Heated Seats
HEATED SEATS SYSTEM COMPONENTSThe heated seats system for the driver and passenger seat consists of the following components:
^ Driver and passenger door modules
^ Driver and passenger heated seat switches
^ Driver and passenger seat back heater elements
^ Driver and passenger seat back heat sensors
^ Driver and passenger seat cushion heater elements
^ Memory seat module
^ Passenger seat module
HEATED SEATS SYSTEM OPERATION
The driver and passenger heated seats have 2 heat zone operating modes with 3 heat level modes and will operate only while the engine is running. The heat zones are determined by which of the 2 heated seat buttons are pressed, while the heat level is determined by the number of times they are pressed. Pressing the seat cushion button 1 time will activate the seat back and cushion heater elements in the high mode. Each time the seat cushion button is pressed the seat back and cushion heat level is reduced from high to medium, low, and off. Pressing the heated seat back button 1 time will activate only the seat back heater element in the high mode. Each time the seat back button is pressed the seat back heat level is reduced from high to medium, low, and off. During heated seat operation the heat zone operating mode may be changed without affecting the current heat level mode.
The heated seat switches are momentary contact switches and are inputs to the driver and passenger door modules. Battery voltage is supplied to the switch assembly from the door module, and when a heated seat switch is pressed and released a brief switch signal voltage is supplied to the door module. Whenever the door module receives an active heated seat switch input, the next heated seat operating mode is determined by whatever the current mode may be. The seat heater elements are controlled by the driver memory and passenger seat modules using inputs from the door modules through Class 2 serial data circuit messages. When activating any of the heated seat operating modes, the seat module switches battery voltage to the heater element supply circuits. All of the seat heater elements are grounded by the seat modules through individual low reference circuits. The heater element low reference circuits are pulse width modulated control circuits and are used by the seat modules to control the seat heat zones and temperatures by regulating the current flow through the heater elements. The seat modules rely on inputs from thermistors installed in the driver and passenger seat backs to control heated seat temperatures. The thermistors are 2 wire sensors supplied with a 5-volt referenced signal circuit and a low reference circuit from the memory seat module. Resistance through the thermistors varies with temperature causing the heated seat sensor signal circuit voltage levels to increase as the seat back temperatures rise. The seat modules allow heated seat operation only while the engine is running which is determined by a Class 2 serial data circuit message from the powertrain control module.