Subaru Legacy Forums - HOW TO: Fix your heated seat

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- - HOW TO: Fix your heated seat (http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106069)

HOW TO: Fix your heated seat

This thread is a walkthrough for repairing your broken heated seat in your 05+ Legacy or Outbacks.

Start out by removing the 4 seat bolts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0985.jpg

Once you have taken all 4 bolts out, lift the front of the seat up and you will see all these connectors for the power seat and airbags:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0989.jpg

Some plugs are tricky to get off, shown below is a particular airbag plug and how to get it off:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0990.jpg

This plugs outer shell slides back and then it unplugs:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0991.jpg

Next step is to take the seat out, be careful in this part as you can easily scratch your plastic.

Seat Removed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0992.jpg

Once removed, set the seat on a flat work surface and on the back of the seat take the screws out:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0994.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0995.jpg

Picture of the right side plastic cover on the drivers side seat
You have to work around the seat belt plug, you can get it apart without taking the belt plug off:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0998.jpg

The left side is a bit more difficult:

In from the front there are plastic retaining screws:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_0999.jpg

One plastic screw in the middle:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1001.jpg

Pic of the left side panel removed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1002.jpg

Left front seat cover anchor, there are many of these all around holding the cover on:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1003.jpg

On the back of the seat, on the bottom there is a stretchy cord, remove:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1004.jpg

On the front of the seat there is a plastic screw holding the front cloth cover:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1005.jpg

Front seat anchor, roll it off:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1006.jpg

Right front anchor:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1007.jpg

Another sneaky one on the back right side:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1008.jpg

Now that you got most of the cloth retainers you can peal the cover off the front of the cushon and back, you will run into these below, they are called hog rings:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1009.jpg

These are what the hog rings look like, you will need to get a new ones and a hog ring tool as well:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1010.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1011.jpg

Replacement part:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1029.jpg

Plug for the back heater, it operates on the chain relay, meaning if the butt circuit isn't complete, then the back wont work either:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1030.jpg

Close up of plug:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1031.jpg

Old broken one:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1032.jpg

Yay your all apart, now put the new one in and put it back together!

Dads tool box :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1035.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1036.jpg

Hog ring tool
You will need this tool to put the seat cloth back on the cushion:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1037.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1039.jpg

Take the ring and put it through the metal rod and clamp it to the metal rod in the cushon:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1040.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1041.jpg

The rest is just reverse of taking it apart!

Yay your heated seat is working again

Good Luck!

Holy cow man. Great walk through but no way I would even think about attempting that.

EXCELLENT WALK THROUGH! Did you happen to notice the location of the thermostat for the seat heater?

Holy crap... excellent writeup. I hope I don't ever have to do this.

One thing I'd consider is adding some heating elements on the side-bolsters, at least on the seat... those don't get warmed!

Not that I would ever attempt this, but that was one hell of a walk through. Props to you for the patience. I am sure people will benefit from this.

.... WOW

the back part to my seat heater is broken, but i dont think i could go through this.. haha

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnJack (Post 2305633)

EXCELLENT WALK THROUGH! Did you happen to notice the location of the thermostat for the seat heater?

I didnt see one, the pad was just a wire. It is possible there is one tho, i didnt see it.

I think I'll just shoot myself instead.
(But thanks for the writeup !)

Looks like a lable on the pic of the bad heater. Does it mention manufacturer? Thanks for the walkthru, btw.

The most important part ;) That would be awesome to have a nice toolbox

nice walk through!

Quote:

Originally Posted by schwartzki (Post 2305584)

Dads tool box :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...i/DSC_1035.jpg

i wonder if the hog rings apply to leather seats as well