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HOW-TO: SVT Heated Seat Switch Fix

40K views 41 replies 26 participants last post by  Greenhound 
#1 · (Edited)
Well it started getting chilly out and I was only down to one heated seat switch(The passenger side, Gotta keep the Mrs. Happy [;)]) So I just decided to go ahead and fix the one that has been sitting in my drawer for about a year and a half now. Ford already replaced about 5 of these over the years so I got tired of that and figured that I was probably not the only one with this problem. The passenger one you had to slam it hard for it to turn on/off so that was about to kick the bucket anyways.

Well Here's a guide with 2 fixes that will more than likely fix your switch if it's broken. I'll try and include as much details as possible or you can just look at all the pretty pictures that I took for you. Let me know if I didn't describe everything enough to understand?


All Images are clickable to full size of 800x600.

Tools needed:
Needle nose pliers
small flat head screw driver or a razor knife
patience and 20/20 vision

Step #1:
Remove the switch from your car and take the cover off. There are 4 tabs holding it together. I broke a few of mine but you can break them all and just wrap electrical tape around it when you put it back together. Just slide your flat screw driver in them to pop it off. Or you can use your razor knife.



Step #2:
Now you will see a white lever with a metal clip on it. Pull that metal clip off with needle nose pliers. You might notice that it is kinda loose (Pic #3). Tighten it up a little bit with your needle nose pliers to make it a spring again(Pic #4). Now put it back on. Test your switch to see if it works now, if it doesn't then you will need to proceed to step #3.



Step #3:
Warning! This is a more pain-staking fix and the slightest increments will affect the switch to if it will work properly or not. So only proceed if you got great vision or a magnifying glass.
Slide open the white lever and take your needle nose pliers and pop up the switch that's underneath it and pull it out(Pic #2). This piece needs to be perfectly flat(Pic #3). Use your needle nose pliers to flatten it if it's bent.




Step #4:
Installing this piece back in is critical. You have to make sure it goes into the groove in the back as you can see in the picture(Pic #1). Adjusting the tension on the back copper tab with a razor(Pic #3), try clicking the switch to see if that flat copper piece stays open or closed(contacting or not). Push in the copper tab on the back(Pic #3) to create more tension if the switch doesn't keep contact. Or you may have to pry it out just a bit to relieve some of the tension. This may take a while so keep making small adjustments until it works properly. It works properly when pressed in stays in the position of either up or down (off/on).



If anyone has any suggestions/questions, let me know so I can edit this guide.
 
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#2 ·
SAWEEEETTT!!! [:D]
I need to do this this weekend!
My driver's side switch died about a month ago, and my buns are really missing that heat in this cold weather.

It stuck in the "on" position for me one day, and I had to beat it into submission to get it to shut off.
Now, it only works if I hold it down manually while driving, and in the snow, that's not such a smart idea.

At any rate, I'll definitely take some pics and add to this if need be.

EDIT:
And that's funny you mentioned about keeping the MRS happy...
I went to "switch the switches", and she busted me big time.
Her exact words; "Over my dead body are you using the switch from my side of the car!" [eek]
So, I like being married, and I love my wife, so I've been the one with the cold buns. [:(]
 
#6 ·
If your SVT had the winter package, you should already have them. They are on the left and right of the shifter.

LOVE YOUR CAR[woot]
Thanks man but please edit your post where you quote my entire how-to. When quoting a large post, it's proper forum etiquette to remove any pictures that you're not referring to or just snip out a lot of information if it's a big post that you're not referring to either. Keeps things cleaner that way [;)]Thanks again though and I appreciate your comment.
 
#9 ·
Sweet!
My butt and lower back are nice and warm again. [thumb]

I had my camera out, along with the macro lens, but I didn't take any pics.
In fact, as good as the write up is, I only needed the thumbnail pics.
(I forgot I printed out the full-size till I was done) Woops!

At any rate, I had to go completely through Step#4 to get my switch working again.
I probably have a bit too much pressure on the switch (adjusting per step 4),
but I like the positive "clink" it makes when switching it on and off again now.

OrangeSVTguy;
Your write up is very concise and easy to follow.
About the only thing I'd change is to put an arrow pointing to what you're describing in the pics.
For example, Step#4-Pic#1 could use an arrow pointing at the groove.
Fortunately, my magnifying glass easily found what I was looking for. [;)]

Again...thanks Lee!
 
