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Cooled seats not cooling

FeedtheNeed

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For full understanding of the issues, read the thread.

Courtesy of Droid_Junky, a synopsis:
YES, THE SEATBACKS ARE SUPPOSE TO COOL JUST AS THE BOTTOM CUSHION COOLS. THE SEATBACK DOESN'T COOL BECAUSE OF A POOR DESIGN.

While investigating the issue we have learned that the issue with the seatback is that the inlet fan is forced to recirculate the air from within the back of the seat because it has no way of getting air from the cabin. The bottom cushion that works quite well does have access to cabin air.

(pic of Peltier device outside the seatback producing cooled air for over 30 minutes with no signs of warming)

1.jpg


The seats are cooled and heated by a Peltier device. The inlet fan blows air across the two plates of the Peltier device. One side of the device is cooled while the other side produces exhaust heat. The fan does blow across each side at the same time. What is supposed to happen is the cooled air is pushed through the rubber duct to the perforations of the seat. The exhaust side blows hot air inside the back of the seat and based on the way it is currently designed, it is expected that the hot air escapes out the back perforations of the seat. It seems that most of the exhaust heat remains trapped in the back of the seat. This hot air is recirculated through the Peltier device and significantly reduces the cooled air side. There are several reports that the seatback actually begins to increase in temperature.

(pic of Peltier device installed. Cooled air should flows through rubber duct (blue lines), hot exhaust out the back(red lines))

2.jpg



THERE IS ALSO THE QUESTION OF WHERE ON THE SEATBACK SHOULD WE FILL COOL AIR?

This can be answered by testing the heating option of the seat. If you turn the heat on to the seat you can feel every part of the seat that gets warm. Technically this same area that is warmed by the heat option, should also feel cooled with the cooled option. We have verified that during normal heated seat operation, the heat that is felt on the seats is produced from the same Peltier device. The air blows through the same perforations of the seat. This option works very well.

A temporary duct was tested on the device to allow air from the cabin and the results were promising. The seat feels cools for the first time this summer. This failed after two weeks because the heat is still too much for the duct tape to hold!!! WE NEED A PERMANENT SOLUTION FROM FORD!

3.jpg



(other pics of the device and wiring)

4.jpg


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Slade

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I thought the cooled and heated seats are only for the seats and not the back rest. That is, just the actual part that is being sat on.
Nope, both do the job...to varying degrees it seems.

Mine work well in both the heat and cooled modes..both seat and backs.
 

Free Agent

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For the life of me I don't know how these things are supposed to function properly. I can't get a response from Ford.
 

RubyRed15

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Mine don't work, either. Bottoms only. Very disappointed.
 

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jaymayne

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Mine work great, they work even better when the a/c is on lol. As in if I don't want to use the a/c I just use the seat cooler. If that isn't enough to keep me from sweating I turn on the a/c and as soon as the cabin cools down I can notice the seat getting much colder. I'm ASSuming the cooler air making the cooling mechanism more efficient.
 

lint28

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I feel the same way. My thought is that (since I live in Florida) when the car sits in the heat... then I turn on the cooling (which turns on the fan)... the ambient heat that is built up in the seat back gets blown onto my back. Obviously the seat back fan/cooling is not as good as the seats. So its really just blowing the hot ambient air on my back.


Even with this... its still one of my favorite options. It works great on the seat bottom.
 

RubyRed15

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It works great on the seat bottom.
It's my biggest disappointment in the car. The back is the only part of the seat that matters, if I have to pick just one. I'd have spec'd Recaros had I known the design was so subpar.
 

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FordService

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For the life of me I don't know how these things are supposed to function properly. I can't get a response from Ford.
Hey there, Free Agent. Just got word back today. The seats aren't connected to the HVAC system; they use a heat exchange system that reduces or raises the air temp as it's entering the seats. The reason the cooling seems to work better when the A/C is on, is because the air in the cabin will already be cooler.

Hope that helps!

Jeff
 
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FeedtheNeed

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Hey there, Free Agent. Just got word back today. The seats aren't connected to the HVAC system; they use a heat exchange system that reduces or raises the air temp as it's entering the seats. The reason the cooling seems to work better when the A/C is on, is because the air in the cabin will already be cooler.

Hope that helps!

Jeff
This would suggest that you should see similar performance from both the bottom and back, correct?
 

Free Agent

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Hey there, Free Agent. Just got word back today. The seats aren't connected to the HVAC system; they use a heat exchange system that reduces or raises the air temp as it's entering the seats. The reason the cooling seems to work better when the A/C is on, is because the air in the cabin will already be cooler.

Hope that helps!

Jeff
Thank you. Yes it does. And now I'm starting to wonder if mine isn't working properly in the seat backs. I can feel air moving and hear the fans working in the seat back but it does not get cool/cold. The seat bottom will but the seat back does not. Could you find out if there is a heat exchanger in the seat back as well or if it just blows ambient air. This would keep me from taking it in for service if that is how it is supposed to function. Again, my thanks. :)
 

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This would suggest that you should see similar performance from both the bottom and back, correct?
Just beat me to that question. Mine is not even close to being the same. Bottom cools, the back just blows air, no cooling. Hope we can find this answer. :)
 

FordService

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This would suggest that you should see similar performance from both the bottom and back, correct?
Thank you. Yes it does. And now I'm starting to wonder if mine isn't working properly in the seat backs. I can feel air moving and hear the fans working in the seat back but it does not get cool/cold. The seat bottom will but the seat back does not. Could you find out if there is a heat exchanger in the seat back as well or if it just blows ambient air. This would keep me from taking it in for service if that is how it is supposed to function. Again, my thanks. :)
Just double-checked on this as well. The cooling/heating feature works just on the actual seat area and the lower back (lumbar) area. It doesn't however, extend the whole way up the seat back.

Jeff
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