I need help with seat heaters please. Both seat heaters are out. When this happened, there was an electrical smell of smoke coming from underneath the car. It seemed to be coming from around the center or the left rear but it was breezy that day so I can't be sure. Since that happened, neither seat heater works anymore. Any help for repairs will be much appreciated. I have been a mechanic for a number of years and I do my own repairs. Thanks in advance.

 

Have you checked fuses inside the car?

 

I have checked the fuses. It seems like something shorted out under the car because there was no smoke inside the car although I could smell the burnt electrical a little inside the car but much more so under the car.

 

U mean under the car as in by the chassis?

 

That is correct.

 

Can anyone help me with this?

 

1. There are two under-dash fuses for the seat heater relay. Check both Fuse No. 30 (7.5A) and Fuse No. 15 (20A).

2. If both fuses are okay, behind the glove box is the seat heater relay. The seat heater relay wires are 1- Red/Blk, 2- Brn, 3- Blk, 4 - Blk/Yel.

Unplug the connector for the seat heater relay. Leave the connector unplugged, while you do the next step. On the harness connector, use a small piece of wire and jump the No. 1 - Red/Blk wire and No. 2 - Brn wire cavity terminals. Try using the seat heater switches to see if the heaters work.

 

Thank you tech8. I will do that this weekend and let you know.

 

If it works like that, don't replace the relay yet. It may be an issue with wiring going to the relay. What I posted is to test and narrow down the issue.

 

Okay thanks tech8. I didn't get the chance to check it this weekend but as soon as I do I will let you know. Thanks again.

 

Hello tech8. I checked the seat warmers this past weekend and found that they actually work. I guess the issues I spoke of earlier were not even related. When the car first started to show problems, my wife was driving it and she said the car acted like it was losing power and there was a burning electrical smell. It was very cold that day and when I went to check it out, I could smell the electrical smell more around the left rear (drivers side) wheel well so this past weekend I looked for anything under the car in that area it could have came from. There is plastic box in that area under the car. It looks like it might be the computer. Do you know if it is the computer and do you have any ideas what that could have been? I test drove the car after the incident and it drove fine and hasn't had any issues since. Thanks for your help and I apologize for the long reply.

 

There is no computer underneath. The black box you're probably seeing under the left rear of the car is the EVAP canister. The EVAP Canister Vent Shut Valve and Fuel Tank Pressure (FTP) sensor are on the canister. It is possible a wire may have shorted to cause the smell.

 

There is what looks like a large wire harness that goes into it. I thought the smell was maybe a short also but I don't have any problems as far as the lights or the running of the car so it is a mystery for sure.