#10 ·
Yeah I should have, I'm going run those pics through Photoshop now [;)]. Maybe the 800x600 is too small of a pic still? [poke]

Yeah I forgot to mention that when I went back and did this, I had re-do everything and in the process I broke that first spring.... (Hercules?) so I just bent up a paperclip and works 100% again. Glad this helped you out Doug LOL. Now the Moon on Mars can be just a warm as Venus [:)]
 
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#14 ·
Yeah I should have, I'm going run those pics through Photoshop now . Maybe the 800x600 is too small of a pic still?
800X600 prints out fine.
I see you put some notes on now. [;)]
BTW, instead of a razor blade, I used a jewelers screwdriver.
The flat blade tip is less than a 1/16" wide, and it's almost as thin as a razor.

Now the Moon on Mars can be just a warm as Venus
Got that right. [:D]
Course, we're having a heat wave now.
It was all the way up to 18°F when I left this morning. [:(]
 
#13 ·
Usually clicking on the switch and it says on or stays off. Clicking the switch and holding it down to turn it off or turn it on is a sign too.

I also forgot to mention that if you have some 3mm LEDs around, now's your chance to change their colors. I'm still planning on changing all the green interior lights to blue and to add different colors to differentiate like red LEDs on the heated seat switch when they are turned on and Rear defroster, as you know they are currently orange/amber.
 
#12 ·
GREAT! Rep points for you! Mine has been out for about a year really didnt bother me i would pop the shifter surround up plug it in and it works but would not shut off so i have to unplug it to stop the heat. My gf jumps in and the first thing she reaches for is her button looks at me and waits for me to pop my shifter surround up lol. Ill be doin this ASAP!
 
#16 ·
^LOL Glad this helped you out along with all the others as well.

Big thanks for all the rep points too. I look like this now > [:D]
 
#17 ·
Gentlemen,
My car has a drivers side seat heater issue. I am fairly certain it is not in the switch mechanism. I swapped them from side to side and still only the passenger side will work correctly(even with the drivers side switch controlling it). The fuse is not blown, both switches positively click on and off smoothly, and both lights turn on and off appropriately. There are no wires disconnected (that I can see) and everything looks right.

What's the deal?
 
#18 ·
2006pitchblackST, I have heard of the heating elements burning out but usually out of view. People have taken them out of the foam seats and resoldered the connections to make them work again.
 
#20 ·
hey awesome write up man, i just got your reply on the one i started, that going help alot!! thnks
 
#21 ·
Does anyone have the pinouts of the switch so we can bench check it before putting it back in? This will help determine if the switch is bad or I have other problems.
 
#22 ·
sorry if this is a stupid question, but how do you get the switch out of the car? The cap pops off easy, but the switch stays in the console. Mine might be just glued in by all the spilled coffee from the previous owner, yuck.

looking forward to doing this fix... its definitely the issue.

Thanks
 
#23 ·
You have to pop up the shifter bezel cover and the then disconnect the wires connector. The switch will pop up and out easily unless it's "glued" in there with old coffee etc.... LOL. Just apply some pressure to it and it'll pop out.

Good luck.
 
#24 ·
Funny about the Mrs. Switch... My dad does that all the time to my mom and she freaks out.

Apparently it feels like you've peed your pants. LOL.
 
#26 ·
Hey, Thanks OrangeSVTguy! I finally found time to do this fix, and both buttons are back to normal. I had to go through all of the steps... the drivers side switch was bent up pretty bad and took about 20 mins of adjusting before it clicked both ways and stayed. The second only needed a little more pressure from the side tab. Thanks for the tips.
 
#27 ·
OrangeSVTGuy, Thanks a bunch for your write up.

Had to give your Rep. a boost. ;)
 
#29 ·
Yeah, this was a super helpful thread. I repaired my drivers side one a few months ago using this as a guide. A heads up to anybody looking to repair one of these switches, probably the hardest part was just getting the switch apart so you can tweak it. As mentioned above, there are 4 plastic tabs holding the separate housings together and they are NOT meant to come apart. I finally got it apart by using an electric drill and a small bit to carefully "axe" out the tabs, it slid apart cleanly after that. This will make more sense once you actually have it in your hands.

Thanks for the thread man, it was fun to get it working again!
 
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