Seat warmer working intermittently

[gg simba]

With perfect timing for cold weather I am starting to have some issues with the driver side seat warmer. Typically I hear a click (assume thats the relay), when turning on the seat warmer (or cooler). Right now I do hear it then after about a minute or two I hear it again without pressing anything and the seat never warms. If I try turning it off/on, no click, while the passenger side works fine. Once I restart the car it will work again for about a minute or two.

Sometimes it works long enough for the seat to get warm, but eventually shuts off.

I did look around and saw some threads, but most were all the warmer not clicking at all.

Any suggestions or people that ran into it?

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[ahl395]

Check the plugs underneath the seat itself. I remember reading a few issues with one of the pins burning and melting the connector.

Unplug the connectors under the seat and look at them head on with the tips facing toward you, check for any burn marks on the white plastic.

 

[gg simba]

Check the plugs underneath the seat itself. I remember reading a few issues with one of the pins burning and melting the connector.

Unplug the connectors under the seat and look at them head on with the tips facing toward you, check for any burn marks on the white plastic.

Everything looks good on the plugs.

 

[jimmerheck]

I am having the exact same problem as you right now, sometimes it clicks and turns on then it clicks and turns off by itself, sometimes you turn it on and you dont hear the click. I have also checked my underseat connection, cant see any problem. It has gotten worse in the last month. When I checked it a while ago with an IR temp gun, both seats were heating up. But as time has gone by, it definitely does not heat up the seat though as compared to the passenger, as tested with a IR temp gun. I have also noticed that when the heated portion doesnt work, neither does the cooling fan when I switch it to cooling. I am going to have to visit the dealer soon to test out my extended warranty, car is a little over 3 years old. Ugh, I hate having to take it in...

 

[jimmerheck]

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...lick-cant-find-the-relay.112533/#post-2402379

 

[jimmerheck]

I just used my Ford premium extended warranty to fix my inoperative drivers side heated and cooled seat. My dealer did a great job, no nicks or damage or drama to the car. And It took them just over 24 hrs to fix it, I'm happy, I'm pretty anal. Vancouver Ford in Vancouver Washington. Didnt cost me a penny.

 

[BluePonyGT]

Sorry but I'm bringing this thread back for my '17 GT Premium. After doing some searches I realize I don't have the same issues as others have had with burned connectors, but closer to OP's issue where the relay clicks off once it's on for the passenger side.

Recently my passenger seat warmer and cooler stopped working. After fiddling around with both sides several times here's what I found:

1. Driver's side warming and cooling works. Relays click when using the switches on the dash and stay on. They don't seem to work as quickly or as well as they used to but they work.
2. Passenger's side relay does click on when activating the switch on the dash. Then after about a minute it clicks off - you can hear it both times. Then activating the switch on the dash does nothing. No clicks after that. No warmer. No cooler. You have to shut the car off then start it again to be able to get the relays to click again, and they do the same thing.
3. Passenger side module connections look clean - all 3 of them. No scorch marks. No burned connectors. The circuit board on the passenger side relay looks perfectly fine - I took it out from under the seat and removed it from the housing to inspect it.
4. No disconnected wires under the passenger seat. I have a dashcam with a battery tucked under the passenger seat and thought it might be related, but all of that looks fine.
5. Obviously the fuses are fine too.

So what the hell should I do? I'm thinking without any evidence to the contrary order a new passenger side module. However, I'm wondering what happens downstream from the module that might cause the relay to trip and turn the circuit off again on that side.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Sorry but I'm bringing this thread back for my '17 GT Premium. After doing some searches I realize I don't have the same issues as others have had with burned connectors, but closer to OP's issue where the relay clicks off once it's on for the passenger side.

Recently my passenger seat warmer and cooler stopped working. After fiddling around with both sides several times here's what I found:

1. Driver's side warming and cooling works. Relays click when using the switches on the dash and stay on. They don't seem to work as quickly or as well as they used to but they work.
2. Passenger's side relay does click on when activating the switch on the dash. Then after about a minute it clicks off - you can hear it both times. Then activating the switch on the dash does nothing. No clicks after that. No warmer. No cooler. You have to shut the car off then start it again to be able to get the relays to click again, and they do the same thing.
3. Passenger side module connections look clean - all 3 of them. No scorch marks. No burned connectors. The circuit board on the passenger side relay looks perfectly fine - I took it out from under the seat and removed it from the housing to inspect it.
4. No disconnected wires under the passenger seat. I have a dashcam with a battery tucked under the passenger seat and thought it might be related, but all of that looks fine.
5. Obviously the fuses are fine too.

So what the hell should I do? I'm thinking without any evidence to the contrary order a new passenger side module. However, I'm wondering what happens downstream from the module that might cause the relay to trip and turn the circuit off again on that side.

I don’t know if you have seen these threads yet or not but they contain good info about heated/cooling seat issues.

This first thread is about members who have found that the harness connector was shorted - but in most instances it affects the seat heating/cooling aspect.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...ing-no-more-click-cant-find-the-relay.112533/

This 2nd thread is newer which discusses M6G owners finding no external issues with connectors or harnesses, but finding the module is bad or wrong unit:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/heated-cooled-seats-mystery.152156/

 

[BluePonyGT]

I don’t know if you have seen these threads yet or not but they contain good info about heated/cooling seat issues.

This first thread is about members who have found that the harness connector was shorted - but in most instances it affects the seat heating/cooling aspect.

https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...ing-no-more-click-cant-find-the-relay.112533/

This 2nd thread is newer which discusses M6G owners finding no external issues with connectors or harnesses, but finding the module is bad or wrong unit:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/heated-cooled-seats-mystery.152156/

Yes I've read them both. From what I've been able to gather the culprit is different depending on the symptoms and the year of the car pre or post recalls of any kind.

