Cloth seat heater install

[supraholic]

Greetings fellow T4R lovers!

I've been inspired by so many of you on this site to modify my rig, I wanted to give back. This may have been covered by someone else but I was not able to find a tutorial so here you go! I picked up a white '07 Sport Edition 4x4 last month w/119k miles. Aside from a rip in the drivers seat (which I already replaced the seat cover with a factory seat cover I found on eBay) the rig is cherry. I have a couple other projects I'll be posting soon (HID install in Eagle Eye aftermarket replacement headlights and single row LED light bar) but started with this one.

I worked my way through installing seat heat on the drivers seat (at the same time I replaced the cushion cover) without any instructions--just trial by fire! I fully documented the installation on the passenger seat below once I learned the process. Not hard at all just a little tedious with removing/installing hog rings to secure the upholstery. Without further ado, here we go!

Taking the seat out is easy--plenty of room to get it out the door. Pop the 4 bolt covers and unbolt the 14mm bolts. Tilt the seat back and unplug the 3 electrical connectors (if you have a power seat) then pull the seat out of the truck. I brought it inside so I could lay it on the carpet:

First step is to remove the seat bottom so we can remove the upholstery. Lay the seat on its side and using a larger flathead screwdriver or clip tool like picture, gently pry underneath the power seat adjustment buttons--they pop off with little effort:

Remove both silver screws:

Looking under the seat, unhook the seat-back straps:

There are 3 black screws that hold the black plastic wrap around shroud on the seat. The first one is on the lower back right corner:

Underneath front right corner:

And the last one underneath the front left corner (using a screwdriver extension):

Lift up here and the shroud will come off:

Using a flathead screwdriver or clip tool, remove this black button:

Release the upholstery clip on the right side of the seat, shown where you see my 3 fingers:

The upholstery can then be unclipped working your way around the front of the seat bottom:

Flip the seat over to work on the other side. Need to remove the plastic cover behind the seatbelt latch. Remove this black screw from the lower left seat back:

...then slide the black plastic cover away from the camera, out of the white clip pictured here:

Like the other side, remove the black plastic button:

...and release the upholstery clip on the side:

Almost ready to remove the seat bottom cushion! But first, remove (or as I did, cut) the 3 hog rings holding the upper and lower seat upholstery together:

[MORE BELOW]

 

[supraholic]

...then unclip or cut the electrical tape holding the harness(s) to the seat bottom upholstery:

Unhook the seat bottom upholstery from the seat cushion springs and the cushion is ready to come out:

Now take the seat bottom cushion to your bench...Lift the upholstery as far as you can on the front edge of the cushion. You'll then see the hog rings holding the upholstery to the cushion. Start by snipping the 5 hog rings on the right side of the cushion (front to back), followed by the 5 hog rings on the left side of the cushion (front to back). Then lastly, the 3 hog rings holding the crossbar in the center of the cushion:

With the upholstery off the cushion, we can place the seat heater pad:

As you can see, I made sure I creased the heater pad into the channel across the center of the seat. The upholstery will need to be re-attached in this channel (although I only used 2 hog rings on either side of the pad instead of 3 in this channel--I didn't want to cut or risk shorting the heater pad):

All taped down and ready for upholstery to go back on:

Here's my hog ring pliers and new steel hog rings. No way to do this job without this tool!!

Replace hog clips in the reverse order they were taken off: 2 on the center channel (left and right of the heater pad), then 5 rings (back to front) on the left side, followed by 5 rings (back to front) on the right side.

The seat bottom cushion is done!! Set it aside for now, time to work on the seat back. [BELOW].

 

[supraholic]

To remove the upholstery on the seat back enough to get the seat heater pad in place, start by clipping the hog rings on the lower left and right of the seat back:

Unclip this upholstery clip on both left and right of the lower seat back:

Pull the upholstery out from behind the seat hinge--it's a little snug but gently work it out:

Unzip the upholstery on the back of the seat (left and right sides), lay the seat on its back and you can pull the upholstery up from the bottom. No need to take it all the way off but hog rings will need to be removed to allow room to snake the heater pad under the upholstery:

Similar to the seat bottom, clip the 3 hog rings on the right (bottom of seat back towards the top). Do the same on the left side. Lastly, clip the 3 center (channel) hog rings (again, will only be replacing 2 to allow room for the heater pad):

Heater pad in taped in place and ready to re-attach upholstery in the reverse order it was removed:

Re-attached the seat back upholstery to the frame in the reverse order it was removed, then do the same with the seat cushion bottom. Whamo, you're done.

I haven't wired the seats yet but that will be easy. I'll update this post with final results once the project is done...

 

[BlackWorksInc]

Nice write-up!

