Heated Seat Switch lights problem

[GordonB]

There is a sticky for resoldering the PCB for the DRiver's Door master controls to fix the No light problem.

Question: does this same 'trick/fix' apply to the Driver's and Passenger's Heated Seat Switches mounted on the doors? I have the Heated Seats Switches out on both cars and was wondering BEFORE I go the dealer and pay my $100 deductible for each Extended Warranty.

Thanks,
GordonB

[empeguser]

Hmm, I was the one that posted the fix for the window switch lights, but I do not have heated seats in my car so I do not know what the switches look like. If you can post a pic of one of those switches maybe I could tell, it should be the same I would think.

[Bluerauder]

Hmm, I was the one that posted the fix for the window switch lights, but I do not have heated seats in my car so I do not know what the switches look like. If you can post a pic of one of those switches maybe I could tell, it should be the same I would think.

Here ya go ...

http://www.mercurymarauder.net/showcase/files/1/8/9/1/MarauderDoor.jpg

[empeguser]

It looks like to me that it should be the same fix, now we are talking about the backlight leds right? If anyone has the switch out or I could see the back I could tell you more. All these switches do use small leds for backlighting and they all have to have some type of resistor whether it is a "through hole" type or a smd (surface mount) the smd type is the kind that are notorious for bad connections, even some of the ford radios have smd resistors to drive the filaments in the vfd (vacuum fluorescent display) that cause the the display to dim or go out. In general leds do not go bad unless they are driven with too much current they do dim after time but most leds have a average life of 100,000 hours if driven with the proper voltage/current so most of the time when a led goes out it is a bad connection. The whole trick is to get the switch apart without breaking it..lol.:o

[GordonB]

Thank you all for the replies. Guess my first fix will be the window switch backlights/leds. If that goes well, I'll tackle the heated seat switches.
GordonB

[Aren Jay]

I have a similar problem with the heated seat switches. The little square red lights work fine, it is just the backlight green flickers. Is this a solder problem too?

I also have a couple burnt out door switches on the passenger door, just wish I could solder.

Does that squeeze tube solder work for this?

[ctrlraven]

Gordon, if you need any help let me know I fixed mine and I all the soldering stuff since I use it everyday with my job.

When I get the chance in the next few days I'll pull my door panel off and check out the heated seat switch since mine likes to work whenever the mood strikes it right on both doors.

[MaxPower]

Has anyone found a cure for this? I've been searching old posts for 40 minutes but cannot seem to find a permanent fix. I recall someone re-soldering, but can't find the thread.
I had the passenger side replaced once already under warranty; it's blinking again. Thanks.

[ctrlraven]

I did re-solder mine but they worked for several months and then the same thing happened again. Passenger side comes on hardly and driverside is very hard to push to activate it. I think it might have something to do with moisture in the door panel cause they never like to work right after a big rain.

[omarauder]

The LEDs are not connected to the switch mechanism, they just shine up thru the buttons. The problem appears to be cold solder joints due to poor quality control on just about all modules. Once you find and re-solder these cold solder joints they should work for a very long time.

[MaxPower]

You guys have a pic or a description of the point I should solder? I haven't disassembled yet so I don't know what to look for...just looking for a heads up.