My car is a '17 and is out of warranty. The relays do work which means the passenger side module does appear to be fine, so replacing it wholesale seems like a random guess rather than pinpointing a cause.

However, others have mentioned DTC codes. Nothing is obviously screaming at me when the car starts up so I need to connect a scanner to the CPU and see if there are any hidden in there as a next step.

My wife actually mentioned a thermostat and that got me thinking. What if the module gets tricked into thinking the heater shouldn't be on in the first place and trips it? Makes sense, but after looking at the wiring diagram it's not obvious to me what's downstream from the relay module.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Yes I've read them both. From what I've been able to gather the culprit is different depending on the symptoms and the year of the car pre or post recalls of any kind.

My car is a '17 and is out of warranty. The relays do work which means the passenger side module does appear to be fine, so replacing it wholesale seems like a random guess rather than pinpointing a cause.

However, others have mentioned DTC codes. Nothing is obviously screaming at me when the car starts up so I need to connect a scanner to the CPU and see if there are any hidden in there as a next step.

My wife actually mentioned a thermostat and that got me thinking. What if the module gets tricked into thinking the heater shouldn't be on in the first place and trips it? Makes sense, but after looking at the wiring diagram it's not obvious to me what's downstream from the relay module.

I had posted this a while back in another thread, hopefully it has an added benefit for you. You don’t need a code scanner to get stored codes.

——-
If you have a 2015-2020 with the ANALOG gauge cluster, you should be able to enter the “Engineer Test Mode” and will be able to see stored DTC’s.

Follow this link:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/engineering-test-mode.27581/

If you you have a 2018-2020 with the DIGITAL cluster, you should be able to access the same test mode found here:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...n-18-digital-dash-old-way-doesnt-work.115231/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...n-18-digital-dash-old-way-doesnt-work.115231/

 

[BluePonyGT]

I had posted this a while back in another thread, hopefully it has an added benefit for you. You don’t need a code scanner to get stored codes.

——-
If you have a 2015-2020 with the ANALOG gauge cluster, you should be able to enter the “Engineer Test Mode” and will be able to see stored DTC’s.

Follow this link:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/threads/engineering-test-mode.27581/

If you you have a 2018-2020 with the DIGITAL cluster, you should be able to access the same test mode found here:
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...n-18-digital-dash-old-way-doesnt-work.115231/
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...n-18-digital-dash-old-way-doesnt-work.115231/

Nice. More homework for me. Thanks. I'll see what I can find.

I have a handy ODB II style scanner I can plug in and pull data per manufacturer to my phone, but it's nice to see I don't have to do that for this. I do like using the gadgets though.

 

[BluePonyGT]

Ok I finally have some data to work with.

Engineering Test mode is cool, but showed me ZERO DTC codes. Nothing in there. Blank.

I connected my bluetooth AUTEL device to the ODBII port under the dash that sends diagnostics to my phone. If one has the Ford module downloaded and installed this is really handy - especially doing diagnostic tests.

So I ran a test on the DCM/SCM seat modules, and the passenger side threw codes when I did that:

B111C-60: Passenger thermoelectric driver open load

If SCME outputs to the passenger seat backrest or cushion blower motor are open, disconnected or a blower motor resistance greater than 90,000 ohms is sensed, the SCME continues normal operation and sets this DTC .

B272D-60: Passenger differential temperature fault

If there is a temperature differential between the passenger backrest and cushion blower motor of 60° C (108° F) or more for more than 4 seconds, the blower motor is disconnected or the duct is blocked, this DTC sets. When this happens the first time in a key cycle, the SCME puts the passenger seat system into recovery mode (see principles of operation). If the system is able to recover, it functions normally. If the system is able to recover and it occurs a second time in the same key cycle, the SCME shuts down the passenger seat system.

 

[BluePonyGT]

After more searching I found this is an issue across the ford product line, which most probably already know and I'm just figuring it out, but the part that was interesting is the number of people who have the B272D code that ended up replacing their seat-back blower.

I spent some time trying to figure out if I could get the leather seat cover up high enough to expose it from the back. No dice. I don't see how I could do this without taking the seat out because the side covers have to come off to get the leather loose enough to squish up to expose it, and at that point I might as well replace both blowers (seat back and base).

So that's where I am at this point.

 

[pyrophilus]

I had this same problem on my '17 EB, driver's side, when you press heat, you hear the relay click, then after about 30 sec. You hear relay click again, then nothing. Pressing the button and cycling will cycle the red led lights in the button, but you no longer hear the relay clicks.

Took it to dealer and they said it was a bad module.

As for getting to seatback, I know it is possible to raise the leather up higher on the seatbacks. On my '15, I installed the cooling mode because my seats stopped cooling. To install it, I had to raise the seat back leather up high to access the blower motors for the peltier. I remember I was able to get to it without removing the seats.

 

[BluePonyGT]

I had this same problem on my '17 EB, driver's side, when you press heat, you hear the relay click, then after about 30 sec. You hear relay click again, then nothing. Pressing the button and cycling will cycle the red led lights in the button, but you no longer hear the relay clicks.

Took it to dealer and they said it was a bad module.

As for getting to seatback, I know it is possible to raise the leather up higher on the seatbacks. On my '15, I installed the cooling mode because my seats stopped cooling. To install it, I had to raise the seat back leather up high to access the blower motors for the peltier. I remember I was able to get to it without removing the seats.

Interesting. And it was leather?

What is the blower attached to on the back?

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