factory seat heater switch location?

[mtnh]

I had seat heaters installed this week and when the time came to pick a switch location for two front seat heater power switches, I was a little bit taken by surprise by the question. As a result, I ended up suggesting two spots: the area on the front vertical side of the rise in the console to the storage bin under the armrest behind the cup holders, my second choice, and my first choice, which they were able to execute for me, on the side wings of the console's guage pod, you know, where dummies go to look for their oil pressure reading? Those switches fit there perfectly, and they are easy to get to and also out of the way. I just can't help wondering though, where the factory intended to place those switches, since the company doing the install noted that they can normally accomodate the factory's location with the switches, if known.

It's water over the dam now, but for future aftermarket seat heater customers, you may want to think this over and have your mind made up before you sign on the dotted line.

By the way, as the BigDog stated, these warmers are awesome. Too bad aftermarket heaters don't cost the same as factory heaters. ($275/seat as opposed to factory list of $295 /car)

I can post a picture of the switches at a future time, if there is interest.

Anyone know?

Thanks,

Mike

[03 Merc]

Mike,

On my wife's 03 Town Car the switches are on the front door panels... near the front of the door on top portion... They are three position rocker switches with a low / off / high settings..

If the MM had been available with heated seats sooner I might have been able to pull off his and hers MMs...

[Mikeenh]

Mike,
I'd be interested in where you got this done, how long it took and do you have variable heat settings. With the weather you're having up there now(below zero all week), these seats are worth their weight in gold.

[mtnh]

Mikeenh,

I had the seats done at American Auto Seat Cover in Nashua, at 882-4561. They did a top-notch job and saved me lots of cussing, since I am rabid do it yourselfer and have NO experience in auto upholstry work.

I suspect that all shops that do upholstry work can do these. If you insist on doing it yourself, the two temp heaters can be had for $143/ea, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than $550.

I did get the dual temp heaters, and they seem to be well worth it, as you said. Since it's my wife's daily driver, let's see if it gets me anywhere near out of the perpetual dog house.

Mike

[SergntMac]

Heated seats...Never more important in my life before, but wasn't available at my time of purchase...Shoot! Nothing worse than heading out to work on a zero day, when you have to wear a Kilt!

Anyway, what I want to suggest here, is a neat place to hide a switch. On MMs without Traction control, the dot-matrix trim panel left of the steering column has only one switch, a switch to adjust the pedals, which I never need to adjust because no one drives my Girl 'cept me.

For MMs with factory T/C, this panel has two switches. Get the updated dox-matrix trim panel and a switch complementary to your application, and you can "hide it in plain sight" right there.

I'm working on installing the two switch panel, with a momentary contact switch that controls Reinhart's chip. I'll have to push this switch when starting up to enjoy the Reinhart features, and if I don't, the MM starts up under standard programming. This is an easy fix to the "Mom-Valet" quandry, and perhaps a safety feature as well. I am worried that someone will steal my car someday, and use it's Reinhart refinements to out drive the police. That would make me really sad, if another copper got hurt because of my MM. So, if ya know the switch is there, you get the chip. If ya don't, you don't.

This may be a place to mount a switch for other purpose, and hide it in plain sight...IMHO.

[RCSignals]

nothing like going to work in a kilt

[looking97233]

Why not just get the factory parts from the dealer? Get the switches and trim pannels for a MM with seat heaters. I'd bet money that the wiring is already there as GM's and TC's can be had with them. This is what I am planning to do when I have the time.
Then Everything looks stock.

[Brian]

Factory heated switch location is in the door trim panel, next to the power seat controls. It is a horizontal self-centering rocker-type switch, resulting in two heat settings (besides "off").

[Andrew10AE]

Anyone have pictures of the factory switches? And Sarge - have you gotten the panel yet? Any idea of PN? How much did you pay? I am looking for a good place for a switch for my bluelight and I dont want something conspicuous because I dont have to use it often (thankfully), and I dont want something to stick out and be ugly and obtrusive to the appearance of the car... and are you using the factory TC switch there, or did you find a 3rd party switch that fits well?

Thanks

-A

[mtnh]

Sounds nice, Brian. Thanks a million once again. With the temps around the country and the northeast at this time, this addition to my wife's car is paying off big. Too bad these things were not available for Job #1 rollout.

Mike

[BRSMERC]

I really want the heated seats as well. Got down to -35 the other day. I am really interested in a factory installation. I assume the wiring is already in the Marauder for this. For the job, I think the required parts are 2 control modules, 2 switch panels, 2 cushion heaters, power distribution parts, and maybe a wiring harness or two. The internal wiring will be the big issue and cost.
Has anyone done it this way?
Can someone post a picture of a factory installation?
Has anyone checked to see if the wiring is there?
If not I'll start working on it but I don't want to reinvent the wheel.

Brian

[Bigdogjim]

I had my seats done a while back. At the time only place to put the switch was along side the lower part of the seat just off the floor. The factory parts were not available at the time. Works for me. Two settings.
Big Dog

[Wags]

SergntMac,

If you have a switch to take the chip out of the system, remember, you're speedo will then be off because of the 4.10's. But if you get the dual program chip from Dennis (which you might have already), then you can swap back and forth without any problems.

Wags

[SergntMac]

That's a good idea Wags, I didn't think of that. I'll have to see if my chip can be reprogrammed or not, thanks!

[NYSP618]

Great idea and not a bad price, but if I put them in my MM with wife will want them in her Mountaineer.