[2003 Ford Focus]

Hi Gang,

Bought this nice, clean '03 Focus ZTW about a month ago. As with all cars of its age, things happen. Driver's side has an issue with the lumbar heating pad in the seat; - it went crazy hot after about 10 to 15 minutes on Saturday last weekend. Switched it off and it took forever to cool down.

Read through a number of threads concerning the heating pads in the seats in these vehicles. Research tells me Ford discontinued the replacement pads a few years ago.

Has anyone repaired a heating pad (replaced it?) recently using later model Focus heating pads? I imagine that there might be some 'MacGyver'ing' required to make them work if connectors are not the same, etc.

Thoughts anyone?

 

[sailor]

Could the issue be a seat pad that quit?

If those are wired in series loosing the seat pad would make the back pad hotter...

I've seen prev. posts mentioning using aftermarket pads in the seats as one option.

 

[2003 Ford Focus]

I suspect they are connected in parallel. Otherwise if one blew there would be no return path and the circuit would be dead. If one blew in parallel it might send all of the current to the operating one I think. They would kind of bias each other when both are operating. Also, I seem to have read that it is not recommended to use after market in place of the blown one. I don't know how valid this comment is, other than to suggest that the balanced load on the circuit has to pass through a thermostat at the head-end somewhere.

 

[stromberg2]

My drivers side is out, but bottom and back don't work. Could that be the switch? How do you replace it?

Stromberg2

 

[thenorm]

all i know is that for the SVT the bottom and back are in series. when by bottom burnt out, back was dead too. continuity checks confirmed which one gave up the ghost.

i have replaced it once with the late model pad and some macgyvering was required. I had to swap some pins around in the connector and the pad had to be folded a little bit. in the end it didnt last too long.

my next fix will be to use a carbon fibre universal heating pad from amazon for $15. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IA3J8ZM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
you can cut them to fit, and one tiny broken heating element wont kill the whole thing (the carbon fibre pad is a bunch of parallel elements). the replacement one has a thermostat, so I will try to just splice it in to my existing harness and hope for the best.
I will probably try the replacement this weekend. I'll let u know how it goes

 

[sailor]

Could the issue be a seat pad that quit?

If those are wired in series loosing the seat pad would make the back pad hotter...

I've seen prev. posts mentioning using aftermarket pads in the seats as one option.

Poor writing

Base pad/wiring would have to fail in a way that still had a connection or nothing would work with the series wiring.

 

[2003 Ford Focus]

Latest from Ford:

Lumbar pads do get hot on the '03 if left on too long. There is no thermostat, just the switch that turns it on or off.

Seems my son left the pad on when he exited the vehicle the night before and it was on when I started the vehicle and let the frost clear off the windows before driving away. The good news; - the lumbar pad is still available if needed. We will keep an eye on it.

Next steps:

1. New Monroe Quick-Struts to replace the coils that were not replaced during the 10 year extended warranty period by previous owner. In need of new rear shocks anyway.

2. Timing Belt (idlers and tensioner) next week along with accessory belt idler, water pump, and tensioner (serpentine belt already replaced).

3. Spark plugs (wires and coil pack already replaced)

 

[thenorm]

replace my heated seat bottom with the carbon fibre mesh
works well.

write up is here http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7073089

 

[2003 Ford Focus]

replace my heated seat bottom with the carbon fibre mesh
works well.

write up is here http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=7073089

Thanks a bunch. Excellent writeup. Do I understand that you have a mix and match; - that is, a factory lumbar pad combined with an aftermarket seat pad?

For now it appears that the seat is working; - it just doesn't have a thermostat and needs to be switched off when you become aware that it is getting warmer.

If it does burn up, this looks like a good solution. Apparently the lumbar pad is still available for the '03 ZTW, but not the seat pad.

 

[thenorm]

Thanks a bunch. Excellent writeup. Do I understand that you have a mix and match; - that is, a factory lumbar pad combined with an aftermarket seat pad?

For now it appears that the seat is working; - it just doesn't have a thermostat and needs to be switched off when you become aware that it is getting warmer.

If it does burn up, this looks like a good solution. Apparently the lumbar pad is still available for the '03 ZTW, but not the seat pad.

ya it is a mismatch. factory lumbar. aftermarket seat.
the aftermarket pad DOES have a thermostat. (the factory lumbar does not, according to my wiring diagrams, its controlled by the seat thermostat, since they are wired in series).