John6363

I bought a heated seat kit on e-bay last week. It was $70 shipped and came with 4 pads (ass and back for passenger and driver). I have done a ton of car work, but never really messed with upholstery. I got a set for the clam's new car and installed it on Friday so I decided to put a set in my ma's car today as a gift from me and her husband. If you're tech savvy and have a good set of tools it's pretty painless.

Step 1: Remove seat


Step 2: Find a good work space and get to it, remove the plastic on either side of the seat including all handles and buckles


Step 3: Remove upholstery by starting on the bottom and flipping out the spots where the fabric attaches to the seat bottom.


Step 4: Remove upholstery from seat top. If you're lucky it's held in place by plastic clips like my mother's shitty Pontiac. If not, then there are going to be hog rings like on the clam's new Mazda. Pull back the fabric and reveal the cushion underneath.


Step 5: Test fit the heating pad ensuring you can tuck the wires back so that the occupant will not feel them on their butt. If all looks good, remove the cover on the double sided take and position the pad in place.



Step 6: Remove the back upholstery. Starting at the bottom back side of the chair, undo the clips and peel back the fabric removing all clips/hog rings just like the seat bottom. Test fit and position the heating pad on the back of the seat and tuck the wires just like the seat bottom.




Step 7: The easy part, put it all back together. Be sure your wires aren't going to bind or stretch if the seat is rocked back. Re-install the plastic side pieces and take care to route the wires underneath out of sight and out of the way of moving parts.




Step 8: Drill a 3/4" hole and install your switch. Route the wiring to your switch, power source, and then under the carpet to the floor where the seat goes.



Step 9: Re-install the seat and plug it up. Make sure the movement of the seat isn't going to cut any wires and that there are no exposed hot wires.

Step 10: Sit down, turn the heated seat on high, and toast your butt. Give back to ma, tell her to clean the damn thing, go home and drink beers.

If anyone wants to do this I would recommend this kit: le click here. It comes with everything you will need and the product (imo) seemed to be high quality and safe. Still though, I would hook the seat up to a spare battery and test them before you go through all the work of installing them and they don't work.

Cost: With supplies, about $80
Time: First set, 2 hours. Second set, 1 - 1.5 Hours.
Beer?: Yes

dyoungin'

Looks pretty easy.

Maybe get her a car wash also? Shit is filthy. Ew.

Fabrik8

I would have sprung for an interior detailing before a useless seat heater.

John6363

I clean my vehicles and mine only. She can take care of the mess.

Kim Jong Illin'

dat ass warmer.

Alkaline8214

Not bad. Good write up. Might put one in the old ladys car.

Jones

My parents would love this, but wouldn't love me tearing apart two 2011's :/

Delta Charlie

Nice writeup! Going to look into doing this on my Tacoma. Miss the heated seats in my Lexus.

John6363

My gf is a 2010 with 11K miles, just be careful and they'll never be able to tell. That is except when they toast their buns.

John6363