Personally wouldn't want heated seats... I want me some Ball Freezers, not Crotch Warmers. But still awesome write-up

 

[Dominic]

nicely done, now, send me that seat so i can test it...

 

[CookieRoe]

Cool!

First time I've seen such an in-detail write up on how to disassemble the front seat, nice! Good work!

I would love to install seat heaters in the rear seats.

 

[acronin2]

Update?

[MENTION=108191]supraholic[/MENTION] just checking in to see if you ever completed this mod. What seat heater did you use? I've considered doing this mod but haven't found any switches that look OEM and are the right dimensions to fit in the blank slots near the DAC button. Any more pics of the wiring. Great write up BTW.

 

[delz05]

Just an fyi... in place of the metal hog-rings, you can use plastic zip-ties. Also, instead of placing the metal rod over the heater pad, place it underneath, less chance of a short occurring as a result of the rod rubbing across the heater pad.

Buick/GM had a recall or a TSB on a like issue about 10 years ago, the heater pad would short out and burn the foam cushion... a possible fire hazard. They replaced the heater pad and placed the upholstery rods under the pads.

I have done a whole bunch of these in many types of cars and trucks, have never had an issue using the zip-ties. Plan on doing this mod for my daughter (04 SR5) next weekend.

OP...please advise on wiring the power for the switches....

 

[Radial GT]

Awesome write up!

I did this install last year to my SR5 and loved every moment of having them installed. This is the kit I used; http://www.amazon.com/Dorman-628-04...8&qid=1413247344&sr=8-4&keywords=Heated+seats
One kit per seat, and I tapped into the spare fuse spot in the cabin fuse panel. Super easy install as far a wiring goes. I drilled the rocker switches into the factory positions and it looked fantastic!

I second using zip ties, super quick.

 

[acronin2]

Thanks

Thanks for the wirte up [MENTION=108191]supraholic[/MENTION] . I just installed seat heaters in my 04 sport last weekend and used your write up and pics as I went. My seats were a little different as far as the different clips and how the upholstry was connected to the frame but the pics definitely helped. I went the zip tie route rather than hog ties and seem to work out just fine. As far as the wiring, I used this thread . Love this mod. Just in time for the winter!

 

[ZeroG]

My wife loves the heated seats in our Solara. Leather seats and the heater works great. Our 4Runner is cloth seats. I've never seen a heated cloth seat. Can someone compare how well the heater works with cloth vs leather. Leather just seems more applicable to the task of spreading the heat than cloth.

 

[acronin2]

Update

[MENTION=114578]ZeroG[/MENTION] I have had the seat heaters installed (04 sport w cloth seats) for about 3 weeks and I love them. They work just as good as seat heaters that I have used on leather seats. The seat heaters I got have a High and Low setting. The High setting gets so hot (in my opinion) after 25-30 min that I usually turn them down to the Low setting. Just my .02$ hope this helps

 

[ZeroG]

Good to know. I've never added heated seats to a vehicle but my wife would sure be happy if we can add them to our new 4Runner. Thanks!!!!

 

[dollaz]

Are there any concerns with the sensor that detects enough weight to enable the airbag on the passenger seat? I thought I read some older posts about being careful with that. I didn't see a mention of that here.

 

[fishtizzy]

Nice write-up!

Personally wouldn't want heated seats... I want me some Ball Freezers, not Crotch Warmers. But still awesome write-up

LOL 'ball freezers', that's a new one for me!! :thumb:

 

[dollaz]

Hi All that installed the heaters in their passenger seats. What did you do about the occupancy sensor as the rostra set I bought says do not install on top of the occupancy sensor. Instructions say: "DO NOT PLACE A SEAT HEATER PAD ON TOP OF THE OCS/OPDS. INSTALL THE PAD ON THE FOAM CORE WHICH IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE SENSOR." Also, any issues with your sensors detecting correctly after the install?

 

[Cycle M5]

I did this 2 years ago with no issues to airbag sensor.
Interesting to note, I did not disassemble the seat entirely. I simply slid the pads under the cloth after I cut the retaining rings under the chair. Then to pull the center of the seat back into it's seam, I actually used a section of metal coat hanger. I forced it through the seam retaining wire... then just twisted it up under the chair for tension on the cloth.
I had bought a two seat system for $76 on ebay. It came with a switch that mounted in the center armrest area where the stock switch would have been. I had to do a little cutting to make the switch work, but it installed cleanly with no sighs of cut plastic around the switch housing.

 

[Wohnjick]

Where did the pictures go?!

 

[SAC-CA-Runner]

Where did the pictures go?!

Probably hosted on a site that no longer will show up here unless you pay an insane amount of money.

 

[Whammy]

[MENTION=108191]supraholic[/MENTION], what part numbers did you use? It would be nice to add that to the thread.

Thanks!