Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
#1
Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
If anyone from Ford is reading this, just wanted to share a suggestion about the heated seats that you put in the Escape...
You need to have a multiple settings (like BMW with low/med/high) or a thermostat (like VW's with a slider with settings from 1 to 10).
With Ford's on/off switch for the seat heaters, it feels like you have a choice between having it on high (about an 8 out of 10) or not at all. For me, turning on the seat heater immediately liquifies my digestive tract and almost immediately requires a pit stop.
If future models, can you make this seat heater adjustible so I can set it on a 3 (ie thaw my backside but leave my digestive tract alone).
(Sorry for the visual)
You need to have a multiple settings (like BMW with low/med/high) or a thermostat (like VW's with a slider with settings from 1 to 10).
With Ford's on/off switch for the seat heaters, it feels like you have a choice between having it on high (about an 8 out of 10) or not at all. For me, turning on the seat heater immediately liquifies my digestive tract and almost immediately requires a pit stop.
If future models, can you make this seat heater adjustible so I can set it on a 3 (ie thaw my backside but leave my digestive tract alone).
(Sorry for the visual)
#3
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
TMI TMI TMI!!!!!
#4
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
I would be happy if they just put the switch somewhere you could SEE it and REACH it. Did they fix it for the 08's??? As it is, the switch stays on even if you turn the vehicle off...and you have to open the door to see if the light is on.
I've never seen a vehicle with the seat heater switches NOT located on the dash or center console. Lazy and cheap is the only explanation here.
I've never seen a vehicle with the seat heater switches NOT located on the dash or center console. Lazy and cheap is the only explanation here.
#5
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
The switch/LED on that truck is not visible unless you actually get out of the truck & look at the seat sideways. That truck had the exact same switches as my 06 FEH, but instead of pointing up they point out towards the door & push in towards the center of the vehicle to turn on/off. The LED is not visible at all until you get out of the truck.........
I installed two LED's in the dash of my 06 to alert me whether the seats where on/off.
~John
#7
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
I don't think different settings would make that much difference for me. In my Outback, I had three settings:
Low--too low to notice
Medium--closer, but still not warm enough
High--way too hot!
Driving the Outback, I spent most of the time toggling between medium and high depending on how warm I wanted to be. In the MMH, the seat warmer is about the perfect temperature when I want it warm. It cools down after a while, but a click on and off (of the relatively convinient dash button in '08) and it's warm again. I guess my point is that a poorly designed rheostat is just as bad (or worse) than a simple on/off switch...
Low--too low to notice
Medium--closer, but still not warm enough
High--way too hot!
Driving the Outback, I spent most of the time toggling between medium and high depending on how warm I wanted to be. In the MMH, the seat warmer is about the perfect temperature when I want it warm. It cools down after a while, but a click on and off (of the relatively convinient dash button in '08) and it's warm again. I guess my point is that a poorly designed rheostat is just as bad (or worse) than a simple on/off switch...
#8
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
I don't have heated seats. But what is stopping you all from cutting and splicing a "dimmer switch" from your local hardware store?
Check the AMP draw ( volts is a non-issue ) of the car seat heater, and get a dimmer switch for your car that can take it. Put the FEH on "high" and leave it there, and turn the dimmer down to your perfect liking.
Who can tell me why that won't work?
( like I said, I don't have one, but if I did, I would at least try that )
-John
Check the AMP draw ( volts is a non-issue ) of the car seat heater, and get a dimmer switch for your car that can take it. Put the FEH on "high" and leave it there, and turn the dimmer down to your perfect liking.
Who can tell me why that won't work?
( like I said, I don't have one, but if I did, I would at least try that )
-John
#9
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
I agree. My wife drives a Jaguar & her car has different heat settings.
I basically do the same thing you do in either vehicle.....
In the Escape, I like how fast the seat heats up. I have driven tons of cars with heated seats & I have never seen a seat heat up as fast as the Escape does. Then, after it's hot I toggle it a few times which doesn't bother me a bit.
~John
#10
Re: Heated Seat suggestion for Ford
I don't have heated seats. But what is stopping you all from cutting and splicing a "dimmer switch" from your local hardware store?
Check the AMP draw ( volts is a non-issue ) of the car seat heater, and get a dimmer switch for your car that can take it. Put the FEH on "high" and leave it there, and turn the dimmer down to your perfect liking.
Who can tell me why that won't work?
( like I said, I don't have one, but if I did, I would at least try that )
-John
Check the AMP draw ( volts is a non-issue ) of the car seat heater, and get a dimmer switch for your car that can take it. Put the FEH on "high" and leave it there, and turn the dimmer down to your perfect liking.
Who can tell me why that won't work?
( like I said, I don't have one, but if I did, I would at least try that )
-John
Regardless, my experience has been that heated seats don't last long before you start having problems. I developed a short after about a year in the Outback and had the driver's seat unit replaced under warranty. If you were to mod the seat, I doubt Ford would warranty any problems....