Has anyone done a rear heated seat conversion yet?

[Chris.m]

This idea just popped into my head a little while ago,

This is pretty well just for the "cool" factor

I can source the OEM switches off ebay for 20-30 a piece ( junkyard will probably be a lot cheaper maybe 10-15)

I guess I need relays and some new wiring harnesses aswell as the heated seat elements - maybe snag some bits off Altimas or Maximas

seems pretty straight forward

Anyone with a Pathfinder done it yet?

[Towncivilian]

What about a front heated seat conversion? I'd be interested in that as well... although I guess in Florida with cloth seats there isn't much need... but junkyard parts are cheap after all! Would the corresponding seat bottoms from a heated seat equipped vehicle be required, or do "unheated" seats have areas to place the heater elements? I'd imagine all the wiring is present already.

[Chris.m]

I've actually taken apart my front seats down to the foam, and there isn't anything special about the foam to accommodate the heating pad. The pad is super thin and the harness just comes through the back IIRC

[miamiheat3332]

If i recall certain qx4 models had rear heated seats, so its just a fact of finding a set in good condition, or.... find a set thats in bad condition, buy it for cheap and get them redone in the same color/style as the front seats.

I may be wrong though, but i swear the qx4 had that option, i think it was one of the first cars to offer it along with the audi a6. Unless some higher end S-class benz's may have had it and so on.

[Chris.m]

Yup, your right Miami, QX4's did have the option, thats what gave me the idea.

But around my area (Vancouver BC), I've never seen a QX4 at the junkyard, so getting qx4 parts will be very hard.

[Towncivilian]

Not to digress too much, but it seems that you're correct in that front seat bottoms and backs are no different than non-heated models (though this may be different for 1996-1997 models based on part number descriptions). Looking at the exploded parts view, it looks like one just needs to obtain the heating elements. It seems that I'll need heating elements from a post-facelift R50, again based on the part descriptions. That'll be a challenge.



I would imagine the wiring harnesses are present from the factory, so the only other things you'd need to do is obtain and install the switches, put the proper rated fuse in the correct spot, and hopefully you've got heated seats! I'll start keeping an eye out for these parts at junkyards from now on.

[barnum]

Reviving this dead thread. I've got the leather package but no seat heaters. The first owner who ordered this vehicle was very specific in what they wanted: BOSE stereo, leather package, sunroof, but no heat seaters and opted for the manny transmission (main reason for me buying a Pathfinder was 4x4 w/ manual trans). I think this retrofit would be a good project for this vehicle as I want to keep it a long time and the 25°F mornings we're already getting is leaving me freezing on my commute. I also stumbled across this on ebay. Looks like it's a standalone system with relays/switches, pads, and all the wiring for what seems relatively cheap.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Retrofit-Sea ... 4897.l4275

Towncivilian, did you ever end up doing anything with the front seats? Anyone ever picked up the heating elements at a junkyard/for how much/successful results?

[Towncivilian]

I haven't researched further into retrofitting heated seats. Since you've got the leather package though, I think all the provisioning for the heating elements (mounting locations, wiring, etc) should be already present. I don't think cloth seats have the mounting points for the heating elements, not sure about the wiring harnesses.

[barnum]

Mounting locations within the seat? I am not familiar with how the pads are placed within a seat but I imagined it just sat between the cushion and outer upholstery without any definite anchoring.

[Towncivilian]

I'd imagine it is secured within the cushion / back somehow, probably with 10mm bolts just like nearly everything else on the car.

[barnum]

I see. I haven't even looked to see if there's any access to the seat interior. Hoping for a zipper but will probably be disappointed by fully stitched seams.

[Towncivilian]

There are a couple zippers on the seat backs. I don't know how easy it would be to access the seat bottom to install a heating element, though.

[barnum]

Thanks for the info Towncivilian. I think the only local junkyard in the area has an 01 Pathfinder. I'm gonna check if it's got heaters/switches. It would be nice to get this mod done.

[CanuckQx4]

I have done a heated seat conversion to my Qx4. I work at a Acura MDX seat manufacturing plant and had access to some VERY nice heater pads, that only require 12V switched power. The seats are very easy and simple to take apart place the pads in, wires out the back, wired to factory switches in the blank spots in the center console

My girlfriend says she always feels like shes peeing her pants when there on, but loves it lol

[barnum]

Haha that's cool to hear someone else has done it. I just located the taped up switch clips behind the radio, checked the power supply and both have 12V so it legitimately seems like you just need the switches and the heating elements. Straight up plug and play. Seats do seem relatively easy to access where the pads will go.

