Heated Seat Repair - R51

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Goomba
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Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby Goomba » Mon Jan 06, 2020 7:04 pm

The bottom cushion of my driver side heated seats have stopped working on my 2010 LE. The rear back portion still heats up. I would think the heating element needs to be replaced.

I have tried searching the forum and repair manual but unable to find direction on what the heated seats wire harness may look like. I would like to test the circuit for resistance before attempting disassemble and repair the heating pad ($135 CDN). I’m also concerning the seat bolts may be rusted on as I’ve read previous people having issues with this.

Has anyone attempted this repair? Any pictures or tips or troubleshooting pointers? Can it be repaired without removing the seat?


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ShipFixer
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Postby ShipFixer » Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:26 pm

I've replaced my seat cushion and I think this would be a PITA to do in the truck. Maybe you could get one side up and check it but I'm not sure, or that it would be worth doing that way.

Don't be scared of removing the seat; the four foundation bolts aren't that bad. I have a fair amount of east coast winter rust under my truck and not a single bolt in any seat (I've removed them all) was bad.

I would also suspect a broken heating element. The way everything goes together, would be really easy to replace it.

On a separate note I suspect my seat back heating element doesn't work, and I'd like to replace its cushion. But it looks like a whole different level of difficult to get that cover off.

Goomba
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Postby Goomba » Tue Jan 07, 2020 8:06 am

Thanks for the reply ShipFixer. Did you have any issues with your air bag with seat removal?

I think I'll try and take a closer look this weekend. My pampered arse can't take these cold western Canadian winters anymore.
ShipFixer wrote:I've replaced my seat cushion and I think this would be a PITA to do in the truck. Maybe you could get one side up and check it but I'm not sure, or that it would be worth doing that way.

Don't be scared of removing the seat; the four foundation bolts aren't that bad. I have a fair amount of east coast winter rust under my truck and not a single bolt in any seat (I've removed them all) was bad.

I would also suspect a broken heating element. The way everything goes together, would be really easy to replace it.

On a separate note I suspect my seat back heating element doesn't work, and I'd like to replace its cushion. But it looks like a whole different level of difficult to get that cover off.

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ShipFixer
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Postby ShipFixer » Mon Jan 13, 2020 12:54 pm

Sorry for the late response. I don’t have the seats with airbags (2005 SE), so wasn’t a factor. But I wouldn’t be scared of it if I did. Step one is disconnect all of the electrical cables, step two is unbolt and remove the chair. Once it’s out and away from 12V power supplies should be safe!

For what it’s worth I did this in my living room in front of the television. Took three hours, slow going with the hog rings and whatnot. All of the write-ups with pictures on cushion replacement will show you what you need to know. The heater element sits between the cushion and cover, easy once yo get the cover off.

brickbox
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby brickbox » Fri Oct 01, 2021 5:58 am

Reviving an old thread - my seat bottom heater stopped working on the driver’s seat (2011 Silver Edition)
Any ideas on how to find replacement heated pads? Do the folks here have any suggestions for ones that would be plug and play?
Are there “gotchas” with the airbag connectors? The ones on my Toyota were super easy but the connectors on my Subaru were a nightmare.

I’m fairly familiar with removing the seats and taking out the upholstery and all.

Thanks all!

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ShipFixer
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby ShipFixer » Mon Jan 31, 2022 9:36 pm

brickbox wrote:
Fri Oct 01, 2021 5:58 am
Reviving an old thread - my seat bottom heater stopped working on the driver’s seat (2011 Silver Edition)
Any ideas on how to find replacement heated pads? Do the folks here have any suggestions for ones that would be plug and play?
Are there “gotchas” with the airbag connectors? The ones on my Toyota were super easy but the connectors on my Subaru were a nightmare.

I’m fairly familiar with removing the seats and taking out the upholstery and all.

Thanks all!
Very late response here. The heater pad is discontinued by Nissan and I couldn't find one anywhere. But I did find universal pads I would try to make work, if I couldn't repair the element itself:

https://www.amazon.com/Dorman-628-040-U ... 8390&psc=1

TooMuchControl
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby TooMuchControl » Tue Feb 01, 2022 7:38 pm

I was able to use these pads, but had to alter the Nissan switch pin contacts to make it work.
I didn't even have heated seats to begin with - started from scratch. Neither heated mirrors. Do now.

