Runaway seat warmer - Subaru Outback

SeanU · 01-17-2013, 07:16 AM

The drivers side seat seat warmer in my 05 OB seems to have lost its ability to shut off when set to the minimum heat position. it just keeps getting hot to the point of feeling like a hazard. Any ideas where I should start looking for the problem?

jogosub · 01-17-2013, 07:24 AM

As far as I know (at least on 13 OB) the heat is on until you manually switch it off. I may be wrong or the 05 OBs have a different set up.

SeanU · 01-17-2013, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jogosub

As far as I know (at least on 13 OB) the heat is on until you manually switch it off. I may be wrong or the 05 OBs have a different set up.

The 05's have more positions in the heat warmer switch than the newer "Low-High" switch. Mine seems to go up to bun-burning temperature when set to the lowest position... which it has never done before.

rasterman · 01-17-2013, 12:30 PM

It's very likely the heater element itself. They do wear out, mostly from flexing around inside the seat cushion. It's a relatively dumb system, the only protection built in is the fuse. When the heater element gets particularly bad, it will draw too much electricity and blow the fuse. Yours sounds like it is well on the way to this.

The bad news is that you'll need to take the seat apart to replace the element. It might wind up being easier to hit a junkyard for a used seat.

01-17-2013, 07:16 AM	#1 (permalink)
SeanU Registered User Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 99 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Runaway seat warmer The drivers side seat seat warmer in my 05 OB seems to have lost its ability to shut off when set to the minimum heat position. it just keeps getting hot to the point of feeling like a hazard. Any ideas where I should start looking for the problem?

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01-17-2013, 07:24 AM	#2 (permalink)
jogosub Registered User Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Rolling Hills/PV-CA displaced in NW Florida. Car: 13 Outback 2.5i Limited/DDF-PZEV, Crystal Black Silica with Option Pkg 23 Posts: 1,653 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	As far as I know (at least on 13 OB) the heat is on until you manually switch it off. I may be wrong or the 05 OBs have a different set up.

01-17-2013, 12:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
rasterman Registered User Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: PA Car: 2006 Outback XT Limited Posts: 2,451 Feedback Score: 0 reviews	It's very likely the heater element itself. They do wear out, mostly from flexing around inside the seat cushion. It's a relatively dumb system, the only protection built in is the fuse. When the heater element gets particularly bad, it will draw too much electricity and blow the fuse. Yours sounds like it is well on the way to this. The bad news is that you'll need to take the seat apart to replace the element. It might wind up being easier to hit a junkyard for a used seat.

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