Heated seat problem
 

Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have with
my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for the
driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of the
seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice. TIA

Heated seat problem
 

Haywood wrote:
> Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have with
> my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for the
> driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of the
> seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
> haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
> problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
> don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice. TIA

Yes, that's what they do. Normal behaviour. If two occurrences
constitutes a normal behaviour.

I have a 2001 A4 TS Avant. Mine started feeling warm on the left side of
the driver's cushion (driver's seat on left hand side of the car). Then
it smoked, burned a hole through the seat fabric, scorched my trousers,
then shut off never to work again, regardless of whether I dialled 1, 6,
or 47 on the panel. I still haven't got it fixed.

In your case, it sounds as if it's about to fail. Unfortunately I have
no advice on how to repair *before* it goes but it might be an idea to
stop using it; I wish I had. My reading of the situation is that the
heater element started cracking in one place, leaving a too-thin strip
which could not carry the current adequately, resulting in overheating
prior to complete failure. Quite reasonable when considering that the
outside of the seat takes a beating since that's the first and last
point of contact as the driver enters and exits the car. But I have no
evidence that it's not the heater control (though I doubt it).

You others out there (who actually know, please): to replace the heating
element:
1) do you have to remove a fuse or disconnect battery to reduce airbag
detonation,
2) does the whole seat cushion have to be removed, or can the element be
replaced separately?

3) any idea of cost?

/Robert

Heated seat problem
 

Same thing happens to me, A4 1.8T (00'). I'm really getting tired of the
"little" things going wrong with this car. It's nickle and diming me to
death.

Tim in Portland


"Haywood" > wrote in message
. net...
> Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have
> with
> my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for
> the
> driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of
> the
> seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
> haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
> problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
> don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice.
> TIA

Heated seat problem
 

In article <RBMmf.421$b57.188@trndny06>, says...
> Same thing happens to me, A4 1.8T (00'). I'm really getting tired of the
> "little" things going wrong with this car. It's nickle and diming me to
> death.
>
> Tim in Portland
>
>
> "Haywood" > wrote in message
> . net...
> > Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have
> > with
> > my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for
> > the
> > driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of
> > the
> > seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
> > haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
> > problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
> > don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice.
> > TIA
>
>
>
It seems it's a fairly common problem. Does anyone have a cause and remedy
for this? I hope I don't have to buy a new seat...I love the heated seats in
the winter. Any advice is appreciated

Heated seat problem
 

Haywood wrote:
> In article <RBMmf.421$b57.188@trndny06>, says...
>
>>Same thing happens to me, A4 1.8T (00'). I'm really getting tired of the
>>"little" things going wrong with this car. It's nickle and diming me to
>>death.
>>
>>Tim in Portland
>>
>>
>>"Haywood" > wrote in message
c.net...
>>
>>>Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have
>>>with
>>>my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for
>>>the
>>>driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of
>>>the
>>>seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
>>>haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
>>>problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
>>>don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice.
>>>TIA
>>
>>
>>
> It seems it's a fairly common problem. Does anyone have a cause and remedy
> for this? I hope I don't have to buy a new seat...I love the heated seats in
> the winter. Any advice is appreciated

VW has a recall out on this, maybe Audi does too.

--
Mike Smith

Heated seat problem
 

In article >,
says...
> Haywood wrote:
> > In article <RBMmf.421$b57.188@trndny06>, says...
> >
> >>Same thing happens to me, A4 1.8T (00'). I'm really getting tired of the
> >>"little" things going wrong with this car. It's nickle and diming me to
> >>death.
> >>
> >>Tim in Portland
> >>
> >>
> >>"Haywood" > wrote in message
> c.net...
> >>
> >>>Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I have
> >>>with
> >>>my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat for
> >>>the
> >>>driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side of
> >>>the
> >>>seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position. I
> >>>haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit. The
> >>>problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion? I
> >>>don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice.
> >>>TIA
> >>
> >>
> >>
> > It seems it's a fairly common problem. Does anyone have a cause and remedy
> > for this? I hope I don't have to buy a new seat...I love the heated seats in
> > the winter. Any advice is appreciated
>
> VW has a recall out on this, maybe Audi does too.
>
> --
> Mike Smith
>
Thanks, I looked, but didn't see any recalls for 2001 Audi A4 at all. If
anyone has any more info, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Does anyone know
if the seat has to be replaced to fix a problem like this?

Heated seat problem
 

Haywood,
If the seats are anything like the Audis of "old", it's either a problem
with the switch, a problem with the control relays, or a broken wire in the
seat heater element. The first two shouldn't be too hard to diagnose. The
broken wire is a tougher thing to check - involving removing the upholstery
from the seat (kinda like the Furby Autopsy). See:
http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/seatheat.htm
For an idea of what repair is like on the older cars. The heater wires
don't take kindly to bending - and you do that every time you sit on the
seat. Many cycles result in a break in the wire. Loss of seat heat is one
thing that I have heard from A4, etc. owners - I suspect that we'll be
hearing about non functional power windows next (as the harness in the
driver's door jamb begins to break).
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ - non functional driver's seat heater, repaired breaks in
numerous flexing wiring harnesses
1980 Audi 5k - seat heaters work!!! - fixed 'em myself
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes - "seat heaters? what will they
think of next?"
(SPAM Blocker NOTE: Remove SHOES to reply)

"Haywood" > wrote in message
. net...
> In article >,
>
> says...
>> Haywood wrote:
>> > In article <RBMmf.421$b57.188@trndny06>,
>> > says...
>> >
>> >>Same thing happens to me, A4 1.8T (00'). I'm really getting tired of
>> >>the
>> >>"little" things going wrong with this car. It's nickle and diming me
>> >>to
>> >>death.
>> >>
>> >>Tim in Portland
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>"Haywood" > wrote in message
>> c.net...
>> >>
>> >>>Hi, just wondering if anyone can give me some ideas on a problem I
>> >>>have
>> >>>with
>> >>>my heated seats. I have a 2001 A4 Quattro. When I turn on the heat
>> >>>for
>> >>>the
>> >>>driver's seat I get a very rapid and intense warming in the left side
>> >>>of
>> >>>the
>> >>>seat...almost too hot. Even with the control at the number 1 position.
>> >>>I
>> >>>haven't blown any breakers, so I don't think it's a short circuit.
>> >>>The
>> >>>problem could be in the seat or in the control. What's your opinion?
>> >>>I
>> >>>don't have access to a service manual, so I'm looking for some advice.
>> >>>TIA
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> > It seems it's a fairly common problem. Does anyone have a cause and
>> > remedy
>> > for this? I hope I don't have to buy a new seat...I love the heated
>> > seats in
>> > the winter. Any advice is appreciated
>>
>> VW has a recall out on this, maybe Audi does too.
>>
>> --
>> Mike Smith
>>
> Thanks, I looked, but didn't see any recalls for 2001 Audi A4 at all. If
> anyone has any more info, I'd be grateful to hear about it. Does anyone
> know
> if the seat has to be replaced to fix a problem like this?