Cooled seats not cooling

[Droid_Junky]

I channeled my inner MacGyver... cardboard + duct tape + shop vac hose = fixed.

Took it for an almost two hour test drive and it works so much better! The seat stayed cool the entire time and I never felt the heat. I even tested with the AC off and it still stays cool. I could actually feel the leather cool on my back. It seemed to be cooler on the upper square more so than where the actual vent comes out on the seat but it was a noticeable difference than before.

So that half cover could be swapped out with a full cover that also has hard plastic duct attached that simply wraps under to the back of the seat. The flap that has to be opened to access the back would hold it in place. The hose I used exited right next to the cushion unit. I also had the flap closed. As soon as I got home I opened the flap and checked for the hot air and it was still much cooler behind the seat because the hot side of the peltier is being cooled by outside air!

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[XDsm]

I channeled my inner MacGyver... cardboard + duct tape + shop vac hose = fixed.

Took it for an almost two hour test drive and it works so much better! The seat stayed cool the entire time and I never felt the heat. I even tested with the AC off and it still stays cool. I could actually feel the leather cool on my back. It seemed to be cooler on the upper square more so than where the actual vent comes out on the seat but it was a noticeable difference than before.

So that half cover could be swapped out with a full cover that also has hard plastic duct attached that simply wraps under to the back of the seat. The flap that has to be opened to access the back would hold it in place. The hose I used exited right next to the cushion unit. I also had the flap closed. As soon as I got home I opened the flap and checked for the hot air and it was still much cooler behind the seat because the hot side of the peltier is being cooled by outside air!

It sucks you have to do this but still great work on getting some kind of solution. I would be interested to see a temperature reading on the seat back now with the change in place.

How hard was it to access and then remove and reinstall the cooling unit?

 

[GT Pony]

I channeled my inner MacGyver... cardboard + duct tape + shop vac hose = fixed.

Took it for an almost two hour test drive and it works so much better! The seat stayed cool the entire time and I never felt the heat. I even tested with the AC off and it still stays cool. I could actually feel the leather cool on my back. It seemed to be cooler on the upper square more so than where the actual vent comes out on the seat but it was a noticeable difference than before.

So that half cover could be swapped out with a full cover that also has hard plastic duct attached that simply wraps under to the back of the seat. The flap that has to be opened to access the back would hold it in place. The hose I used exited right next to the cushion unit. I also had the flap closed. As soon as I got home I opened the flap and checked for the hot air and it was still much cooler behind the seat because the hot side of the peltier is being cooled by outside air!

Nice work! :first:

There you go Ford ... run with this and come up with a nice retrofit duct kit to make the back unit suck cabin air from outside the seat back! :ford:

IMO, Ford needs to get this corrected now because the more cars they make with this deficient thermal design on the seat back cooler, the more complaints and the more fixes they will need to do in the future.

 

[lwilliams]

If this is indeed the answer, Ford needs to step, spec out and source a new part, then install this new update at no charge regardless of warranty status through 5 years from date of delivery.

(That is how you retain customers.)

 

[Droid_Junky]

It sucks you have to do this but still great work on getting some kind of solution. I would be interested to see a temperature reading on the seat back now with the change in place.

How hard was it to access and then remove and reinstall the cooling unit?

The hardest part was the reinstall. Mainly getting the two hooks on the left side and making sure the tie wrap was correct around the rubber duct. It still didn't take more than five minutes though.

 

[Vile_the_Bastage]

I may try this, but see if I can clean it up a bit. Nice job, Droid!

 

[yellowragtop]

I see. what he has done is the blower behind the seat back, is now extracting ambient air from the car cabin, instead of starting off and recirculating hot air from the inside of the seat.

This is looking like a designer started off this design, and simply didn't finish it.

This idea/concept sounds fantastic if it truly fixed the issue. It is interesting how this idea makes so much logical sense, yet the idea was not implemented by the car company. Especially if it truly works.

(Watch Ford take his idea and run with it LOL). It looks so simple. (he could make millions with a patent and aftermarket installation package)

I wonder if that hose could extract cooled air from the seat bottoms?

 

[MaxInTx]

Been following this thread for a while, as I have the same complaint. Yesterday on the way home, I tested using the ac on full, with the dash and floor vents. The back of my seat still felt somewhat warm. I think just went to just dash vents, and 2-3 min you could actually feel the back of the seat get warmer. I turned on the floor vents, and felt the heat almost all go away. I had an F150, seats were much better than this.

 

[jbailer]

Amazing work on this Droid Junky! Thanks! Hopefully Ford takes note and has a fix for us before too long. If not, maybe you could do a little more detailed how-to?

 

[Free Agent]

I channeled my inner MacGyver... cardboard + duct tape + shop vac hose = fixed.

Took it for an almost two hour test drive and it works so much better! The seat stayed cool the entire time and I never felt the heat. I even tested with the AC off and it still stays cool. I could actually feel the leather cool on my back. It seemed to be cooler on the upper square more so than where the actual vent comes out on the seat but it was a noticeable difference than before.

