trailmicks
New member
Wish I wouldve done this on my 5th Gen before I sold it
Seat Heater Install
- Thread starter Mijfwb23
- Start date
CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
This one:
Amazon.com: Besond Rectangle hi-Off-lo Switch Heated seat, Carbon Fiber Heater Element,Heated seat Two Seats : Automotive
Similarly, I did not want the round switches. Toyota's rocker switches ranged in price from $53 to over $100 for one switch. You'll have to dremel out the lower plastic where the dummy plugs went in to take the larger rectangle rocker switches, but it's not a big deal. They come with an extra-long wiring harness, as in way too much. I coiled that up, zip tied and stuffed one under the rear part of the console and the other next to the shifter. Placed the wiring in one of those plastic spring covers and ran under the carpet along the tunnel under the driver's seat where Toyota ran a wiring bundle, then up under the door sill cover and up the front pillar to the fuse box. Both heater wires to a mini fuse tap with 10A fuse and both LED light wires to a mini fuse tap with 5A fuse. They are working fine. You could just join those wires under the center console and just run single wires to the fuse box for the switches and LED lights. The wiring is the easy part. Taking apart the seats is the tough part. Though I have hog ring pliers, I zip tied back together.
Like the OP said, it helps to have the Toyota Repair Manual downloaded. I had already done this from some prior work, but it is 8,954 pages and not indexed and I don't know how to search it. Of course the sections addressing the seats are around page 7,500 SMH.
I ordered on the iPhone while in the car traveling down from Montana to Southern California because my wife wanted it for Xmas. Auto shop in Missoula wanted $450 to install a kit and needed the car for a full day. My Suburban was torn apart with me replacing worn UCA bushings, ball joints and tie rod ends, so I could not get her car there for the install before we left for SoCal for Xmas with the family and Rose Bowl Game. My recovery was to order and install myself. I am now a hero with a happy wife.....and that part works
Have an ORP on order and my wife is already squawking about installing seat warmers, but I can no longer find these Beson Seat Warmers with rectangular switches. Anyone know where to find these?
I guess I could go with a Rostra kit and separate switches:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078JWZYDG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A82XKVK00EZ7J&psc=1
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Slowgoat
New member
I put these in my 22.
I am convinced this is what the guys are putting in our vehicles before they go to the dealers. Can't prove it, but the switches look identical to OEM ones in my 2010.
Got them quick, no problems last May/June. Haha, and they are cheaper now by 3 bucks or so!
2 seats heated seat,seat heater fit Toyota Prius Corolla Camry,Yaris,landcuriser | eBay
I am convinced this is what the guys are putting in our vehicles before they go to the dealers. Can't prove it, but the switches look identical to OEM ones in my 2010.
Got them quick, no problems last May/June. Haha, and they are cheaper now by 3 bucks or so!
2 seats heated seat,seat heater fit Toyota Prius Corolla Camry,Yaris,landcuriser | eBay
CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
Much prefer the rocker switches over the roller switches. Found them on ebay:
2pcs Hi-off-Lo rectangle switch seat heater,seats heated seat kit | eBay
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Slowgoat
New member
I have those exact ones in my 2004. Love those too. I'd be careful with that buyer. They have only 94.5% positive feedback. Lots of those seat heaters around. Mine like this fit perfectly, and have been working for like 9 years
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CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
I didn’t look at the Buyer rating. Based on the estimated delivery of between 2/6 and 2/17, this must be shipping directly from China. It’s the same as what I got before so I punched the order. We leave for SoCal on 2/6 and I Forgot to change mailing address to our PO Box, so it will arrive directly to our property. We have no porch theft issues, and usually leave the outer mud room door unlocked so they can place the packages inside. I also can call a friend who will do this for me.
Slowgoat
New member
Probably will be just fine. Let us know how the install goes!
CutthroatSlam
Senior Member
I’ve done the install before, so this time should be quicker. At least I know where to go in the manual.
It’s possible. I did this a while ago. Kids love them
Do you have a post on install anywhere? Where did you mount the switches? Looking to do this for the kids as well.
Unfortunately I didn't record the process. But I was loosely following a DIY from tacomaworld... unfortunately can't find it quickly ATM. Will search more later and update if I find it.
But it's quite straightforward process, removing seat covers is very similar to how it's done on front seats. I made my own wires from the relay to heaters since original were not long enough.
Here is where I put the switches:
Attachments
That's great! Exactly where I thought of putting the switches! How/where did you run the wires?
Wires go under the carpet to the rear seats to the holes where seats floor mounts are. Will post a pic a bit later.
As for the switches, it’s surprisingly the only location I found to fit them in. The space behind this panel is very limited. I initially wanted to put Toyota-style switches but they turned out to be way too bulky so I had to rewire it (practically did this installation twice :doh
. These switches on the pic above are the smallest I could find.Was also considering installing switches on rear door panels - there seem to be way more room even for Toyota- switches. But fishing 5 wires though the flex rubber hose felt like huge pain in the butt.
Here you go...
(for obvious reasons I didn't remove the carpet :biggrin1
To fish the wires through you can just remove the plastic side step and lift the carpet one side at a time. Also remove the lower portion of seats and remove the plastic guards around the front seat mounts - it will make the process so much easier. But still be prepared to get a few cuts on your hands
Ah, and unbolt the central console and slightly lift it up, no need to remove it.
Attachments
Here you go...
(for obvious reasons I didn't remove the carpet :biggrin1
To fish the wires through you can just remove the plastic side step and lift the carpet one side at a time. Also remove the lower portion of seats and remove the plastic guards around the front seat mounts - it will make the process so much easier. But still be prepared to get a few cuts on your hands
Ah, and unbolt the central console and slightly lift it up, no need to remove it.
Thanks for the pics! How long do you think it took you to install?
Hard to tell… it was incremental process.
I’d say first time it took me 2 days to install heaters. Second time I did it within 3 hours.
A couple of hours took to prepare wires. And about 3 hours to connect everything together and secure wires in the central console and under the dash.
That’s very roughly… and I usually work slowly :sleepy:
This is a great thread with tons of info in it. So much info, that my head is spinning. I recently ordered a set of heaters from Ebay and am trying to figure out how I need to do the wiring. Each bundle has 4 wires that need to be connected: red (thick), black, red (thin), yellow. Two are labeled: red (thin) is labeled with "ON wire" and the yellow is labeled with "Night light." I was planning on just using an "add a fuse" in the existing seat heater space in the fuse box on the driver side, but I don't know which wires should go where (other than black goes to ground). Is there a simple explanation as to where each of these needs to be connected?
Image of wires
Image of wires
Okusputokus
New member
For a few years, I had mine piggybacked to different fuses in the kick fuse panel. Just recently I added a switched panel on the firewall near the accelerator pedal for the seat heaters and anything else I wanted to be sure was off as soon as the car was turned off. I found this was a really easy way to wire up all the seat heater wires.
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