Heated seats on pre facelift weird conundrum..

[1000rr]

My zed has everything fitted, apart from heated seats. I wanted to get a re-trim on my electric seats, so bought a set of heated electric seats, and knowing my car is April 2004, the wiring is already there... I just needed a heated seat switch and heated seats for it to work.


HOWEVER... I’ve just fitted my new switch with the heated seat buttons, and plugged it in........and..... my none heated seats have miraculously become heated!!!! Nice, warm and toasty....

Now, it begs the question.... does all pre Oct 2004 Zeds have heated seats, and all that is required is the switch???

Because mine has. Weird.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

if that's the case, then the bottom is just about to fall out of the market - such as there was - for heated SE seats

 

[Ewazix]

That's a neat find!

Whats the visual difference or wiring on the underside of a heated seat like, it would be amazing to discover the seats were heated on my 2003 manual SE Seats, but I'm guessing your electric seats had a better chance of having the elements in them.

 

[1000rr]

No idea...haven’t been under yet.

 

[MACK]

Well that's an interesting development. I wonder if your seats were swapped for some reason by a previous owner or if this has just gone undetected for 16 years! Surely some one would have spotted this years ago if that was the case

 

[buzyg]

Well that's an interesting development. I wonder if your seats were swapped for some reason by a previous owner or if this has just gone undetected for 16 years! Surely some one would have spotted this years ago if that was the case

You would think so. Unless a few others try the same we may never know. :?

 

[oldgitdave]

Lucky you . I read that someone else had the same luck when fitting the heated button switch. I tried the same but no such luck :thumbsdown: . However I did by some donor seats with heaters at the same time & made the transfer. Nice & toasty when needed in the cooler months now

 

[1000rr]

Lucky you . I read that someone else had the same luck when fitting the heated button switch. I tried the same but no such luck :thumbsdown: . However I did by some donor seats with heaters at the same time & made the transfer. Nice & toasty when needed in the cooler months now

The donor seats are electric and heated, Dave....and they are getting a retrim as we speak....so will switch them in. Saves the fitter having my car for a week or 2., new bolster foam and seat foam too. It was a nice surprise to have my non heated electric seats, nice and heated though... I wonder how many others have heated seats and not realise it? Bit disconcerting if you wanted heated seats as an extra from BMW, who would charge a mint, but just change the switch. It does make you wonder.... :?

 

[KevinC]

Have you tried running the VIN to see what it shows for factory equipment? I seriously doubt that all seats had heating elements by default, with only the switch panel determining whether or not you got to actually use them. More likely they've been swapped in as someone else suggested. Putting the heating element hardware in every seat would have been an unnecessary expense and BMW, like all car makers, saves every nickel they possibly can.

 

[Sidewaze Samm]

Have you tried running the VIN to see what it shows for factory equipment? I seriously doubt that all seats had heating elements by default, with only the switch panel determining whether or not you got to actually use them. More likely they've been swapped in as someone else suggested. Putting the heating element hardware in every seat would have been an unnecessary expense and BMW, like all car makers, saves every nickel they possibly can.

But on the earlier cars, the harnesses are already in place for things like electric seats and cruise control - so quite possibly heated seats too. But none of these will show on a VIN check.
I don't know if the OP's existing seats are SE standard sport or Msport? Unless they're Msport and VINcheck says standard sport, I can't imagine they've been swapped in previously.

 

[sw4nny]

Very strange , but hopefully my electric non heated 2003 may be fitted with them.
This would be a great find.
How easy is it to remove the switch panel and connect the new switches?

 

[oldgitdave]

Is was quite common for all cars to have standard wiring looms installed a few years back. I guess it comes down to ease of manufacture compared to material costs. Cruise control on the pre-facelift is another example. As robot technology has improved the engineers can easily switch loom configurations with little cost I suspect.
The option to leave the heating elements out of the seats was probably easy & therefore cost effective.

 

[1000rr]

Very strange , but hopefully my electric non heated 2003 may be fitted with them.
This would be a great find.
How easy is it to remove the switch panel and connect the new switches?

Very easy mate. Take ashtray out, undo the screw and lift out the lot. Unplug, Switch over and refit. Takes 5 minutes.

 

[1000rr]

Have you tried running the VIN to see what it shows for factory equipment? I seriously doubt that all seats had heating elements by default, with only the switch panel determining whether or not you got to actually use them. More likely they've been swapped in as someone else suggested. Putting the heating element hardware in every seat would have been an unnecessary expense and BMW, like all car makers, saves every nickel they possibly can.

But on the earlier cars, the harnesses are already in place for things like electric seats and cruise control - so quite possibly heated seats too. But none of these will show on a VIN check.
I don't know if the OP's existing seats are SE standard sport or Msport? Unless they're Msport and VINcheck says standard sport, I can't imagine they've been swapped in previously.

Standard electric SE seats, mate. All tallies up on the VIN, and says electric seats, not heated. :? It seems I’m not the first to find out, judging by a search on here... either way, a nice surprise.

 

[MKZ4000]

I see a premium coming on for used heated seat switches

 

[sw4nny]

Very strange , but hopefully my electric non heated 2003 may be fitted with them.
This would be a great find.
How easy is it to remove the switch panel and connect the new switches?

Very easy mate. Take ashtray out, undo the screw and lift out the lot. Unplug, Switch over and refit. Takes 5 minutes.

.
Cheers mate, off on the hunt now

 

[sw4nny]

Well i got the new switches,fitted them and the green seat warming light just flashes for a second then goes out even if you keep your finger on the button.
Does this mean that its because the seats are not actually heated and pre facelift cars were not all actually fitted with heated seats?
Or could it be that they need connecting somehow under the seat?
Anyone any thoughts I am not quite ready to give up on this yet.

 

[mr.tourette]

Well i got the new switches,fitted them and the green seat warming light just flashes for a second then goes out even if you keep your finger on the button.
Does this mean that its because the seats are not actually heated and pre facelift cars were not all actually fitted with heated seats?
Or could it be that they need connecting somehow under the seat?
Anyone any thoughts I am not quite ready to give up on this yet.

Have a look under seats and carpet for any stray looms?

 

[Ewazix]

I can imagine seats with electric adjustment perhaps having heating elements built in a standard, but heating elements in manual seats like mine seems too good to hope for.

 

[sw4nny]

Well i got the new switches,fitted them and the green seat warming light just flashes for a second then goes out even if you keep your finger on the button.
Does this mean that its because the seats are not actually heated and pre facelift cars were not all actually fitted with heated seats?
Or could it be that they need connecting somehow under the seat?
Anyone any thoughts I am not quite ready to give up on this yet.

Have a look under seats and carpet for any stray looms?

I have just checked for stray looms cant see anything thats not already connected.
Just to add the seats are electric.