Installing heated seats

[Roonie-KEY]

So I want to add heated seats to the van for the winter driving I will be doing and it is so nice after a long day of skiing to have them on. I currently have the Ford/SMB leather swivel seats for driver and passenger. I found this site....

http://www.HeatedSeatKits.com/index.html

and they sell kits for about $99 per seat. Anyone install heated seats before? Is there an easy 12V switched power source under the dash to wire into for the seats that delivers 10A consistently? I am a rookie when it comes to wiring.

Thanks for any insight.

 

[carringb]

Yes, there is switched power under the dash. You need the "Modified Vehicle Power" pigtail from Ford, then it plugs in under the dash giving you 30 amps of both switched and un-switched power. You can also plug the pigtail in behind the C-pillar panel by the driver's left elbow. However, I think SMB may already use than one.

 

[billwilson-THOR]

Looked at the install

requires taking off upholstry

if i was to do this

i would see if it could be installed on top of upholstry
and under the sheepskin covers (I LIKE my sheepskin covers)

my two Satang

bw

 

[Roonie-KEY]

I saw that and made me think twice about it if I have to undo the upholstery.

So I found an alternative..... and cheaper... heated seat covers and pads that can be plugged into your cigarette lighter. I know I have two cigarette outlets up front and another one right to the left of the drivers seat in the B pillar for a total of 3 outlets that can be used if I want one for each seat and still run aux power through an extra cigarette lighter port for iphone or whatever. Also the covers can come out in the summer.

http://cozywinters.com/heated-seats/

 

[jage]

http://www.HeatedSeatKits.com/index.html

Find me a version with lumbar support and I'll do a full install write up! My pickup has lumbar/heated/vibe seats which were custom made, and I've been looking for a kit to put in my Jeep and SMB ever since!

Also, I have some of those slip on cigarette lighter kind. They will show up at walmart at christmas, and still be on the shelves 2 months later marked down to next to nothing. Still, don't like them enough to have installed them yet.

 

[vwteleman]

Another possibility is Wet Okole. You can add seat heaters and lumbar support as options.

I'm planning to order a set with seat heaters, but not sure about the lumbar support.

Brent

 

[dbone]

I have the Wet Okole covers with heaters. I don't know if they make them for the SMB seats. They only make covers for Factory seat combos. The Shop that I work for is a Dealer for them.

 

[TwoVans]

And??? Worst ever? Best money you've ever spent? Ok, but...

 

[Buji]

I have the heated seats with lumbar support from SMB, and one of the problems has been with the wires getting pulled and yanked when the seat is turned around.
They're nice enough, but I'd really like to see someone take the cooled seats out of the expedition and get them into the van...
I am glad I have them built in, but I think if I had the option today I'd go with the wet okole ones and leave the seats stock.

 

[jage]

My airbag sensor wires for the passenger seat ripped out the first time I spun the seat. I'm like, the van is two years old and no one has ever spun the passenger seat before now? They didn't know to make them longer? Extending the wires shouldn't be difficult, they should be basic power and ground wires.

 

[Roonie-KEY]

My airbag sensor wires for the passenger seat ripped out the first time I spun the seat. I'm like, the van is two years old and no one has ever spun the passenger seat before now? They didn't know to make them longer? Extending the wires shouldn't be difficult, they should be basic power and ground wires.

When I bought my van the airbag wires were out as well from the passenger seat spinning around. My airbag light was on all the time on the dash. I finally figured it out and put them back together and the airbag light went off finally. Now I am real careful when I spin the seat and make sure the wires stay connected

 

[Roonie-KEY]

My seats have lumbar support.... the funny little air bulb you pump up like at the DR's office when taking your blood pressure. What style seats do we have in the SMB conversion? Is it the Ford E series factory seat or a special styled SMB seat?

 

[vwteleman]

Bones,

I'd be interested in your impressions of the Wet Okoles. Are the seat heaters effective? Reliable? What about the lumbar support - do you have them (or have you tried them)?

Anyone else have Wet Okoles?

Thanks,
Brent

 

[jage]

I have the generic fit Wet Okoles in my Jeep. The backs on the generic fit are a different material and they turned from black to a rust color in the sun in the first season and they lost all elasticity around the base. The neoprene seams are coming apart and I've had to switch driver and passenger because the door-side covers were damaged solely from use. Needless to say I was underwhelmed and won't be buying them again.

 

[John Kalmbach]

Roonie,

Your '06 will have factory Ford seats. The incomplete chassis SMB typically converts has unfinished captain seats that SMB covers to match the rest of the interior.

John K.

 

[Bigfoot-THOR]

Yes, there is switched power under the dash. You need the "Modified Vehicle Power" pigtail from Ford, then it plugs in under the dash giving you 30 amps of both switched and un-switched power. You can also plug the pigtail in behind the C-pillar panel by the driver's left elbow. However, I think SMB may already use than one.

Random thread bump.

Anyone know part numbers for the pigtail? Where under the dash is the connector located?
C pillar, wouldn't that be B pillar by driver's elbow?

 

[IheartDieselVans]

Another random thread bump for the same reason: I'd love to have a part number for the pigtail, and where the connection under the dash is.

Cheers...

 

[Bigfoot-THOR]

I have all the info, posted it in a new thread:

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=8352