Well, I'll soon find out if it's my imagination or if the base heater has failed when on Monday my Yeti goes in for the seat to be "looked at". Dealer says they'll need it for 2 days, as Skoda require several diagnostic tests to be done before they are allowed to order parts under warranty. Judging by the number of faulty drivers seats reported on here you'd think there would be a quicker way of getting to the bottom of whats wrong - the reports on here must be just the tip of the iceberg. (Excuse the pun!)

Prospect Skoda at Letchworth don't take that pettifogging approach. I called them and told them my seat heater was not working. They said Bring it in and if you give us 48hours notice that will enable us to have the part. I said I'd read it is an hour and a half's job and he agreed they'd do it while I waited.

That was a Friday and the following Wednesday I went there first thing and was back to work 30 minutes away for 12 noon.

Either they deal with a different Skoda UK or they take their customer's word on an obvious fault and order the part in advance.

Tell your dealer they need to sharpen up their notion of service.

It was my second ever visit to them -the first was collecting the car.

Prospect Skoda at Letchworth don't take that pettifogging approach. I called them and told them my seat heater was not working. They said Bring it in and if you give us 48hours notice that will enable us to have the part. I said I'd read it is an hour and a half's job and he agreed they'd do it while I waited.

That was a Friday and the following Wednesday I went there first thing and was back to work 30 minutes away for 12 noon.

Either they deal with a different Skoda UK or they take their customer's word on an obvious fault and order the part in advance.

Tell your dealer they need to sharpen up their notion of service.

It was my second ever visit to them -the first was collecting the car.

I think you've hit the nail on the head! I won't name my dealer until I see how they react tomorrow morning when I drop the car off. Mind you, I feel so much more confident having gleaned from this site what other owners are experiencing, something I've not had the benefit of with other brands!

TIBET's driver seat squab heater was replaced by Allams yesterday, so all warm and toasty again. Fault was confirmed on the service and the delayed fix was all down to me not being able to get time off from work to get down there.

New expanded showroom is looking very impressive, coffee supplied by Beth on my arrival and TIBET was washed into the bargain. Typical friendly Allams staff

This fault seems to be all too common - mine was replaced as well.

I forgot to update my experience.

Well, I'll soon find out if it's my imagination or if the base heater has failed when on Monday my Yeti goes in for the seat to be "looked at". Dealer says they'll need it for 2 days, as Skoda require several diagnostic tests to be done before they are allowed to order parts under warranty. Judging by the number of faulty drivers seats reported on here you'd think there would be a quicker way of getting to the bottom of whats wrong - the reports on here must be just the tip of the iceberg. (Excuse the pun!)

As I predicted, they wanted to test the seat before ordering the part, so I had a loan Fabia for 2 days. Whatever was the problem, the full seat now heats nicely so it most certainly wasn't my imagination. In fact, I'd say that the "repaired" base heater now heats far more efficiently than the original, which makes me wonder if it is the element that fails, rather than the control gear or associated components. Does anyone know what the faulty item is? It would be worth knowing in case of failures once cars are out of warranty.

With perfect timing the weather has now got warmer of course!

Call me daft, but I find it rather amusing that this thread is currently flagged "hot" on the forum list...

I forgot to update my experience.

As I predicted, they wanted to test the seat before ordering the part, so I had a loan Fabia for 2 days. Whatever was the problem, the full seat now heats nicely so it most certainly wasn't my imagination. In fact, I'd say that the "repaired" base heater now heats far more efficiently than the original, which makes me wonder if it is the element that fails, rather than the control gear or associated components. Does anyone know what the faulty item is? It would be worth knowing in case of failures once cars are out of warranty.

With perfect timing the weather has now got warmer of course!

AFAIK it's the actual element that fails.

Call me daft, but I find it rather amusing that this thread is currently flagged "hot" on the forum list...

"cold' would be more appropriate.........

Call me daft, but I find it rather amusing that this thread is currently flagged "hot" on the forum list...

Oh this made me laugh. And then Mike's reply!!! Oh dear. I'm rolling on the floor (nearly).

Was at the dealers this afternoon to change the wheels over.

There's a Service Note on the seats 70 E 80. I don't know if this would fix it. Took about 25 minutes

Dealer has confirmed that my driver's seat cushion heating element has failed again 

 

The car is two days out of warranty.  I pointed out that I only started using the heated seat this weekend just gone, which was when I noticed the fault.  It could have failed any time since ~April.  Dealer is going to contact Skoda UK to discuss a goodwill gesture...

