Heated Seats - How warm do they get?

chrisgreen

Member
Bristol
Hi All,

Not sure if i'm just being paranoid - the seats in my '04 roadster do heat up - but even on the highest setting they don't get REALLY warm (on the lowest setting it is warm but barely noticeable). both drivers and passenger side seem to be the same - just wondering what the general consensus is on how hot the seats should get on the highest setting?

A friend if mine used to have a VW UP! with heated seats and on the highest setting they were mighty toasty - almost too hot. Guess i'm comparing it to that but just wanted everyone's opinion and hoping to put my paranoia to bed!

Thanks again
 
I have cooked an Ostrich egg on my drivers seat when trapped in the outback for weeks :wink:
I find the heated seats in my Zed go from warm to pretty hot, I love it when the old back is playing up :thumbsup:
 
firebobby said:
I have cooked an Ostrich egg on my drivers seat when trapped in the outback for weeks :wink:
I find the heated seats in my Zed go from warm to pretty hot, I love it when the old back is playing up :thumbsup:

interesting - how long do they take to warm up? would you say when on highest setting it's nearly too hot?
 
Mine are nice n hot with the top down on cold days, there is a thread on here about repair/maintenance, I"m sure a friendly face will pop it up soon
 
chrisgreen said:
firebobby said:
I have cooked an Ostrich egg on my drivers seat when trapped in the outback for weeks :wink:
I find the heated seats in my Zed go from warm to pretty hot, I love it when the old back is playing up :thumbsup:

interesting - how long do they take to warm up? would you say when on highest setting it's nearly too hot?

They are getting warm at around a minute and then really hot within 2 mins. Being leather seats, they can get a bit to hot after a while. My wife loves them, I switch it on and off depending on conditions
 
firebobby said:
chrisgreen said:
firebobby said:
I have cooked an Ostrich egg on my drivers seat when trapped in the outback for weeks :wink:
I find the heated seats in my Zed go from warm to pretty hot, I love it when the old back is playing up :thumbsup:

interesting - how long do they take to warm up? would you say when on highest setting it's nearly too hot?

They are getting warm at around a minute and then really hot within 2 mins. Being leather seats, they can get a bit to hot after a while. My wife loves them, I switch it on and off depending on conditions
Mine heat up in under a minute, My wife likes full setting, I can only manage setting one before my rings on fire :)
 
Couple of minutes to get very warm - I always have to turn it down from top 3 setting as too hot, unless its brass monkey weather and the roofs down.
 
hmm might be something wrong with mine then - although strange that both passenger and drivers side don't get very hot. Any ideas?
 
Marlon said:
Couple of minutes to get very warm - I always have to turn it down from top 3 setting as too hot, unless its brass monkey weather and the roofs down.

+1
chrisgreen said:
hmm might be something wrong with mine then - although strange that both passenger and drivers side don't get very hot. Any ideas?
Daft as it sounds are you actually sitting on them to assess this? I often find with heated seats that to the touch they feel a little warm but then when I actually sit on them there hot and I find myself turning them down a few minutes.
 
ha good question - but yes i am sitting on them. Even after 10/15 mins on the highest setting it is warm but i wouldn't say uncomfortable or anywhere near too hot!

would fuses be a good place to check? all lights stay on etc
 
chrisgreen said:
ha good question - but yes i am sitting on them. Even after 10/15 mins on the highest setting it is warm but i wouldn't say uncomfortable or anywhere near too hot!

would fuses be a good place to check? all lights stay on etc

It won't be fuses, they either work or don't, as yours are working to some degree they must be fine.
Just a thought the last time I was using BMW software it had settings for the heated seats. I think they ranged from something like 39-55c for the three positions but don't quote me on that. I also seem to recall you had the option to change these for lower temps but again don't quote me on that. If they are changeable and someone's been playing with yours it would explain what your experiencing I guess. I wonder if the Carly software can do this as well, I haven't checked to be honest
 
MACK said:
chrisgreen said:
ha good question - but yes i am sitting on them. Even after 10/15 mins on the highest setting it is warm but i wouldn't say uncomfortable or anywhere near too hot!

would fuses be a good place to check? all lights stay on etc

It won't be fuses, they either work or don't, as yours are working to some degree they must be fine.
Just a thought the last time I was using BMW software it had settings for the heated seats. I think they ranged from something like 39-55c for the three positions but don't quote me on that. I also seem to recall you had the option to change these for lower temps but again don't quote me on that. If they are changeable and someone's been playing with yours it would explain what your experiencing I guess. I wonder if the Carly software can do this as well, I haven't checked to be honest

interesting - that would exactly explain it! wonder if anyone on here in Bristol area has carly...
 
chrisgreen said:
MACK said:
chrisgreen said:
ha good question - but yes i am sitting on them. Even after 10/15 mins on the highest setting it is warm but i wouldn't say uncomfortable or anywhere near too hot!

would fuses be a good place to check? all lights stay on etc

It won't be fuses, they either work or don't, as yours are working to some degree they must be fine.
Just a thought the last time I was using BMW software it had settings for the heated seats. I think they ranged from something like 39-55c for the three positions but don't quote me on that. I also seem to recall you had the option to change these for lower temps but again don't quote me on that. If they are changeable and someone's been playing with yours it would explain what your experiencing I guess. I wonder if the Carly software can do this as well, I haven't checked to be honest

interesting - that would exactly explain it! wonder if anyone on here in Bristol area has carly...

Number 5 is in your neck of the woods, He's pretty handy with these cars.
 
Only time i use number 3 is to keep the pizza warm on way home lol

generally speaking 1 is enough to take cold edge off the seat, but would only use for 5-10 mins

In winter when its freezing, 3 for 5 mins, 2 for further few minutes, then 1 for a while
 
blackabbot said:
Mine heat up in under a minute, My wife likes full setting, I can only manage setting one before my rings on fire :)

I thought the op was talking about seats not sterring wheels :)

For my money start off on setting 3 then back off over the next 5 to 10 miniutes to setting 1 else you'll be cooking 5 minutes later even on the coldest of days.
Rather sounds like there's something wrong with yours op.
 
chrisgreen said:
What BMW software were you using just out of curiosity? was it on your Z?

I think it was Inpa but I'm not 100% on this. It could of been Ista D or P aswell.
 
thanks all for your replies - looks like i might have to go down the coding & diagnostics route to check all parameters are fine!

Alternatively would be good to sit in another owners' car and see how hot they get!
 
Mine definitely got too hot after a few minutes on setting 3, leading to Betty Swollox! :)

Even when really cold setting 1 was plenty.
 
Back
Top Bottom