Heated Seats Fitted

[stay_aliveuk]

I stumbled across a company base in America who are selling heated seat kits and bearing in mind I have always wanted this luxury in my cars I decided to go for one to try out.

The kit took about a week to arrive and I managed to get it installed over the weekend. Apart from a dodgy switch (new one on the way) the installation was surprisingly easy. It took about 3 hours to complete and I hope to cut at least 20 minutes off that when I do the passenger side soon.

I tried it out for the first time this morning and it works great and provides and real comforting warmth.

If anybody is interested the site is heatedseatkits.com. I took some pics if anyone wants to look. No idea how to post here mind you.

Cheers

Paul

[Uncle Bob]

Hi Paul, got any photo's of the installation being done :)

[pips]

Hi Paul, got any photo's of the installation being done :)

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Looks like a nice mod..... not too sure about removing the leather from my seats - i would be frightened of making a ballsup of putting them back on properly etc.

As Bob said, have you any photos?

Phil

[sjrainsford]

Sounds good! You can go to work with that "just wet myself' feeling! :D

If ya wanna post pics, go to www.photobucket.com. You can create an account with them, and upload your pics to there.

Then you can post links to them in the forum. They have the links already made up when you put the pics on photobucket, so you can copy and paste them into your forum message.

[pips]

Sounds good!  You can go to work with that "just wet myself' feeling!  :D

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if that's what turns you on Stuart.....!! :D

[sjrainsford]

Sounds good!  You can go to work with that "just wet myself' feeling!  :D

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if that's what turns you on Stuart.....!! :D

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:D :P

[stay_aliveuk]

I took a couple of pics as I was doing in anticipation of people wanting to see the 'action'. I will post them in due course but I am really busy tonight so maybe tomorrow.

Don't be afraid to do it, even in leather, the covers come off and go back on surprisingly easy. I have never done anything like this before and I can promise you wouldn't know which seat I had done by looking at them both.

Cheers

Paul

[stay_aliveuk]

Got finished sooner than I expected so here are some pics

1. Seat back cover partially removed http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/sta...uk/DSCF2079.jpg

2. Seat back heater in position. The actually heaters look and feel a bit like felt. If you closely you can see a fine mesh within the cloth whcih heats up as the current is passed through http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/sta...uk/DSCF2081.jpg

3. Seat front with the cover partially removed http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/sta...uk/DSCF2083.jpg

4. This is the re-assemble seat with both heaters fitted

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/sta...uk/DSCF2084.jpg

5. Not the best pic but it is meant to show the switch in position. The instructions suggest fitting the switch to the side of the seat but it looks so good I decided to put it in one of the blanks where the originals are meant to go

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b353/sta...uk/DSCF2086.jpg

Now I know how good the first one is I will be ordering the passenger side shortly. If anyone wants me to take any specific photos just ask. But as I am finding with the rest of this car it dsimantles and goes back together very easily. The hardest part of this job was un-doing the hog rings which are used to fasten the covers to the frame of the seat.

Cheers

[sjrainsford]

Nice one, i'm proper impressed!

Yes, i've noticed that these are easy cars to work on. And having seen some of the mark 2 Rav4's, they are very similar to the mark 1 model in more ways than I thought.

[pips]

It looks like I'm just gonna have to order one!

Out of interest Paul, which kit did you buy. they have 3 listed, $80 $100 $125

Also, any tips on do's and dont's when dismantling the seats? You mentioned about the hog rings especially.

They accept paypal too, so I can pay for them with the money I got from clearing out stuff from my shed - so theoretically they're FREE :P

Cheers

Phil

[stay_aliveuk]

That's the best way to raise the cash they will probably feel even warmer.

I went for the $100 ones and they charged me $15 to post.

