outs for the seat heater switch. Door panels are all the same.
Yep. Pry up at the rear of it. Probably the easiest part to get at a pick-n-pull yard.
Ok... with this strategy, you've already lost the battle. Because as soon as you 'ask', you're going to be the bad guy if you don't do it quick like a bunny.
Rather, turn this around to your advantage. Tell her you found out the driver's seat should be heated as well, and you are going to find the parts to re-enable it. Win for you.
It's all about messaging...
I think you are going about this all wrong.
What he should do is 'Honey, you know I love you, and keeping that fine ass of yours warm, so I decided I would give YOU a seat heater for the drivers seat'.
He becomes the hero for giving her something she wants (seat heater), he compliments her while doing it (Fine Ass), and says the three magic words any woman loves (I LOVE YOU).
But this is just me, and the way I would do it!
Otherwise he is just repairing another defect in the car, "it had it, and I just decided to make it work".
Its about giving her something! She doesnt need to know that it was already there, she just needs to know its something she wants, and it works.
Dont tell her about it until you have it complete, and working, thou. If you replace the door module, and the bun warmer is broken (fairly common, I just ordered my 3rd one), you will still have one more repair to do.
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Mooseman
Moderator
And if he does get it working again will find out the ass portion is burnt out like they usually are.
- Jul 22, 2015
- 2,724
You and I are on the same page, just stating a little differently.
I wonder if this is starting to happen with mine... when I first fire it up, I use both back and seat portions (on 'Hi'), and I notice that the seat portion seems to be getting hotter (?) than it used to? It actually starts burning (!) my right leg / thigh in one spot (front edge) after a few minutes, and I have to turn the seat portion off entirely. Goes from toasty to overpowering almost instantaneously, so it's hard to gauge & intercept before it gets too hot.
(Eventually, I'll turn down the backrest to Medium, btw)
As much as I love my heated seats... as long as the pad that 'goes bad' is the seat portion, I could live with that for awhile, if I had to. If the backrest pad goes, that's a different story.
Mine did this exact same thing before it burned out completely.
Mooseman
Moderator
Yep. The element gets pinched under the foam retaining wire at that spot exactly. Taking it apart it's always burnt there. If you replace it, do not put it under that wire.
- Jul 22, 2015
- 2,724
Thanks to both of you for these responses. Surprised, I'll admit -- but also nice to know that I wasn't imagining the issue. I'll stop using the seat pad (except on the coldest days) until I get around to taking the cover off and fixing GMs error.