So that half cover could be swapped out with a full cover that also has hard plastic duct attached that simply wraps under to the back of the seat. The flap that has to be opened to access the back would hold it in place. The hose I used exited right next to the cushion unit. I also had the flap closed. As soon as I got home I opened the flap and checked for the hot air and it was still much cooler behind the seat because the hot side of the peltier is being cooled by outside air!

Simply awesome my friend. Kudos to you. Backyard engineering at its finest and I mean that as a compliment. If you ever do a more detailed write up I may end up doing this myself. If you patent it and build a kit I'll be first in line.

Hey Ford, free engineering advice here. Droid is doing your job for you, you should send him some of your paycheck.

A trip to a Lowes or maybe even an aquarium store to search for plumbing/ducting may be in order to see if there is anything out there that may work as well.

 

[GT Pony]

Hey Ford, free engineering advice here. Droid is doing your job for you, you should send him some of your paycheck.

Apparently, they had some new guy on the cooled seat design team, because I'm just wondering why they didn't do something like what they have in their other cooled seats in different Ford models. I guess one design team never talks to gets inputs/advice/direction from another design team. :shrug:

Look familiar? Looks similar to what Droid_Junky emulated:
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showpost.php?p=653501&postcount=283

 

[Free Agent]

Apparently, they had some new guy on the cooled seat design team, because I'm just wondering why they didn't do something like what they have in their other cooled seats in different Ford models. I guess one design team never talks to gets inputs/advice/direction from another design team. :shrug:

Look familiar? Looks similar to what Droid_Junky emulated:
http://www.mustang6g.com/forums/showpost.php?p=653501&postcount=283

Makes me think the bean counters wanted to cut corners and save a few bucks per car by leaving them off. Engineering said, "Yeah the upper seats will still cool" and accounting scratched the part off the list, and then got a raise for "saving the company money.". :tsk:

 

[GT Pony]

Makes me think the bean counters wanted to cut corners and save a few bucks per car by leaving them off. Engineering said, "Yeah the upper seats will still cool" and accounting scratched the part off the list, and then got a raise for "saving the company money.". :tsk:

"Design Risk 101" ... saving the cost by $1 per vehicle may end up costing you $100 per vehicle

That's why in a case like this, adequate testing of the design needs to be verified. I have a feeling the testing was lacking, as I don't see how this could have slipped by with testing that would have easily caught the problem.

 

[Droid_Junky]

I just used what I could find around the house. If I was actually designing it I would make the tube the same shape as the rubber outlet tube. It needs to be hard plastic though so it doesn't get pinched in the flap.

Keep in mind if you decide to try it, you can only get one hand up the back of the seat and be very careful cutting the tie wrap that holds the rubber duct in place. You can't see what you are cutting so take your time to make sure you only cut the tie wrap. It's a good idea to study how it is held in place before removing it. Hopefully everyone knows their skill level before attempting it. In a former life I was Field Engineer in the electronics field, so I can literally cut a tie wrap blindfolded with one hand behind my back. I've done it many times.


1. I cut the cardboard into a plus sign (if that makes sense). Imagine a square in the center and then folding the four tabs in.

2. in the center I cut the hole to slide the hose through. I actually used the piece that attaches to the shop vac. So the opening inside the cardboard is larger than the hose that you see. I would say the hose was about 12" long but that stretched to at least the center of the seat. So it could have been shorter. I think its a good idea to keep the hose a decent size.

3. Then I folded the four tabs of the card board and shaped it to fit around the fan.

4. Taped it to the little shield and then kept working it around until there was no leaks. Basically creating a box around the fan. I didn't put any tape on the backside of the fan. I only put tape on the black plastic parts. That back of the fan actually gets hot when the fan is spinning. Duct tape and heat can get nasty after a while.

5. Then I reinstalled it. Hook it on the left side (two red arrows on the left) to the yellow rod that runs vertical in the seat, then it slides over the metal spring. There is a hook on the backside. One tie wrap on the right side (red arrow on the right). Then slide the rubber duct back into its place and wrap a tie wrap around it. The challenging part was that it all had to be done with one hand and you can't see what you are doing.

I did a little research on craft projects dealing with plastic sheets. I might try it if I can find some plastic. Basically cut the plastic into the shape you want, warm it up in the oven, then wrap it around a template, cool it quickly and it holds its shape. Then seal the seams with some epoxy.

Also, we aren't the only ones complaining. Found this: http://www.fordfusionenergiforum.com/topic/3255-cooled-seats-option-complaint/

My guess is that besides picking the design of the seat fabric and a style of seat, Ford probably contracts out the entire seat. That is why there are so many different designs. I've read where some vehicles (even other Fords) use the tubing out the back to get proper air flow. I don't understand why there wouldn't be a consistent design when you know what is required.

 

[Blk2015GT]

I think it would be simple for an aftermarket company to mold. That whole shroud over the fan clips/screws off and a new one covering the whole fan clips on with ducting attached. Easy $50 per seat sell.

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