heated seats

[Chaetagnath]

Originally Posted by Mister

The biggest threat is that the heat could potentially damage the sensor. I am not sure if this danger is warranted or not, but I am a little reluctant to just wing it and end up unknowingly damaging the sensor. If the sensor were somehow damaged causing it to NOT detect a passenger would be my biggest concern. In the case where it was not damaged you are correct it would always be on, which would throw a light on the dash if the seatbelt is not done up. See a fix for that here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16293

More info on the sensor itself here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15425

The sensor is not embedded in the cushion, it is on top of it, and the wires run through to the base. I could not locate a picture, but I plan on taking apart my seats in the next couple of months so I'll be sure to document the process. It looks like a thin flat flexible piece of plastic with circuitry embedded in it, it looks to be quite flexible.

If it could be verified that the FRS/Monogram and the BRZ use the same exact sensor, I would be more comfortable with simply placing the heating pad UNDER the sensor and properly insulating it to prevent it from being detected. But as it is I am not sure if it is safe to have heat at about 105-120 degrees F directly on the sensor without risk of damage/melting. Further research is needed.

Awesome, thanks for the info. keep me updated on your progress, I am very interested to know more.

[azian_advanced]

just fyi, you can disable the passenger seat belt alarm through techstream so you don't get the annoying beeps after installing the aftermarket heated seat pads on the passenger seat. i have no issues with mine and they've been working great all winter.

[brzr]

Originally Posted by debs0712

I am loving my Whiteout FR-S!!!! Love the drive and all the attention that it gets!!

When I bought it 3 weeks ago, I was sold heated seats as an option. The 2nd day that I had the car I noticed that the airbag warning light was on. I phoned Toyota and they gave me an appointment to come in for service. After spending 3 hours sitting there, they sent me home and said that they needed to look into the problem. I didn't hear anything for 3 days and today I spoke to the service manager. It seems that Toyota has advised them that a heated seat should not have been installed on the passenger side because it compromises the airbag sensor. Toyota said that they are waiting for a part and they need to remove the heated seat from the passenger seat. I will have 2 controls but only 1 control will control anything. Not impressed!!!!!

i wasn't too happy when i found out that the passenger seat bottom doesn't have a heat pad because it would cover the air bag sensor.....i just have to deal with it when i'm sitting in the seat in the cold, and heat up my back......so my ass is cold.....good thing is that i wear a long jacket so it's not freezing

i also have katzkin leather seats, so it can get quite cold without the heat

[brzr]

Originally Posted by Mister

The biggest threat is that the heat could potentially damage the sensor. I am not sure if this danger is warranted or not, but I am a little reluctant to just wing it and end up unknowingly damaging the sensor. If the sensor were somehow damaged causing it to NOT detect a passenger would be my biggest concern. In the case where it was not damaged you are correct it would always be on, which would throw a light on the dash if the seatbelt is not done up. See a fix for that here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16293

More info on the sensor itself here:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=15425

The sensor is not embedded in the cushion, it is on top of it, and the wires run through to the base. I could not locate a picture, but I plan on taking apart my seats in the next couple of months so I'll be sure to document the process. It looks like a thin flat flexible piece of plastic with circuitry embedded in it, it looks to be quite flexible.

If it could be verified that the FRS/Monogram and the BRZ use the same exact sensor, I would be more comfortable with simply placing the heating pad UNDER the sensor and properly insulating it to prevent it from being detected. But as it is I am not sure if it is safe to have heat at about 105-120 degrees F directly on the sensor without risk of damage/melting. Further research is needed.

if you ever find out create a post about it

i would also love to know how the brz does their seats...how does it work with the sensor, and where it's places

[Mister]

Originally Posted by brzr

if you ever find out create a post about it

i would also love to know how the brz does their seats...how does it work with the sensor, and where it's places

I plan to write up a DIY for after-market heated seats when I get to do it. It should be pretty straight-forward except for the unknown on the passenger side. It will be much more affordable then the current OEM DIY (<$100 self installed instead of ~$1,000). I have most of my parts in, but wedding planning/event stuff is consuming most of my weekends lately.
( /)
At the rate I am going I will have it done by July haha.
If someone with a BRZ Limited/Monogram has pulled apart the seats to reupholster or to move the sensors to other seats their feedback on what they observed would be much appreciated. If I have time this weekend I will be digging around the Subaru parts catalogue to see what I can find.

