non-OEM Seat Heater with Factory Fuse - How To

[Asmara]

I just put in aftermarket seat heater in my '04 4Runner (tip make sure you have hog rings and hog ring pliers - makes the job easier).

I wanted to use the factory fuse to wire the heaters. The fuse is in the engine compartment fuse box. It was in place so I figured the wiring may be too. To shorten the story a bit; There is a wire that goes from the factory fuse to position A6 of IC4 which is located behind the drivers side kick panel. Unfortunantly, it dies there. The other side of IC4 is blank. I decided to run my wiring to there and tap into the harness anyway so I could use the factory fuse. I soon learned there was no power there. I checked the fuse. It was fine. I looked at the schematics again and realized that power to this fuse is controlled by the IG relay in the fuse box. That location was empty. I pulled the relay from the 'towing tail relay' since I don't tow and put it in the IG Relay slot. Now I had power going through the fuse and to the wire in IC4.

I figured I put the info here in case anybody else is doing something similar.

 

[ridefast]

Good to know! Do you have any pics and info on the rest of the install? What kit did you buy?

 

[ridefast]

aaahhhhh double post, i should have looked at your siggggggg.

 

[acronin2]

[MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] thanks for the write up as always. I am in the process of installing seat heaters in my 04 sport and am ready to wire everything up. After finding this thread I am going to go this route to try and keep it as clean as possible. I am assuming you install seat heaters in both the drivers side and passenger side seats. How did you wire both seats up? The kit I got, each seat has a +12 volt dc wire and ground wire. Do I tap both of my +12v wires into the light green? Each one of the +12v wires has an inline 10 amp fuse.

 

[telum01]

Thanks for bumping this thread up, I'm actually doing this tonight or Sunday, hangover permitting.

 

[Asmara]

[MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] thanks for the write up as always. I am in the process of installing seat heaters in my 04 sport and am ready to wire everything up. After finding this thread I am going to go this route to try and keep it as clean as possible. I am assuming you install seat heaters in both the drivers side and passenger side seats. How did you wire both seats up? The kit I got, each seat has a +12 volt dc wire and ground wire. Do I tap both of my +12v wires into the light green? Each one of the +12v wires has an inline 10 amp fuse.

Remove the fuses (because you will use the factory fuse and don't want to have to track down multiple fuses in the same circuit if there is ever a problem) and wire them both into the factory seat heater circuit (light green) which is a 25 amp circuit.

You'll love this mod. I use it all the time.

 

[acronin2]

One more question

Remove the fuses (because you will use the factory fuse and don't want to have to track down multiple fuses in the same circuit if there is ever a problem) and wire them both into the factory seat heater circuit (light green) which is a 25 amp circuit.

You'll love this mod. I use it all the time.

Thanks for the advise [MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] . One more question, should I be concerned that the two +12v power wires from the seat heaters are 16-18 AWG. It looks like the light green wire that I'll be splicing into is 20-22 AWG. Is this going to be a problem? Sorry for the dumb questions just want to make sure before I start splicing into factory wires.

 

[Asmara]

Thanks for the advise [MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] . One more question, should I be concerned that the two +12v power wires from the seat heaters are 16-18 AWG. It looks like the light green wire that I'll be splicing into is 20-22 AWG. Is this going to be a problem? Sorry for the dumb questions just want to make sure before I start splicing into factory wires.

It's not a dumb question. I wouldn't worry about it though since it is a 25 amp Toyota designed circuit and each of your seat heaters only has a 10 amp fuse. Even if they really pull 5 amps each, you still have plenty of overhead. Your 16 - 18 gauge wire may actually be something smaller with lots of insulation to make it look larger (I've been seeing that a lot lately).

Regardless, I've been running mine for a while with no ill effect. If you want to be extra safe, replace the 25 amp fuse with a 20 amp (or maybe even a 15 amp) fuse and I'm sure you will be fine.

