Question about the heated seats and steering wheel:

Both seem to only work when they want to. I understand that all the seats have pressure switches in them so they're only on when there's a butt in them, but the steering wheel is a mystery. It doesn't matter what settings the climate control is set to, it will surprise me every time because my hands suddenly get nice and warm. And, once it warms up, it turns off and will not turn back on until I restart the car. (Would I be correct in assuming that the heated wheel is only meant to warm up the wheel once time, then shut off? or is something wrong with it?)

My question(s):

A) Can I bypass the pressure switch in the driver's seat so I can warm up my car and have the seat warm, too, when I get in it.

B) How can I get the heated steering wheel to stay on when the switch is on?

 

Seriously? No one knows how this is supposed to work?

 

I recently wired up a set of heated seats (my I30 did not have them) and there are 2 wires going to from the switch to the seats and one ground wire from the switch and one from the the seat. I have read here that there is a pressure switch in the seats but my manual doesn't mention this. Additionally, neither of the wires that go from the switch to the seat sems like it is a wire for a pressure switch. There may be a switch that I don't know about b/c my seats do take a while to warm up, but I have read that is characteristic of Nissan heated seats.

I tried to attach a screen shot of the FSM page for you here, but I am not able to. I got the FSMs from the NICO forum. I don't have the heated steering wheel so I can't offer any info on that.

 

I am not sure what you can do with the heated steering wheel. My 03 se titanium came with the heated steering wheel and i understand what your saying about it turning off. On the other hand I think my hands would burn off if it stayed on because sometimes it practically overheats and I cant hold the steering wheel. Id assume there was some sort of resistor in there controlling the heat and after a period of time it automatically shuts off. if you bypassed it you might just catch the wheel your hand or both on fire.

 

If I remember correctly the manual states that the steering wheel, like the rear defroster, will only stay on temporarily. I think the steering wheel may be 30 minutes but I can't remember. Mine does the same thing but it starts too cool off before the 30 minute period so I'm guessing it's just a feature to take the chill off the wheel rather than actively keep your hands warm in the car

 

That's what I was thinking. Its so sporadic though that it still keeps me guessing. Even when I just start the car and turn it on, I'll suddenly feel it warm up about 10 minutes later. I know the climate control has to be set above 70 for it to even come on, but that's as far as I've gotten.

 

Just wondering if anyone else clicked on this thread and was very scared about the idea of an "intermittent steering wheel."

"Looks like i have to turn left here... hmm. OK I'll try again later."

:-)

 

Are you saying that it takes 10 minutes for the wheel or the seats to heat up? For the seats that's normal but my steering wheel heats up in under a minute.

 

My wheel and seats are just like yours - seats take a while, but the wheel is relatively instant. My question was about the steering wheel being on/off. It only stays on for a few fantastically warm seconds, then I can't get it back on again unless I restart the car - was basically wondering if its meant for a one-time-use type deal just to take the chill out of the wheel and be done with it.

 

As the manual states: When the wheel reaches a temperature of 68 deg. it will shut off. It only will go on again if it goes below that.So once your heater kicks in and warms the cabin it won't come on again.

 

Makes sense, mine feels like it gets a lot hotter than 68 deg though. It's a nice feature though and good to finally know why it seems "intermittent"