 

They initially quoted me £140 parts & labour to replace the failed element.  The element itself was only ~£25.  Does anyone know how hard it is to replace the element if SUK decline to play ball?

Hmm...SUK's initial goodwill offer is a contribution towards the cost of the new element.  Since the major cost of the repair is labour, that doesn't make a whole lot of difference to the total price.  I'm strongly inclined to take this argument further with SUK.  The seat has already been replaced once, in January 2012.  I can't believe that these things are expected to fail every 18 months - and I suspect my local Trading Standards would agree.

 

Does anyone have details of someone senior in SUK customer service who I could approach for a constructive dialogue about this, rather than giving a standard answer from a script?

 [email protected] is Skoda UK MD

 

Handy web page: http://www.ceoemail.com/

 

Truly dire service from Skoda UK :(

Thanks Merlinman, I'll try dropping him an e-mail ASAP.  That's a handy web site there, too.

 

(Let's I get more response than I have so far from the Director of Customer Service at Vodafone UK, who has yet to respond to the letter of complaint I sent nearly a month ago.  I must remember to send him a chaser by registered post, and CC someone like Watchdog.)

I had my seat base replaced 2 times in 2 years....

 

in the Yeti that is....

Been busy this last week, snottogram sent to Skoda UK today.  Watch this space...

Just caught up with this thread, so must apologise for being out of date.

The driver's seat heated element was the only thing that didn't work on my 2010 April Yeti, and my aged grey matter seems to recall others similarly afflicted.

Is this a bit like the worm infested badges - I.e. a well known and common failing in the component? I'd have thought that, in that case, SUK, or even SCZ, would ensure that the honourable thing is done, and sack the supplier! (As well as fit another FOC for the Stubb's backside.)

Mine appears to have failed as well, though fortunately well within warranty. Just used it again last week for the first time this season, and while the back gets toasty the seat doesn't do the same. All was working fine last winter/spring.

 

It's due its first variable service in the next 800 miles, so I'll get that looked at (as well as the zinc blisters on the lower panel of the driver's door). It's odd as the passenger heated seat gets used much more - daughter uses it most mornings now on the school run - and that's still fine.

Is this a bit like the worm infested badges - I.e. a well known and common failing in the component?

 

Seems likely: MacFadyin reported back in March last year that a service note had been issued about the seats.  That's a month after mine was first replaced, so it could be that my replacement was one of the last of the bad batch :(

Just for the record, my driver's side seat-base heater has also failed. It has been replaced under warranty with no drama but certainly something to check when your warranty is about to expire.

I have noticed that the Yeti seats do not heat up any where as fast or as warm as our Octy. They work ok but seem to take a lifetime to get warm enough. The Octy's are there almost immediately and in fact get too warm at times. As a matter of comparison we have never had a problem with the Octy. seat heaters in almost seven years and over 160k miles of usage. Perhaps they are using a cheaper/inferior element in the newer cars.

I hadn't seen this thread in 2013 but i've noticed in the last 2 weeks the drivers seat squab doesn't appear to be warming up anywhere near as fast as the back squab is.

Thought it was just my imagination.

Might have to do some tests and see if it's just my mind or if the element has failed before the warranty runs out.

Edited 4 February, 201412 yr by AlleyCat`

I wasn't too sure at first, particularly as the back was working and the seat obviously does warm up when sat on anyway! Putting both seats on with no one sat on them made it very obvious within a minute or so.

 

It's all working fine now, though I do wonder how long for (though with 3 1/2 years warranty left it shouldn't be cost me for a while at least).

I have noticed that the Yeti seats do not heat up any where as fast or as warm as our Octy. They work ok but seem to take a lifetime to get warm enough. The Octy's are there almost immediately and in fact get too warm at times. As a matter of comparison we have never had a problem with the Octy. seat heaters in almost seven years and over 160k miles of usage. Perhaps they are using a cheaper/inferior element in the newer cars.

The seats in my 10 and a bit year old Fabia heat up far quicker than the seats in our Yeti. And there are five settings in the Fabia rather than the three in the Yeti. I prefer the Fabia when it's cold

That could be in part down to the fact the Yeti seats are leather whereas the Fabia seats are fabric?

Tested this last night and it does appear that the drivers seat squab is heating up it's just a lot "weaker" in terms of heat output than the back of the drivers seat.

It seems comparable to the passenger seat so i'm assuming it's a "feature" of the seats & or the leather.

So my imagination, i think.