Should the seat base and back feel as though they're both heated to about the same temperature?

In my 2010 SE it feels as though the back is heating up much more than the seat base on the driver's side.

Just wondering if it's likely that the element in the seat base has stopped working.

Both back and base are the same for mine (I think). Never noticed if they were different temp.

Both mine heat up but I do notice the back getter warmer first.

It's possible the element in the seat base has failed.  It happened to my 12 plate Superb.  Initially I was finding it difficult to tell either way because my derriere was heating the seat quite quickly.  It was not until I tried sitting in the passenger seat that it became clear the seat base element had failed in the driver's seat. 

 

It was repaired FOC under warranty and was a whole seat out job.

I did a lttle experiment this morning at 0530hrs on the way for a swim.

 

I put both front seats on and I did find that the back on both warmed up before I felt the base seat do so, also when I was checking my front seat in between (!) my front legs it was less noticeable than where I was sat but that could also be because your body is pushing the leather seat closer to the elements and that the elements are fractionally closer on the back section than they are on the base because of body weight.

In my car I've noticed that the rear passenger seats heat up more and faster than the front seats... Will check later about base and back.

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I thought it was just me!!!! Yeah i notice that mine seems to get warmer on the seat back than on the seat base.... Glad i'm not the only one then.

 

Never used them myself in the passnger and rear seats so not sure if it's all four or just the drivers seat.... I'll have to ask the mrs when she uses it on the passenger seat to see if that's the same.

Thanks for the replies folks, I've only had the car a month and its a VW Approved vehicle so I'll pop into the dealers and see about getting it sorted under the warranty

I did a lttle experiment this morning at 0530hrs on the way for a swim.

 

What are you, some sort of polar bear?

Would your back feel the warmth quicker than your backside as there's less fat on the former?

 

Also, I think it would depend on your clothing.  If you only have a shirt between you and the seat back but trousers and pants between you and the seat base, your back will feel the warmth sooner?

On the way to work this morning i put the passenger seat heater on as well as my own.... Afetr about 10 or 15 minutes i put my hand on the passenger seat and the back did seem warmer than the seat base..... So maybe the heater elements are nearer the surface on the seat back compared to the seat base?

 

Not had a chance to check the ones in the rear seats though.

What are you, some sort of polar bear?

 

No  just trying to be around as my grand children grow up.

Both mine heat up but I do notice the back getter warmer first.

 

Same here.

 

I feel the back first, but suspect that if the base was the same temperature as the back when fully heated I wouldn't be able to sit on it. I don't believe there is anything wrong with it, or that it's faulty, I just think that's the design.

Would your back feel the warmth quicker than your backside as there's less fat on the former?

 

Also, I think it would depend on your clothing.  If you only have a shirt between you and the seat back but trousers and pants between you and the seat base, your back will feel the warmth sooner?

 

I was just going to suggest this... I suspect that the skin on the back is more sensitive that the backside... not quite so "tough" as they say .Lol

It could be that the back has more power into it, as most people in really cold places will be wearing a coat, and not feel the heat in the back unless theres more power. 

I notice the difference when I'm wearing suit trousers and a down jacket over my shirt, I'll go ask the dealer this morning and see what they say.

I assume it would be relatively easy to do a continuity test on the base heating element

I agree, I noticed over the weekend when I was wearing jeans and a shirt that the back did feel warmer and then this morning when I was wearing a suit trousers (which are lighter than jeans) and jacket that the base felt warmer.  I think the clothing material you are wearing is probably the answer

The Mrs said the passenger side front seat felt the same as I described so looks like an intentional thing where the base is less noticeable than the seat back.

I don't think it's the clothing though as I've been wearing a coat sometimes and the back still feels warmer than the base......

Do heated rear seats come with heated front seats or is it another added extra?

Heated rear seats have separate controls located at the back of the central armrest.

 

Edited 26 January, 201511 yr by Too Tall

Ok. Must be an added extra that wasn't added as I've not noticed those buttons. Thanks for the reply.

The heated rear seats are an extra separate to the fronts which are standard in my Elegance car. They weren't mentioned in the blurb for the car but I found it had them when I went to look at the car. It also had the auto dimming mirror which wasn't mentioned either along with the park assist which I did know about.

Edited 26 January, 201511 yr by WaveyDavey

Your battery condition will come into play here as well, heated seats take a lot out of the battery so if it's not tip top charged i.e lots of short runs, this could be why both elements are working but not warming up evenly, using them also affects your fuel consumption as well as the engine has to work harder to re-charge the energy you are using up, having said that they are lovely to have and use.

Your battery condition will come into play here as well, heated seats take a lot out of the battery so if it's not tip top charged i.e lots of short runs, this could be why both elements are working but not warming up evenly, using them also affects your fuel consumption as well as the engine has to work harder to re-charge the energy you are using up, having said that they are lovely to have and use.

 

New battery here and the car does motorway runs (25 miles at a time) to get me to work and back and still the back gets warmer than the base on both front seats.... Not had the pleasure of trying the rears out yet.

They certainly do affect fuel consumption and between the seats and aircon (hot air), heated window etc this time of year, I have seen my average (real world!) fuel consumption drop from mid to late forties to very early forties.  There are a few other factors during the winter as well but keeping yourself nice and toasty comes at a cost!