Aftermarket Seat Heaters...I am taking the plunge - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

nhdoc · #1 12-06-2006, 05:34 PM

I'm breaking down and ordering a kit from these folks:

http://www.heatedseatkits.com:80/products.php

They recommended for my E300 that I use the $100 H3 kit so I ordered one to start. If it goes in nicely and works well I'll order another for the PS. They don't charge for shipping so there's no real reason to buy two up front. If anyone is interested in how it goes I can update this once I get the kit and do the install next week.

I am tired of cold buns and those strap on heaters slide all over the MB-TEX seats so I figured $100 is a lot cheaper than trading cars and worth a try.

thorsen · #2 12-06-2006, 06:38 PM

I put that kit in my 1984 300SD. Very easy to install and they work well. Let me know how it goes in your E300 - I have the same car and the MB-Tex is COLD in the winter.

rick surgent · #3 12-06-2006, 07:33 PM

please keep us updated.

nazrat · #4 12-06-2006, 08:36 PM

Me too!

MathewHennessy · #5 12-07-2006, 01:35 AM

Were heated front seats an option in the w126? It'd be nice to have a stock seat heat switch..

(I coulda sworn heated seats were an option, as were inflatable lumbar supports.. I wonder if they could be pulled off, say, a 560 and fitted to my 300SDL...)

nazrat · #6 12-07-2006, 07:27 AM

The 123s had factory seat heaters, and the switches are the 123 standard sizes. If the 126s have enough holes for 2 more switches you could probably use the 123 switches. I'll try to get the part number off of one of mine.

-Tad

Rob124 · #7 12-07-2006, 08:22 AM

I've got a pair of seat heater switches from a W126--a 500SEC to be exact. The numbers on the switches are 126 820 38 10 and 126 820 36 10 (right and left sides), and they were used in the W126 and W201. The W123 (and some of the 126 models) show at least two other switches: 126 820 02 10 (as of ID 123.053 024417) and 126 820 68 10 (as of ID 053 028833 and 153 003741).

I won't be using the pair I have, as they don't fit my W124. Anyone have an extra pair of switches for a 124?

BTW, I spoke with the people selling the kit mentioned, and they seemed to have no idea what it would take to use the stock MB switches. They also said the schematic diagram was proprietary, so wouldn't help me there, either. These aren't latching switches, so it probably wouldn't be difficult to use them in place of the push button switches which seem to come with all of these aftermarket kits.

nhdoc · #8 12-14-2006, 06:22 PM

I put the pads into my driver's seat today...not a bad job...took about 1.5 hours including removing the seat. Taking the seat out of the W210 takes about 10 minutes but the trick is in knowing where they hide the bolts...they are under 4 covers that slide out of the track ends. You just push the seat forward and take out the rear 2, move the seat back and take out the front 2 and remove the bolt that anchors the seat belt to the side of the seat, unplug the wires for the motors and the whole seat comes right out.

I didn't remove the seat covers completely, I only removed the ends and pushed the heated pads up into them between the covers and the seat padding, making sure the heaters stayed flat. On the back of the seat near the top there's a loop that I cut a hole in the heating pad (its OK to do this) and fed the loop through it to help hold the pad in place. The heating pads have some stickum on them that also helps to hold them in place. I put the seat back but didn't hard wire the heater in yet, just wired it into a lighter plug to test it out...so far it works, but of course it was 60F here today and it was getting too late to play so it is hard to tell how fast they heat and how hot they get.

nhdoc · #9 12-16-2006, 11:43 AM

I completed the project this morning by wiring in the system and installing the control switch into the center console. All in all it took about 3+ hours to do it and I could probably do the other side in 2 now that I have done it once. Scariest part is cutting the hole in the dash console but I used a 3/4" hole saw and it worked great.

Having the WIS helps in taking out the center console and the shifter console so the wiring can go under the carpet at the hump to the hole under the seat. I hard wired it into the cigarette lighter's circuit.

Now it is completely unobtrusive. The seat does heat up though it take 5-10 minutes which is longer than the OEM heaters do. They claim there is a faster heating model but it is more expensive so I opted to save a few $$ and go with this model. Still, it is better much than nothing and better than heated covers which never stayed put under my backside. Here's a shot of the switch in position.

Jadavis · #10 12-16-2006, 02:02 PM

Nice looking switch. It looks like it was meant to be there.
5-10 minutes seems a bit long. I guess it depends on your start/warm up routine.

-Jim

thorsen · #11 12-22-2006, 05:34 PM

I got my seat heaters in last night. $150 off eBay for two sets. Before I was done I had both seats, the center console, and the back seat out of the car. They heat up in a couple of minutes work well.

nhdoc · #12 12-22-2006, 07:37 PM

That's another spot I was considering for the switches but opted for the place where MB puts them. Looks very nice there too. I found out the switches come with the LED on the left or right side as an option so it would look more "balanced" to have one of each, but even I admit that is getting a little anal.

aklim · #13 12-23-2006, 12:28 AM

When my seat heater failed, I had the change the covers too because MB had the smart idea of making it a unit. I suppose I would have to remove the heater pad to install an aftermarket one otherwise the insulation would prevent the heat from going thru as fast.

nhdoc · #14 12-23-2006, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

When my seat heater failed, I had the change the covers too because MB had the smart idea of making it a unit. I suppose I would have to remove the heater pad to install an aftermarket one otherwise the insulation would prevent the heat from going thru as fast.

Ouch, I never thought of that...I've never seen the covers from the back on one with factory heaters...is there really some insulation on the backs of them? That must be a pretty expensive fix if one goes bad...plus you have the issue that the cover color on the part you replace won't match the rest of the seat perfectly unless you change both...

aklim · #15 12-23-2006, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nhdoc

Ouch, I never thought of that...I've never seen the covers from the back on one with factory heaters...is there really some insulation on the backs of them? That must be a pretty expensive fix if one goes bad...

plus you have the issue that the cover color on the part you replace won't match the rest of the seat perfectly unless you change both...

I have. There is the leather, the heater wires and some insulation in a sandwich when you look at the cover alone. On some you can fix the heater pad and on others, you have to replace the whole thing and it gets expensive.

No. Color seems to match the rest pretty well