[Ris]

Originally Posted by headlikeahole

heated seats make me feel like I shat myself.

There's gotta be something with the passenger seat though. I drive with my passenger side seatbelt buckled because I plug my phone into the aux and listen to music and set it in the passenger seat and that alone will make the seat think there's a person in it. Also my sound system alone will make the seat want the seatbelt buckled or else I listen to beeping the entire drive.

on another note. the FRS has a big empty spot where the buttons go. any ideas on a nice way to fill it?

[Chaetagnath]

Originally Posted by Ris

There's gotta be something with the passenger seat though. I drive with my passenger side seatbelt buckled because I plug my phone into the aux and listen to music and set it in the passenger seat and that alone will make the seat think there's a person in it. Also my sound system alone will make the seat want the seatbelt buckled or else I listen to beeping the entire drive.

on another note. the FRS has a big empty spot where the buttons go. any ideas on a nice way to fill it?

Best thing to do with that is get the techstream software and connector off of ebay, and turn the beeping off. I finally installed seat heaters under these seat covers http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28813. Then I turned off the annoying beeping with the techstream http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...ght=techstream. Overall it turned out awesome, I'll try to do a writeup when I have the time.

[Ris]

Originally Posted by Chaetagnath

Best thing to do with that is get the techstream software and connector off of ebay, and turn the beeping off. I finally installed seat heaters under these seat covers http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28813. Then I turned off the annoying beeping with the techstream http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showt...ght=techstream. Overall it turned out awesome, I'll try to do a writeup when I have the time.

Thanks my dude. I bought a seatbelt buckle, just the end part like if you took off the strap. And I have it plugged in right now lol. much more low key than the seatbelt across the seat.

[GeeTee86]

Here in south africa we also have heated seats, no known problems.

[Scaldy]

I had heated seats on my GTI. Sweet Jeebus it was heaven. I almost bought the BRZ partly because of this but I couldn't get past "the mustache".

[mrlewistan]

Originally Posted by CruiseZen

Heated seats are standard with the Monogram edition. Mine work great and there are no issues with the airbag sensors.

look at the original post's date. the frs had pretty much no options availible back in 2012. i should know since i own one of the first in colorado lol

[Dorian]

I know this is an old thread but I am trying to find info on this subject and searching didn't come up with anything.

Have people figured out an aftermarket solution yet for the passenger bottom element? Or can you just order the OEM element from a monogram or BRZ and install it?

I know katzkin offers a heated option, do they install it on the passenger side?

[Chaetagnath]

Originally Posted by Dorian

I know this is an old thread but I am trying to find info on this subject and searching didn't come up with anything.

Have people figured out an aftermarket solution yet for the passenger bottom element? Or can you just order the OEM element from a monogram or BRZ and install it?

I know katzkin offers a heated option, do they install it on the passenger side?

As far as I know your options are:

1) swap out Frs seats for BRZ or Monogram seats completely

2) install aftermarket heaters and turn off the chime with a techstream

[NWFRS]

Originally Posted by debs0712

...It seems that Toyota has advised them that a heated seat should not have been installed on the passenger side because it compromises the airbag sensor...Not impressed!!!!!

They are bullsh*ting you. Possibly because they lack the skill to do it properly. Possibly they're just a bunch of incompetent kids under a lazy service manager. Probably both.

I took mine to our local Toyota/Scion/MercedesBenz dealership about a year ago. They drove my car to The Leather Company, a large and reputable upholstery shop in Everett WA that they contract for all their upholstery work. I got my car back two days later. Both front airbags and heaters work fine-no problems. That's why dealerships regularly use katzkinz, besides being pretty nice, they accommodate airbags and don't void the warranty. I had to go back and ask because I was curious myself after the question was raised in an older thread.

It's totally worth it-especially if you live in a dismal climate. I absolutely LOVE cruising to work in the morning in the winter, on the interstate, windows down, latte in hand and the butt-warmer engaged.