my wife’s 2004 Expedition has heated and cooled seats. the drivers side works great, both hot and cold settings. but the passengers side shuts off in less tham 5 seconds no matter wether hot or cold used. not sure where to start with diagnostics.
my first guess is clogged filter for seat ventilation that’s tripping it to shut off.
thanks in advance for your time and expertise!
More than likely the seat has the problem. If it’s drawing to much current, it shuts down.
No, the “fart filter” shouldn’t have any effect on the electrical vent/heat operation of the seat. Are you saying the fan quits running?
I don’t know that I would attempt to diag this without a scan tool.
I’m assuming the heating is done w/a heating element in the seat cushions but the cooling is done w/airflow through the seat somehow. Are you able to compare the air flow through the driver’s seat vs the passenger seat somehow? If you can figure out a way to feel the stream of air exit each seat, that might be provide a clue.
it doesn’t heat or cool as it only runs for about 5 seconds or less. not on long enough to compare.
i have had a mechanic tell me one time that if something trips the check engine light like an O2 sensor and you don’t address it right away these newer vehicles are engineered computer-wise to take away a comfort, like not making the AC work. used to have a 99 expedtition that a check engine light came on. i couldn’t figure it out and the AC quit. it turned out to be a coil on one of the cylinders. the AC worked fine after that. he didn’t do anything to the AC. had to take his word for it.
Ignoring the check engine light, eh? We’ll just turn off your AC, that’ll show you. Just when I think I’ve heard everything, I’m proven wrong.
I’ve never heard of THAT technique to entice the owner to take the car to the shop. But it seems like it might work … lol … OP, I don’t recall you saying your check engine light is on. Is it?
Perhaps they could make it so that if you ignore the CEL pins come up out of the seats…
I’m guessing that there was a misunderstanding. I’m guessing that the mechanic probably said that if something goes wrong the car can go onto “limp home” mode. Before computers, cars used to go into “walk home” mode…