The problem is that the fit went so well its is difficult to give advice. All i meant by the hog rings is that they were tricky to un-coil and there is quite a few of them. Fortunately you replace most of them with cable ties when refitting because you need to pierece the heater (don't worry they are desinged for it) and the metal hog rings could short out the heater element to the frame of the seat with is earthed. When you come to strip the covers off you can kind of see where they are fixed so you work through loosening them as you go. On the front seat (the back really os a doddle) you need to remove the seat belt holder (one 14mm nut) and the plastic trims on either side. There is a screw hidden behind the back rest adjuster lever which needs to come out. After that the trim pulls apart, easily, to see how to dismantle.

As for tools you will need:-

pozidriv, a couple of pairs of pointy nosed pliers, standard pliers. side cutters to cut the excess off the cable ties, multi meter to find your ignition and earth, 14mm socket and rachet, 20mm drill bit and that's about it.

Perhaps the trickiest part of all is cutting a 20mm hole for the switch in the blank. I have done this kind of thing before and anticipated the problem so I used what is called a forsner bit which drilled a neat centred hole. You are welcome to borrow it when the time comes. I can post it to you and you can post it back. Having said that if you mess up a blank they probably only coppers to buy.

[pips]

That's the best way to raise the cash they will probably feel even warmer.

I went for the $100 ones and they charged me $15 to post.

The problem is that the fit went so well its is difficult to give advice. All i meant by the hog rings is that they were tricky to un-coil and there is quite a few of them. Fortunately you replace most of them with cable ties when refitting because you need to pierece the heater (don't worry they are desinged for it) and the metal hog rings could short out the heater element to the frame of the seat with is earthed. When you come to strip the covers off you can kind of see where they are fixed so you work through loosening them as you go. On the front seat (the back really os a doddle) you need to remove the seat belt holder (one 14mm nut) and the plastic trims on either side. There is a screw hidden behind the back rest adjuster lever which needs to come out. After that the trim pulls apart, easily, to see how to dismantle.

As for tools you will need:-

pozidriv, a couple of pairs of pointy nosed pliers, standard pliers. side cutters to cut the excess off the cable ties, multi meter to find your ignition and earth, 14mm socket and rachet, 20mm drill bit and that's about it.

Perhaps the trickiest part of all is cutting a 20mm hole for the switch in the blank. I have done this kind of thing before and anticipated the problem so I used what is called a forsner bit which drilled a neat centred hole. You are welcome to borrow it when the time comes. I can post it to you and you can post it back. Having said that if you mess up a blank they probably only coppers to buy.

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just one last question (for now) :P when you removed the seat, how did you go on with the seatbelt pre-tensioners? i've heard people say in the past about having to be carful not to set them off accidently?

Thanks for the offer of the drill - will certainly take you up on the offer :) will send you my address on PM - will drill the holes ready for when the kit comes.

[Uncle Bob]

That's the best way to raise the cash they will probably feel even warmer.

I went for the $100 ones and they charged me $15 to post.

The problem is that the fit went so well its is difficult to give advice. All i meant by the hog rings is that they were tricky to un-coil and there is quite a few of them. Fortunately you replace most of them with cable ties when refitting because you need to pierece the heater (don't worry they are desinged for it) and the metal hog rings could short out the heater element to the frame of the seat with is earthed. When you come to strip the covers off you can kind of see where they are fixed so you work through loosening them as you go. On the front seat (the back really os a doddle) you need to remove the seat belt holder (one 14mm nut) and the plastic trims on either side. There is a screw hidden behind the back rest adjuster lever which needs to come out. After that the trim pulls apart, easily, to see how to dismantle.

As for tools you will need:-

pozidriv, a couple of pairs of pointy nosed pliers, standard pliers. side cutters to cut the excess off the cable ties, multi meter to find your ignition and earth, 14mm socket and rachet, 20mm drill bit and that's about it.

Perhaps the trickiest part of all is cutting a 20mm hole for the switch in the blank. I have done this kind of thing before and anticipated the problem so I used what is called a forsner bit which drilled a neat centred hole. You are welcome to borrow it when the time comes. I can post it to you and you can post it back. Having said that if you mess up a blank they probably only coppers to buy.