 

[acronin2]

Thanks again [MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] I wired up the seat heaters like you explained last weekend and they work perfectly so far. Used your pics above and had no issues finding the light green seat heater wire.

 

[Asmara]

Thanks again [MENTION=22661]Asmara[/MENTION] I wired up the seat heaters like you explained last weekend and they work perfectly so far. Used your pics above and had no issues finding the light green seat heater wire.

Glad to hear it went well [MENTION=100938]acronin2[/MENTION]. You're going to love having them.

 

[alia176]

I'll be doing this shortly and would like to see the switches installed in place. Can you post them up please?

thanks.

 

[MN_REV-800]

I'll be doing this shortly and would like to see the switches installed in place. Can you post them up please?

thanks.

I too would like to see this as I'm looking to install some seat heaters too.

 

[macgyver_ga]

hmmm interesting... I may have to change mine to this method. This method is "cleaner" than what I did.

I just found two unused fuse slots in the fuse panel that had power running to them and used some of those add-a-fuse taps to plug into the panel. Each seat is on a separate fuse.

 

[Asmara]

I'll be doing this shortly and would like to see the switches installed in place. Can you post them up please?

thanks.

I'm on the road right now but will put some up when I get back. I used the switches that came with the seat heater kit. They are the simple toggle type switches. Since I've installed these, I've seen rotary type switches which would look more OEM.

Regardless, I should be able to get some pics up next weekend. If you don't see them, shoot me a PM to remind me.

 

[RUN-4-LIFE]

I'm on the road right now but will put some up when I get back. I used the switches that came with the seat heater kit. They are the simple toggle type switches. Since I've installed these, I've seen rotary type switches which would look more OEM.



Regardless, I should be able to get some pics up next weekend. If you don't see them, shoot me a PM to remind me.

How did you do the wires I'm lost. You spliced or tapped into the fuse box?

 

[Asmara]

How did you do the wires I'm lost. You spliced or tapped into the fuse box?

You cut it from behind the junction box (basically where I have it circled in the photo). There is no connector in the side of the harness that you can see so this is the end of the line for that wire.

For those who wanted a picture, this thread has a photo. The only difference in mine is that I moved the DAC switch to the center so that each seat heater switch is near the seat it controls.

 

[TheTurboMRT]

I just wanted to say thank you for these instructions! Switched the relay over, ordered a 2nd relay because I do tow with the 4runner, and cut/soldered the green wire to main power. Works great! Thanks!

 

[Asmara]

I just wanted to say thank you for these instructions! Switched the relay over, ordered a 2nd relay because I do tow with the 4runner, and cut/soldered the green wire to main power. Works great! Thanks!

Glad to hear it. Always nicer when things are kept as stock as possible for these types of things. Enjoy the heated seats. I use them all the time in the winter.

 

[hendy.27]

I just put in aftermarket seat heater in my '04 4Runner (tip make sure you have hog rings and hog ring pliers - makes the job easier).

I wanted to use the factory fuse to wire the heaters. The fuse is in the engine compartment fuse box. It was in place so I figured the wiring may be too. To shorten the story a bit; There is a wire that goes from the factory fuse to position A6 of IC4 which is located behind the drivers side kick panel. Unfortunantly, it dies there. The other side of IC4 is blank. I decided to run my wiring to there and tap into the harness anyway so I could use the factory fuse. I soon learned there was no power there. I checked the fuse. It was fine. I looked at the schematics again and realized that power to this fuse is controlled by the IG relay in the fuse box. That location was empty. I pulled the relay from the 'towing tail relay' since I don't tow and put it in the IG Relay slot. Now I had power going through the fuse and to the wire in IC4.

I figured I put the info here in case anybody else is doing something similar.

Probably going to install my heaters this weekend. Have many other people done it this way? Any ill effects from moving the relay? Do you lose power to other essential places?

 

[luke87gt]

what seat heater are you guys using?

I'd like to learn more about this for my 2006 4Runner

thanks