Canuck, did you attach the pads to the cushions? I felt up on the seat back and felt two ring type things (great description I know), other than that I didn't really feel anything that would constitute a mounting system.

Also, sounds like the only Pathfinder is a 2000. Anyone know if 2000 and 2002's share electrical pinouts? The FSM is for R50's so I assume they do share the same el.pdf?

[Towncivilian]

Also, sounds like the only Pathfinder is a 2000. Anyone know if 2000 and 2002's share electrical pinouts? The FSM is for R50's so I assume they do share the same el.pdf?

Huh? See EL-211 of the 2002 FSM.

I too am interested in knowing where exactly the heating elements were squeezed in. Would they be okay to use for cloth seats too?

Amazon has a Dorman universal seat heater kit. I wonder if it'd be simple to integrate with the factory switches and wiring. Looks like the kit is one-per-seat though, so retrofitting both seats with heating elements can be somewhat costly. Maybe the junkyard is still a better option? Surely the leather heating pads would fit okay in the cloth seats.

[CanuckQx4]

You attach the heating pads directly onto the factory foam, most have double sided tape to hold it in place, the factory "skin" (leather/cloth) is attached to the foam by hog rings, I use a pneumatic gun at work for speed, but they sell hand held hog ring pliers to reattach the cover

It would be perfectly fine for use on cloth seats

[barnum]

Sorry, I made that confusing. I meant to say that the only Pathfinder at my local junkyard is a 2000.

http://www.courtesyparts.com/-c-4700_47 ... _4870.html
Based on the exploded view it appears both heaters are behind/under the the cushion, not directly under the first layer of material. Also the back heater seems to hook on top at the headrest inserts by its two holes. I suppose the bottom heater can't really move all that much since its pinned under the foam so I wouldn't be surprised if it didn't have any mounting. Based on the fact that they're behind the foam, I wouldn't think that the seat material leather or fabric would make much of a difference since its not direct contact with the element and the flashpoint of say cotton is on the order of 400C.

EL-211 is confusing to me how they share the same gray 3 pin vehicle harness plug (B5) but also have another two pin plug that connects the two (B405). I don't understand that since there is only one plug vehicle side. For that to work, I would expect 2 plugs on the seat cushion pad (B405 and B401) and one for the seat back (B405), but in the exploded view it just shows one plug per pad?

I'm a little bummed I may need to disassemble the seats to get the pads underneath the foam.

[barnum]

Took me a while to write my post so I didn't see your last post Canuck. Sorry for any redundancies.

[barnum]

Rushed to the junkyard after work. Got lucky that the only R50 on the lot had heated seats. Had 20 minutes to get them out before they closed and that's all it took. Got it all for $25!



Took 2 hours to install because I removed the seats for easier access. Used Velcro to attach it to the foam. Easily the best/easiest/cleanest mod yet!

[Towncivilian]

Awesome! I'll have to keep an eye out for heated seat components.

[Towncivilian]

I wonder if any Nissan / Infiniti vehicle with heated seats would be a viable donor for the elements and possibly the switches? I don't see why not - the pinouts should be identical at least for the heating element (just 12v and ground). As long as the element's size matches the seat, I don't see why ones from say, a Maxima couldn't be used.

[barnum]

I'd agree. You could download the el.pdf's of some other models and check to see if it all appears the same then go raid your junkyard!

[Buzzman]

Hey Barnum: Did your Pathy have the harness under the front seats for the heating elements?

I just snagged two leather seats at a wreckers that I wanted to install in my '02 Pathfinder.
These seats are powered and heated.
I took out my cloth seats, and there are only the harnesses for the power portion for the seats.
There is no harness for the heating elements.
I also snagged two switches BTW. I pulled the front facia (my truck) to install them and luckily, the harness is there for those.
The switches light up when I turn them on. That's the good news.
Bad news is, I now have leather power seats, but no heat.
I'm going back today to take a look at the harness in the donor car at the wreckers.
BTW, I also took the leather rear seats. I'll install them today.
I've wanted a leather interior for years, so I'm pretty excited about finally getting them. I just wish I could get the heaters hooked up.

[barnum]

Yes mine had the wiring already there. The back and seat heating elements connect to each other then use one plug to wire into the vehicle beneath the seat. You should see a 3-terminal gray plug taped up beneath the seat. You may need to check under the carpet at the slit below the seat as it could have slid under there like it did on my passenger side. If you had the seat heater switch plugs behind the radio dash then I would be very surprised if you didn't have the heating element plugs beneath the seats.