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just one last question (for now) :P when you removed the seat, how did you go on with the seatbelt pre-tensioners? i've heard people say in the past about having to be carful not to set them off accidently?

Thanks for the offer of the drill - will certainly take you up on the offer :) will send you my address on PM - will drill the holes ready for when the kit comes.

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Great looking job.....but i have a similar question to pips, the Chilton Rav4 manual ,says under no circumstances remove the wires from the seat side air bag, obviously you have done that to remove the seat ,so i can only presume its the yanks, giving it the big safety thing... you've had no airbag lights come on the dash, when you started back up ?.

[stay_aliveuk]

There is quite a few reminders in the instructions about air bags and the lights. I followed their instructions to the letter which said that you are to remove the negative Battery terminal at least five minutes before starting any work and then connect up again after the seat in back in and all conectors are securely fastened.

I did this, as I said to the letter, and never had any problems only I had to re-tune all the radio stations back in and set the clock.

[pips]

That would make sense - Battery not connected, then the electonic sensors can't be accidently activated :)

wonder if its possible to get a small 12v power source and connect it to the radio supply, then cut the cable (will need soldering back together after of course) from the radio to the harness - then this will keep the radio/gps settings.

i might even get a double throw double terminal switch and a small discreetly placed small socket for future to preserve the settings if the Battery has to be disconnected.........

will have to get my thinking cap on now!

[stay_aliveuk]

Phil, I have seen a plug which contains a 9V Battery and goes into the cigarrette lighter socket. It is meant to keep the radio's memory for a short time while you change the Battery. I can't remember where i saw it but if I caome across it again I will let you know.

[sjrainsford]

That's only any use if the cigarette lighter is one that stays connected when the ignition is off.

Also, this will then in a round about way be powereing up everything else in the car too. Which will also give you the risk of airbag/ seatbelt tensioner ignition. The idea is to work dead. However, you can kill the airbag system just by pulling the correct fuses I would have thought if you can't be bothered with re-programming the stereo.

[pips]

IT'S ARRIVED!!! :D :D :D

Ordered on Wednesday last week, arrived from Canada today (Monday) - Fantastic Service. Very comprehensive instructions too (14 pages)......

Will let you know how I go on, prob won't get time until Saturday to try and break my seat! :P

Phil

[221gunner]

IT'S ARRIVED!!!  :D  :D  :D

Ordered on Wednesday last week, arrived from Canada today (Monday) - Fantastic Service.  Very comprehensive instructions too (14 pages)......

Will let you know how I go on, prob won't get time until Saturday to try and break my seat!  :P

Phil

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Well how did it go Phil ?

[pips]

IT'S ARRIVED!!!   :D  :D  :D

Ordered on Wednesday last week, arrived from Canada today (Monday) - Fantastic Service.  Very comprehensive instructions too (14 pages)......

Will let you know how I go on, prob won't get time until Saturday to try and break my seat!  :P

Phil

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Well how did it go Phil ?

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Erm...... I got the switch fitted in a blanking panel, and with one thing and another cropping up, i haven´t got the heated pads fitted yet!! I´ve been watching on BBC news (via satellite) how the snow and ice has arrived in the UK, so I am now wishing that I had fitted them sooner, so when I return on Friday from Tenerife (don´t want to upset anyone, but it´s 25oC over here at the moment!! :D ) I might have to seriously consider getting them fitted.

[sjrainsford]

It's alright for some!

You've just made us all feel much better about the British weather!!

[pips]

It's alright for some!

You've just made us all feel much better about the British weather!! 

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well, my case is packed :( just waiting for the 21:35 flight tonight back to arctic conditions! well, i seen some nice alloys on a spanish rav4, so will upload the photo when i get home.

now, did i set the central heating to be on when i get home?...............