TSB 16-0080. 2016 Explorer Seat Cooling TSB - Backs of seats fail to cool properly

[witt]

Hey everyone!!

Bought my brand new explorer and not only do I notice it's not cooling on the back buof the the seat get very cold and the back gets very hot? That can't be normal right?

 

[cwescapexlt4x4]

So I heard back on the seats "We've tested them and couldn't find any issues on your Explorer" ... I can't complain overall since I know the seat and possibly the lower does work and we have a road trip coming soon with it getting hotter here.

 

[Tom Howard]

I know this is an old thread, but I recently bought a 2016 Explorer Platinum used, and noticed the seat backs don't cool. So I was happy to find info here about the TSB. I used a thermal camera to take pictures. Not having any luck figuring out how to add them here yet. (figured it out, see 2 posts down.)

 

[witt]

TSB 16-0080

May 4 2016 3026 - 2015-2016 Edge And 2016 Explorer - Climate Controlled Seats - Lack Of Cooling Performance From The Front Seat Backrest - Built On Or Before 2/12/2016


I have noticed mine tend to get warm after a while and feared this may be coming.

FORD:
2015-2016 Edge
2016 Explorer
This article supersedes TSB 15-0166 to add a production fix date, update the vehicle model years and Service Procedure.
ISSUE
Some 2015-2016 Edge and 2016 Explorer vehicles built on or before 2/12/16

I didn't catch or post the original 15-0166 as that was put out just when I bought mine lol. A search didn't show that 15-0166 was ever published on this forum either.

I actually ended up selling my explorer back and getting an f-150, I was in there 8 times under 6000 miles I was fed up. They all but replaced the seats and couldn't get it correct. Then a peice flew off the sunroof when I took a turn in a parking lot.

 

[Tom Howard]

I think I figured out how to add a picture. With cooling set to 3 bars, after 10 minutes the seat cushion (first picture) has cooled. Not too much, about 10 deg F, but the ambient was only 75F. It would likely be a larger difference if the air was hotter.

The red cursor is the hottest point, the blue cursor is the coldest.

The seat back clearly has no cooling at all.

Assuming Ford can and will fix it, I'll post "after" pictures.

 

[Tom Howard]

I think I figured out how to add a picture. With cooling set to 3 bars, after 10 minutes the seat cushion (first picture) has cooled. Not too much, about 10 deg F, but the ambient was only 75F. It would likely be a larger difference if the air was hotter.

The red cursor is the hottest point, the blue cursor is the coldest.

The seat back clearly has no cooling at all.

Assuming Ford can and will fix it, I'll post "after" pictures.

I took it in this week, and the shop installed blower fans for the seat backs, which I guess is what Ford left out when they built it. The result is underwhelming.

Yeah, there is some sign of cooling now, but it's a whopping 2 degrees difference, which is basically nothing. Can't feel anything sitting in it. The cushions drop about 10 degrees and it's quite noticeable. Before the "fix" there was 1.6 degrees difference across the seat, which was just normal temperature difference, I think. While I can see a pattern now, the cooling is not significant. This is all at the 3 bar setting. Passenger seat has the same results.