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Heated Seats

Trotorx2

By Trotorx2
in Ask A GM Technician

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Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
Posted

Hello all...first post though I have lurked around here for a while.

 

I have a '03 Silverado LT with heated seats. Lately the drivers seat back has started turning on by its self. It will turn on high then turn down till it turns off then starts over again. now it will turn on and cycle a couple of times then stay on med or low. I can turn it off but it will cycle on again. I'm not getting any codes but I don't have a scan tool that will read anything but engine codes. The book says to hook up the scan tool and connect to the BCM and look for codes. The book says look at the drivers seat module and the drivers door module. Is there any tech bulletins out on the seats? I'm going on a trip for the next month and the heated seat back is getting annoying. The passenger seat works fine can the seat modules be swapped? Can the module that controls it be disconnected till it can be fixed? My wife loves the heated seats but I hardly use mine as it doesn't get cold enough here. Any ideas? Thanks

71GMC_3/4T Enthusiast

71GMC_3/4T

Posted
Posted

I'm interested in this too as I've had mine come on at random. Only usually I remember rolling down a window a couple of minutes before I noticed they were on. I think the switch is sensitive, and it's in an easy location to get bumped. For that reason, I'd like to know if there's a single fuse or connector you can unplug to make sure it stays off when it's around 100F outside. Seat heaters don't do a whole lotta good then, heh.

 

If yours is flaking out, I'd first suspect the switch in the door and go from there. Push around the switch without actually pushing the switch button and see if it kicks on. You might simply have a bad switch...

 

I'm sure GM-Tech can add more valuable info. Maybe he's seen others like yours (ours?) that have failed.

 

Welcome to the board!

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted

There are no TSB's on anything like this and no one has ever come in with the complaint of the seat heater coming on by itself.

 

If you had a scanner that could read the door and/or seat module, you could probably see if the door module was getting a heated seat switch signal even if you're not pushing the switch (this seems the most likely problem) or if the seat module is turning on the heater without receiving a signal to do so, which I doubt.

 

I'll look at a schematic later on and see what you need to disconnect to disable just the seat heater and not the whole power seat.

Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
I've noticed in my 2003 Sierra they have come in by themselves too but I always attributed it to me bumping into the switch.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for the replys. I'm sure a stray signal or something is doing it as I can start the truck and set there and watch and the seat will turn on and start the cycle. I guy at work has a MAC tools scanner and maybe I can get him to bring it to work maybe it will read the BCM. I know when I turn it off the seat back heater I hear a click from under the dash behind the console. I'm pretty sure that is the BCM clicking.

 

Hopefully GM-Tech can tell me a connector to disconnect till I can figure this out.

 

It sure is a pain in the back on these 90+ degree days.

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted
maybe it will read the BCM. I know when I turn it off the seat back heater I hear a click from under the dash behind the console. I'm pretty sure that is the BCM clicking.

 

Hopefully GM-Tech can tell me a connector to disconnect till I can figure this out.

 

The BCM has nothing to do with it. The seat heater switch sends a signal to the door module, which in turn sends a request to the seat module.

 

I looked at the schematic this morning and I don't see an EASY way to disable it. You could unplug the heater switch from the door module, but I'm not sure if other functions are in that connector. Besides, if it's not the heater switch that's going haywire, disconnecting it won't help.

 

You need to get under the seat and disconnect the heater elements. The wiring and connectors are not always easy to pinpoint so I can't give you an exact spot to go.

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted

Okay, look for a six pin inline connector under the seat that has the following pin/color configuration on the male part of the connector.

 

A - BRN

 

B - BLK/RED

 

C - YEL

 

D - BLK

 

E - BLK/RED

 

F - BLK

 

The female side has different colors. Unplugging this will disabled our heater elements.

Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Okay, look for a six pin inline connector under the seat that has the following pin/color configuration on the male part of the connector.

 

A - BRN

 

B - BLK/RED

 

C - YEL

 

D - BLK

 

E - BLK/RED

 

F - BLK

 

The female side has different colors.  Unplugging this will disabled our heater elements.

 

 

 

 

Thanks GM-Tech I'll look for that connector. I didn't know how much the BCM controlled the seats just hear the click from that area...at least I think that is where the BCM is. I will try to get it scanned soon. How hard are the door and seat module's to change?

Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Ok more info.

Originally this problem with the seat back heater happened only when it rained alot. Lately it has rained alot here. It didn't rain yesterday or yet today and I have made a couple of trips and the heater has only came on once and when I turned it off it stayed off.

 

Now it is sounding like the switch in the door is getting wet and sending a signal to turn itself on to the door module. GM-Tech does this sound reasonable? If so will it take a new switch or can it be sealed up with silicon sealer?

Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Possible I suppose.  What, exactly, would you seal up with silicone?

 

 

 

 

I just got in from my 300 mi drive to work and the seat back heater didn't come on so it has to be a moisture problem.

 

Can water getting in to the switch or the connector cause the switch to cycle on and off?

 

I was thinking I could seal up the switch housing if it is possible...don't know what the switch looks like and maybe put some DC4 in the connector.

We have some flowable silicone that we put in the back shell of our cannon plugs that I could put on the backside of the connector.

 

Now that I'm at work and have some time to work on the truck I can get in the book and see how to take the door apart and look at the switch.

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted

You drive 300 mile to work? That's one helluva commute.

 

Can water getting in to the switch or the connector cause the switch to cycle on and off?

 

Again... possible I suppose. I don't see sealing anything as being a help. What would need to be sealed is in the button area itself. Don't see how you could do that short of putting a sheet of plastic over the top the buttons.

Trotorx2 Enthusiast

Trotorx2

Posted
  • Author
Posted

You drive 300 mile to work? That's one helluva commute.

 

I work 14 day then get 14 days off. I work for a helicopter company in Louisiana that flys people and equipment to the offshore oil rigs.

 

I was thinking about it after my last post and I you are right I should try to find away to stop the moisture from getting into that part of the door.

 

Do you think the window seal could be bad or is there a moisture barrier that covers the switch area that is leaking? I would think with all the electrical componets in the door it would be sealed up some way.

 

Thanks for all your help by the way.

71GMC_3/4T Enthusiast

71GMC_3/4T

Posted
Posted

Since you're in Louisiana, I'll bet the humidity gets pretty well up there. If you run your AC, the door panel is likely to condensate water when the dew point is high. That could get in and compromise your switch.

 

That said, I'd also wonder if maybe you have a bad solder joint in the switch module. I've had to fix cracked solder joints in both my 4x4 selector switch and the rear view mirror.

 

If you're going to pull it apart to put on conformal coating, I'd suggest reflowing the solder on the connector pins (assuming there is one) before you cover it with the silicone.

 

Sounds like a heck of a fun job, although you may not see it that way.

 

"Now that I'm at work and have some time to work on the truck I can get in the book and see how to take the door apart and look at the switch."

 

When I read that, I thought "Now, there's a job I'd love to have!" :cheers:

GM-Tech Senior Enthusiast

GM-Tech

Posted
Posted

The switch is not inside the door where it would be exposed to any moisture that enters the door. The only way water would get in the switch is if the window is open and water drips off the door frame into it.

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