Started a case with RAM today - lemon law??

Heated seats make me wanna ****!

FXCLM5 said:

Nice, that means my seats are ****** as well, my driver is always dropping to low within minutes.

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What year truck do you have?

firemedic10584 said:

I'm hoping. My dealer is willing to help. Theyou just need direction as well since there's no error codes or anything showing up as wrong on the computer

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This is the problem with a plug 'n play run diagnostics. If the computer can not tell them what is wrong, they have no one anymore that can diagnose it the old fashion way, which also means time which equals money.
I would say the passenger seat has a bad sensor that is turning off the heat too soon. Which now leads to where is the sensor, and how to change it, or swap it with the drivers side.
I just throw this out there for you to maybe chase down the issue yourself or find a shop with a guy who can do it as the dealer only is capable of using a computer to tell them.

valvestem said:

This is the problem with a plug 'n play run diagnostics. If the computer can not tell them what is wrong, they have no one anymore that can diagnose it the old fashion way, which also means time which equals money.
I would say the passenger seat has a bad sensor that is turning off the heat too soon. Which now leads to where is the sensor, and how to change it, or swap it with the drivers side.
I just throw this out there for you to maybe chase down the issue yourself or find a shop with a guy who can do it as the dealer only is capable of using a computer to tell them.

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I'd like to find a seat from a 2017 or older and throw it in my truck to see what happens. What leads me to believe it's a computer programming issue is that another truck on their lot does the exact same thing. So, unless they both just have a bad passenger side sensor, it's gotta be a programming issue somewhere.

I work at a Cable and Wire Harnessing plant as a Technician and honestly all you would need is a wiring schematic of the seat heaters and a good multi-meter and work your way back from the switches in the dash back to your seats. The fact that it's suppose to change settings at specific times tells me there's a Thermistor connected to a switch or relay somewhere along the wire harness that could be bad. Any good mechanic or electrician could easily find what is the problem is, time, money, and actual problem solving experience.

JDLonghorn said:

WHAT?" Don't run your heated seats in the summer – ever"...…. LMAO

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I had a late model VW that nearly caught my ass on fire one summer. It was brand new, and I was testing out the heated seats when holy hell, I was all of a sudden sitting on a hot plate. I immediately turned it off, but I still had to pull over as fast as I could while holding myself up off the seat and get out of the car and wait for the seat to cool off. Turned out the driver's side thermal control unit blew due to the build up of heat.

Trust me, I was not "laughing my ass off", I was glad it didn't get torched. The guy behind me in traffic was probably laughing HIS ass off, though.

My wife's Acura MDX has a firmware issue that if you remote start it, then go get in while it's running and drive off, the heated seats won't turn on correctly. They flash on then right back off. You have to pull over, shut off the engine and then restart it. Works fine after that. I brought it up to the dealership techs and their eyes glazed over. Then after bumping into each other and some mumbling amongst themselves, one guy finally said it's a safety feature so we don't burn ourselves.... I just turned around and walked out. So it's not just RAM dealers that try to baffle you with ********.

Kinetic said:

That's what i thought too, but in the photo above it says press once for HI. Maybe that's just for the heated seats and the vented seats are once for LOW and twice for HI?

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Owners manual does not give a different statement of operation for the heat portion of the ventilated seats, just how to operate the ventilation controls portion.

DarthMegaHD said:

Another guy in here has a rebel doing the same thing. Might be a particular seat style with the issue

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I believe this is talking about me. They have replaced a couple things on mine cause neither of my seats get anywhere near warm and they cut off quickly too as some guys are saying in here. So far the dealer has replaced the elements inside the seat and the module that controls them. Still no better than where we started

pridemore54 said:

I believe this is talking about me. They have replaced a couple things on mine cause neither of my seats get anywhere near warm and they cut off quickly too as some guys are saying in here. So far the dealer has replaced the elements inside the seat and the module that controls them. Still no better than where we started

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Yep - my driver seat barely gets warm. Is your passenger side turning off after only a few minutes?

firemedic10584 said:

Yep - my driver seat barely gets warm. Is your passenger side turning off after only a few minutes?

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Honestly I haven't tested them since winter but if I remember correctly they would turn down to low after a short time (approx. 5 min) so after reading this thread sounds like I have more than just a heat issue as well

Join the club!

pridemore54 said:

I believe this is talking about me. They have replaced a couple things on mine cause neither of my seats get anywhere near warm and they cut off quickly too as some guys are saying in here. So far the dealer has replaced the elements inside the seat and the module that controls them. Still no better than where we started

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Yes I was. I have an idea! Seems this is an issue particular to 2018 models, why not try components from a previous model year? No other members on here other than 2018 owners have been complaining about this, correct?

DarthMegaHD said:

Yes I was. I have an idea! Seems this is an issue particular to 2018 models, why not try components from a previous model year? No other members on here other than 2018 owners have been complaining about this, correct?

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I had a 2017 and had no issues with it. I remember those seats actually got pretty warm. So it's definitely something they've changed with the 18s.

...

firemedic10584 said:

What year truck do you have?

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17, I am asking FCA to replace the leather seats.... since they rise up like crazy. Now I just found out the seat heaters don't work as designed... smh

Stupid question but are you sitting in the seat while it’s on. Like a passenger side air bag it might sense when weight is on it and if not it might turn off automatically.


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IronCity said:

Stupid question but are you sitting in the seat while it’s on. Like a passenger side air bag it might sense when weight is on it and if not it might turn off automatically.


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Not being an ass here, but read through this thread. I've answered that question a few times now. I've tried having someone sitting in the seat and having no one in the seat. Same results.

I have the exact same issue.
2018 RAM Lone Star - V8 with Katzskin leather seats with the heated seat/steering upgrade. From Houston TX.
The Heated Seats was the Sole reason I bought the truck. My wife has lower back pain and she uses the heater every time we go anywhere. We have had heated seats in her Lincoln Navigator for the last 10yrs, they still work fine.
Such BS. My truck has been in the service dept longer than I have had possession of it trying to figure this out. I have been working with RAM care since I drove it off the lot. 3mo ago. The Chrysler Engineers state and I quote “this feature is performing as designed - once the high temp is hit it shuts dwn” No KIDDING!!!!
Thank god the shut down is working. Geez, if the programming is driving the temperature so high so fast that the safety shutdown trip has to be engaged every time the feature is activated, that is a SAFETY issue.
If the system is not able to control the temperatures within the normal operating range and the system keeps tripping offline to save itself. HELLO Captain Obvious here, there is a problem.

It weird too because like this guy is saying it’s only one seat. When I first took delivery it was the driver side seat not working. After being in 2 different dealerships and 8 weeks later the driver side works now but passenger side want.

What a mess. I have been fighting this for the last 3 mo.

So pissed.

Here is video of my issue



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firemedic10584 said:

Not being an ass here, but read through this thread. I've answered that question a few times now. I've tried having someone sitting in the seat and having no one in the seat. Same results.

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You kind of are, if that’s the case then scroll on without a reply. Members here are just trying to help you out.


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