Good thing Nissan had everything mostly prewired. When to the recycler, grabbed the heated seat relay and the two switches ( I actually grabbed 4 in the case I broke a pin).

It looks factory, but it ain't :D

I must say - it makes me look smarter than I am.
These forums give you the power!

silverarrow27
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby silverarrow27 » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:29 am

Very nice job, should have taken some pictures as I've seen people on social media groups ask about adding heated seats and mirrors to their Pathy's as well. Be a good way to lure some traffic here.

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palmerwmd
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby palmerwmd » Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:32 am

silverarrow27 wrote:
Wed Feb 02, 2022 12:29 am
Very nice job, should have taken some pictures as I've seen people on social media groups ask about adding heated seats and mirrors to their Pathy's as well. Be a good way to lure some traffic here.
Agreed.
lately traffic has been picking up again, but even so, for as good as our content is , our traffic should be higher. :P

TooMuchControl
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby TooMuchControl » Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:54 pm

What bravened me up was the Factory Service Manual.

The way it sets out optional equipment for each model year had me intrigued into getting inside the dash.

I figured out that Nissan is very cookie cutter with things, that you can a convenience option without too much thought.

This is why I wished (after the fact) that I had perhaps purchased a newer 2008- model.
Another thing that I wished for - better education. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have no issue in spending X dollars for a model that has X features as the generation of R51 evolved.

Something such as an AUTO 4 wheel mode, that I never knew existed in 4x4's. I was very green (with some envy) on folks that have it.

I'm still hopeful that Nissan will invest in it's trucks more.
Gee. The new Sequoia is something else, especially the TRD version. 22 City?

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palmerwmd
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby palmerwmd » Wed Feb 02, 2022 7:14 pm

TooMuchControl wrote:
Wed Feb 02, 2022 6:54 pm

1) Something such as an AUTO 4 wheel mode, that I never knew existed in 4x4's. I was very green (with some envy) on folks that have it.

2) The new Sequoia is something else, especially the TRD version. 22 City?
1) Agree.
I had a 2012 Silver Edition in really nice condition.
but it frustrated me once I was educated when I learned about the existence of the allmode 4WD system of some loaded examples such as V6 LEs or any V8.

Since the used market makes little difference between a Silver Edition (Bose+ leather) and an LE (Bose plus leather plus sunroof plus push button start) it would have been easy for not much more to have gotten an LE had I known to look for it.
As I was living in the city the allmode would have been great for winter driving in town when frequent transitions between snow/ice on the road to just asphalt occur.
This makes driving in 4 HI nigh impossible (or at least ill advised) but is fine in "auto" mode.
Toyota has a functionally similar (but different in detail) system in their high dollar vehicles such as the Lexus GX460 and the Landcruiser.
There it is accompanied via an open diff that is lockable with push button.
The new Armada is on 'auto" as a default and then can get locked in 4Hi or 4 Lo.

So in the end I traded in the Silver Edition when other issue popped up ( Bose stereo capacitor losing clock memory and a leak in rear window seal)

2) yes but it its so much money compared to our steeds it might as well not exist.
I refuse to pay the Toyota tax. :D
Its easier/cheaper just to hunt for a particularly good example of a 5 yr old Armada pay premium for it and still be at half price compared to a new Sequoia. ;)

TooMuchControl
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby TooMuchControl » Thu Feb 03, 2022 5:34 pm

It's a good point on the Armada.
This is why Nissan, I think really misses some of it's marks when it comes to the trucks.

If I polled 50 people, I would bet 1-2 would know that name. Tell them Patrol. You'd get a big zero.

They have such a rich history in trucks. Especially the Pathfinder, as a brand.
Today, no one would connect the new Pathfinder to the original. But a 4Runner owner would.

I still recall when the original debuted. That type of excitement. It's missing in the Nissan lineup.

silverarrow27
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Re: Heated Seat Repair - R51

Postby silverarrow27 » Fri Feb 04, 2022 12:21 am

If you're referencing Nissan's lineup in general, the new Nissan Z has drum up a lot of excitement this year. And Nissan definitely needs to market their electronic features some more in their truck lineup. They did some for the Pathfinder this year, but didn't hear much about the Titan or Armada. And where the Japanese imports are lagging behind, the Koreans currently are offering the best bang for the buck at the moment. Only if the Korean companies come out with some cool trucks too, it'd be fantastic competition I think.


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