Great photos Barrie.
Did you end up wiring your seats up to the cigarette lighter socket switched live . I have this arrangement in my Mk 1 (I fitted some lovely Mk2.5 heated leather seats fitted - the electrical part I had done by a professional) - FYI I was advised not to use the cigarette lighter socket while the seats are on in case of overloading the fuse.
Cheers
Matt
Hi Matt, yes I did wire to the 12v accessory socket, and another wire for the switched live? that sounds good advice regarding using the accessory socket whilst seats are switched on? TBH, I’ve only ever used the socket for a dashcam battery charger?
Barrie
Top work from a top chap! Loving the St. Bernard as well Barrie.
Any chance of a link to the heated seat kit? I’ve been looking at them myself but have never decided on which to go for…
He is a lovely dog, totally brain dead though gentle as the proverbial lamb he is. Anyway here’s a link to the ones i purchased.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B076F282RB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There are many other kits available obviously, but this was the only one I could find with the switches I wanted?
Barrie
I try so hard to avoid double posts but this one got me!!
Barrie
This is it! The end of the line, the completion of my heated seat installation!
This a pic of the wiring I had to contend with, or part of it at least. The relays are hidden away down each side of the transmission tunnel area, along with some of the other wiring? The instructions advise against modifying the cables? I presume as the resistance will alter, or something like that? Said I wasn’t any good with electrics! so left them as supplied
.
A bit tidier with the main console back in? I checked that all the wires were free and nothing was trapped or pinched? Top Tip!! make sure to reconnect the white plug to the window switch before screwing it all back together. Ask me how I know about that one?
Putting the rest of the screws back in.
Front coin holder tray thing put back, along with the two triangular trims at the front either side and the rear centre console cover trim piece. Also screwed the gear knob back on and put the handbrake sleeve back in place. Had a look in the box i’d been storing all the bits n bobs in, it was empty! that was good.
Checked everything still worked that I’d interfered with, and it did! that was also good! Pic of finished install, nothing switched on, just to show it compliments the other controls quite nicely?
Also a couple with the lights switched on in the dark ( just switched the garage light off here )
I know it doesn’t look like it but the blue on the radio display is actually quite a good match to the seat symbols on the switches when seen “in the flesh” as it were? I have to say, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed both doing the install and creating this thread. I hope it may be of some use to folk, if only to have a read for a while? When I built the supercharged MK 1, I used to love tinkering and modifying. Anyone who saw that car will testify to that! I thought I was getting past it all when I retired, the thinking being that getting a Mk 3 would allow me just to drive the car rather than being in,under and around it all the time? For a while that’s been true, apart from peeling off the backing tape from 3M adhesive tape now and again to stick some more chrome on!
This feels like I’ve done a proper job for a change and I’m feeling the love for the car again? Sounds daft I know but there you go. Anyway, once again, thanks to everyone who has already (and those that may read it in the future) read this long winded thread.
Regards
Barrie
Hey Barrie,
Rob here great post and here we go old times rule scooters, bikes,cars,work,ah retirement sounds better don’t forget this Sunday is bunch of fives day hope to cu there rob.
Hi Rob, thanks for the heads up! Doesn’t time fly? Not sure about Sunday? Would like to meet up though, you can pass your eye over my handiwork with the seats?
Barrie
Just a little update folks, went to our local Asda this morning, after dog walking duties. It was around 08.00 hrs, dry and +2degrees so I thought, great time to test out the seat heaters? So got the car out of the garage, jumped in, switched the drivers side seat heater on and off I went! Not far away, only a mile or so but this was a “test” run, having done 3 miles with the StBernard already this morning, I felt it was justified?
So, I kept checking the seat, it was warmish where my legs and back were in contact with the seat fabric,but not anymore than normal? Bit disappointed although I’d read in the instructions that it could take a while to get to temp? Parked up at Asda, reached over to passenger side and nearly burnt my hand, it was that hot! I had connected the switches up to the wrong seats!!!
Are you one of those folk that gets to a door that doesn’t have a PUSH or PULL sign on it and always go the wtong way? Well I am, so should have known I’d get a 50/50 situation wtong?
Anyway, on homeward journey, switched the other control on and by the time I got back home, the seat was amazingly warm! 5 minutes in the garage saw the centre console unscrewed, the plugs swapped over and all working correctly now ( switch nearest to driver, you guessed it, now controls drivers seat heat )
Barrie
Great thread Barrie, well done mate! Moderator is this worth putting int the “how to” or “technical” section?
I’m looking in this now as SWMBO has seen the thread and told me to hurry up and get on with it so she can have a warm bum!!
Cheers!
Russ
Hi Barrie , just seen your thread /post on heated seats got my head spinning mate , too technical for me , I think I am just going to let my arse heat up instead lol , can I say you have done amazing job and great pics to help future 5 owners who want warm cosy seats if really cold outside I am going to wear my long john,s easier option for me I am going to slum it whist in my beloved Kc , it is hard as our XC70 has heated seats and all my work cars too
one day maybe but at moment lots of other things I want fir my Nc first again nice job
His Barrie, brilliant post, well done.I have been thinking about heated seats as I have them in my other car.
My 5 has leather seats with no heating. Working on the basis that Mazda installed all 5’s with a full wiring loom (as I think you found out when pulling the centre console apart), I am thinking of obtaining the relevant part of the dash with the heated seat switches in, and a couple of seats with the heating elements already in them.
But having had a grope around under the seats there is a large wiring loom that goes into the base. Too large for just seat belt reminder,so I am going to have a bit of an investigate. Can’t imagine why the original owner would have upgraded to leather seats without heating. Was this a basic spec does anybody know?
Ciao now
Steve
Passenger side on mine had more wires but no heating elements? I think, although could be wrong that leather = heated? Can’t seem to find a definitive answer? Yo may be lucky and your seats are heated? My base 1.8 with option pack came with cloth covers and no heating? No side airbags either? You may have that feature as well?
Barrie
Barrie how did you get on fitting your heated seats? I have re-visited your post and all the pics have disappeared!! Can you re-post if poss please? Thanks!
Russ
Hi Russ, have done some but it’s hard work! Digging out the old pics and copy paste from postimage individually onto the thread,
will finish when I can work up the enthusiasm to do it Not even sure why they disappeared in the first place?
Barrie
Done! Not necessarily in the right order and also possibly not even the right pics but there ya go!
Barrie
Barrie you’re a star! Thanks mate! So, a year on now, are they still warming you up nicely on those cold winter top down days?
Thanks once again for re-posting this, much appreciated.
Cheers Russ
Hi Russ, yes they’re great. TBH since the seats were recovered in leather (which is quite thick and very durable by the way) the heat does take longer to transfer through than it did on the cloth OEM covers which are quite thin compared. Once through though it’s nice! I know I’ve done many things to the car but it’s a great mod and I was very pleased to source the rotary controls with chrome accents, matching the heater controls of the car Something for the new owner to enjoy!
Barrie
can this happen on any mx?
I fitted similar kits to both of my Mk1s.