# Heated Seat Fixed - Replaced Heater Pad



## lazerjules (Apr 18, 2009)

I finally got around to fixing my driver side heated seat.

My seat has been and always has suffered from the notorious 'hot spot', when your sitting on the seat it feels as though there is a small nuclear reaction taking place under your arse cheek!

It took most of the day by the time I took the seat out, dismantled it, installed new pad, re-assemble and re-fit into car, but I now have a proper functioning heated seat for the first time ever, fantastic!

I bought the new pad from TPS, the pad was not cheap at just over 100 notes, but I figure that my other option to but second hand seats could have left me with the same issue or uncared for leather, so I opted to give it a go.

It's tricky, there are no two ways about it, definitely not something to try and do in five minutes. The hardest part is getting the leather back on with the hog-rings, this is just awkward, well so my GF tells me, as she did it for me! 

I wondered if I would be able to spot where the problem had been, well you can see from the pics that I ad no problem finding the bonfire that had been taking place under the leather, I am surprised the whole seat didn't melt into a pile of rubbery mush.

I haven't taken loads of pics for a how-to but here are a few.

First, remove the white clips, you pull a centre pin out then lever the clip out of the base, the clip can be removed completely to make more room.
Once the clip is off, the base will lift up easily.










With clip removed.










I don't have any more pics of the dis-assembly, I got caried away. But once the base is lifted, remove the connectors from the mounting plate.
You will see the leather curling around the base at the back and hooking onto the frame, you will need to prise the C clip off the frame, the springs can then be removed.

From memory that should then free up the entire seat base, and you can remove it from the frame.

To remove the leather, you first need to release all of the C clips that clip the leather onto the lower plastic base, then you will need to gently prise back the leather, removing the old hog rings as you go.

With the leather removed from the base
Here you can see the burn mark in the old heater pad.










The old heater pad took over an hour to remove, it was well and truly stuck on. You need to make sure you damage the main yellow seat foam as little as possible, but remove all of the old pad, If you don't remove the old pad thoroughly you will see lumps and bumps up through the leather.










New pad installed on the foam. The new pad comes with self adhesive backing, simply stick to the foam, obviously making sure you line it up correctly and filling the creases between the folds with the pad so you don't stretch the pad when you sit on the seat.










No inbetween shots unfortunately, but here is leather back on. Again I think this is the most fiddly bit, getting the hog rings back in, I used new hog rings and a special pair of hog ring pliers.

You have to stretch the leather on and fight it all the way to get the hog rings through the leather using the old holes and then over the steel bars embedded in the foam, once the hog rings are in, simply squish them with the pliers.










I hope this helps someone. Just be warned it is tricky and fiddly, requires time and patience!


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## V6RUL (May 28, 2009)

Nice job, doesn't sound like the easiest of fixes.
Steve


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## TheMetalMan0 (Jun 30, 2009)

Nice guide, thanks for posting. I'm sure it'll be very useful for anyone looking to do this.


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## jamman (May 6, 2002)

lazerjules said:


> The hardest part is getting the leather back on with the hog-rings, this is just awkward, well so my GF tells me, as she did it for me!


Big up for your GF Ola would just laught at me :lol:


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## les (Jul 24, 2006)

Well done as I doubt many would attempt it but maybe they will now after your write up.


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## mikesimbo (Aug 21, 2009)

hey nice write up!

have you got a link to the website / company where you got the pad from please?

cheers!
mike.


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## Redneck Truck (Nov 26, 2011)

Very nice writeup! You make the job look much easier than it probably is. Wonder how much of the job parallels that of a 4B A6 - I've got a steering wheel heater and a seat back heater out in my 01 4.2.

Does anyone know what causes these sorts of failures? Since my interior is still fairly new despite its age, I wonder if there are some precautionary measures I could take to avoid this failure happening. If there are some bumps under my driver seat bottom, is it a safe assumption this job has been done before? Any witness marks you'd suggest I look for?

When you talk about uncared for leather, how do I tell if mine's been cared for? What to do in the future to prevent my leather being deemed "uncared for"?


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## lazerjules (Apr 18, 2009)

mikesimbo said:


> hey nice write up!
> 
> have you got a link to the website / company where you got the pad from please?
> 
> ...


Bit late, I didn't see your question. I bought the replacement pad from TPS, it wasn't cheap! You can see the part number printed on the new pad. 8N0 963 555B



******* Truck said:


> If there are some bumps under my driver seat bottom, is it a safe assumption this job has been done before? Any witness marks you'd suggest I look for?
> 
> quote]
> 
> Only if it has been done badly! You can't tell that I have replaced the pad, no signs of tampering at all.


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## TT02TOY (Oct 4, 2010)

Bollox i think my drivers side not working right think its dropped a little under the seat how much is a second hand seat that looks too much hassell lol


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## mikesimbo (Aug 21, 2009)

lazerjules said:


> mikesimbo said:
> 
> 
> > hey nice write up!
> ...


Hi!

Thanks for your reply, sorry it took me so long to get back. I'll have a look at the price and see whether it's worth it!

All the best,
Mike.


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## neil_audiTT (Sep 1, 2010)

great guide and fair play.

Good info to know.


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