Does it work off the AC? Does the AC pump turn on when you turn that switch on?

I feel that the cooling I get is next to nothing or very little. Obviously the AC on helps to keep the overall cool temperature of the cabin inside and the seat feels a little cooler but it's not really all that very noticeable.

 

Check the filter on the bottom of your seat. The seat has cooling elements.

 

The climate controlled seat heats and cools by using what is called a thermal electric device in the seat and the seat back. In addition to the two TEDS there are vents and a fan that circulates the air within the seats.

The vehicles AC/heat has nothing to do with the heating and cooling of the seats. These are two totally separate systems.

Does the seat or seat back cool? If the cooling function does not work properly it's unlikely the heat would work correctly either.

 

With the car just having 1,500 miles, you think a filter is clogged already? Is that notorious to happen?

 

No it's not the filter. My new Maxima came with a non functioning seat bottom. The dealers and Nissan were total jerks about it and said that it worked normally. Nissan Consumer affairs were worthless . The dealers acted like it was some mysterious system. I ended up fixing it on my own. Many have had issues with these seats.

 

Not the filter then....

Go get it checked. My seat still cools pretty nicely.

 

For testing purpose you can try the heat function and see if the seat or seat back heats up. When you set it on heat see if it the light on the switch shuts off.

 

You may find this interesting.

http://forums.maxima.org/7th-generat...ry-solved.html

 

Interesting because I also thought back in the winter that the heat was very little next to nothing as well so I guess it's definitely the unit.

When I've tried the heat in the past the led lights up in the button and it stays on If I recall, is it supposed to be on a timer? When I put the cold seat on I definitely hear the fan in the seat spinning and I feel something but I could probably blow colder air with my mouth.

 

My seat back heated up great but the seat was cold. It is possible, but I would not expect both the seat and the seat back to fail at the same time.

No the seat is not on a timer the light on the switch should always stay on. There is a control unit under the seat that regulates the heat or cool temperature.

 

Yep, your seat is not working. I can frost my fanny with my air conditioned seat, even as my wife is toasting her buns in the passenger seat.

 

Yeah, I believe that was my case too. The backseat would be nice and toasty while the bottom seat would be very mildly warm so there's definitely an issue. And this was like that since I leased the car. I feel like taking it apart, but then again it's just a damn lease so why should I bother. Then again, dealers are useless...

If lightonthehill says he can frost his fanny then there's definitely definitely an issue here.

 

Now, so I can get a baseline, when you get nice and cold, do you also have the AC turned on or just the cold seat? I mean of course I know that with the AC on the overall temp inside the cabin is kept colder.

 

Probably the same issue I had. I was missing a vent that directs the cool/heat into the seat bottom. They probably ran out of the vents when assembling the seats so they just left them out. You can see a picture in the link I provided. There are others with the same issue. Mine is a 2014 Sport.

 

We usually have the driver seat AC on when I am driving and my wife is in the passenger seat, with the cabin AC in the midrange (around 70F). It is easy to know when the driver seat AC is on the high setting, because the fanny coldness is difficult to ignore, and would become quite uncomfortable if left on in the high setting very long. And this is while the cabin AC is in a moderate setting, usually between 68F and 72F.

 

Ok cool thanks for the info. I'm gonna run the same baseline.
On another note, if there's any cold coming out of the seat, it is from the bottom seat and the very lower third of the back rest. I don't feel anything on the upper 2 thirds of the back rest. Can anyone chime in on this? I know people've been saying usually the bottom seat is the that doesn't work as good, but in my case, it's the back rest even less. But yes, the bottom barely puts anything out so imagine how much less the back rest is putting out.

 

Sounds like you have issues with both the seat and the seatback. When set on high the seatback and/or the seat will get so hot or cold that you will want to change the setting after 5-10 minutes. If you are even wondering if it is working properly, when set on high heat or cool, means that it is not.

The seatback should cool to about 2/3 of the way up.


My seatback has always worked fine and it heated or cooled like a champ. There was no mistaking it. My seat had a vent missing and it basically did not provide any heat or cooling regardless of setting.

 

thanks for the info. Def something wrong with the hole cold seat feature. I might take it apart, just that I do not even bother with it as its under warranty. On the other hand, if I bring it to the dealership they'll just waste my time saying they can't fix it.

 

If the led on the CC seat switch does not shut off within about 10 seconds of being turned on the electronics of the system are fine. The electronics appears to be a well made. If you hear the blower is working more than likely the venting that directs the air to the seats is the issue. Vents are blocked, misaligned or missing.

 

yeah, it's definitely the vents. It stays on for as long as I want it on and I do hear the fan. Thanks for the info.

 

Just the other day, I took the car to the car wash and the morons turned on the seat heat and the back was scorching hot and it was about 85 degrees outside, so I immediately felt that. How's it possible that the back seat isn't cooling if it's using the same vents routing?

 

Although it is possible that an electrical problem could allow the heat to work and the cold to not work it is unlikely. The vents and fan used are the same for heat or cold. The thermal electric devices (TED's) put out heat or cool depending on the polarity of the voltage applied to them. The same vents and fan are used for both heat and cool.

Check out the FSM under the seats SE section if you really want to see how they work.
http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/2014%20Maxima/

 

Thanks for the info and the link. I could definitely use that link as I like to take things apart.