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Remote Start Heated Seats

ISTGradFromPSU

Elite Explorer
Joined
July 25, 2019
Messages
66
Reaction score
19
City, State
Pennsburg, PA
Year, Model & Trim Level
2018 Explorer Platinum
Thought i would throw this out there. There is a known issue with the 2016-2019 model year Explorers with integrated heated seats and remote start. I can only speak that it affects the limited trim and up with the heated and ventilated seats. I have my remote start climate settings set to "auto"

Basically here is what happens:
1). Remote start the vehicle
2). The heated seats will turn on
3). Get in the vehicle, put the foot on the brake and press the start button
4). Heated seats button is still illuminated with 3 dots (meaning it is on and set to high)

At this point this where the problem is.. you think the heated seats are on but if you listen under the seat they are not (in these models they are basically a glorified hair drier). If you turn the seat off by pressing the heated seats button 3 times (medium > low > off) and then back on again you hear the fan kick on under the seat.

Funny thing is the cooled (ventilated seats) feature does not elude the same behavior (it stays on after you start the vehicle).

I took my car in 4 times for this issue. Ford Tech Support wanted to test different things but finally stated it is a firmware issue and it is up to Ford if they want to fix it (there is an SSM generated for this issue)..

The dealer also tested a 2018 Sport model owned by one of the service reps and his too did the same thing.

Again I realize we are in July and i shouldn't be worrying about heated seats but wanted to get a discussion going.
 



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On mine, with using remote start and climate set to 'Auto', the seat only heats very little. The Heated Seat button is not lit and no bars show. In fact, I can't recall if anything on the panel is lit. Once I press the brake and hit start, the button and everything else lights up and the heat goes to 3 bars. After driving 5 minutes or so the seat bottom gets so hot that I have to turn it down to 1 bar. I've never had to turn the button OFF and ON again after remote start for the seat to begin heating.
If you use the 'Search' feature you will find that this has been discussed in several threads already.

Peter
 






I'll check mine when the weather changes. I think mine go on high while climate is set to auto. Then I turn it down when I get in.

We'll see.
 






Yeah I'm having the same exact issue with mine. It's a known for tissue and they have yet to correct it. I don't think they will ever at this point.
 






So i got a call from my dealership that Ford released an update to the seat module that supposedly fixes this issue. I have an appointed scheduled for this Friday (1/24) to have them update it.. Will report back if this indeed fixes it or not.

Stay tuned!
 












So i got a call from my dealership that Ford released an update to the seat module that supposedly fixes this issue. I have an appointed scheduled for this Friday (1/24) to have them update it.. Will report back if this indeed fixes it or not.

Stay tuned!

Oh wow good to hear. Do you have any service number that is specific to this issue? If not, if you can find out when you go I know I would appreciate it! Knowing my dealer, they'll have no idea what I'm talking about if I just try and explain it to them. But a number they can look up.
 






Oh wow good to hear. Do you have any service number that is specific to this issue? If not, if you can find out when you go I know I would appreciate it! Knowing my dealer, they'll have no idea what I'm talking about if I just try and explain it to them. But a number they can look up.

I fixed your quote as it was tied into the person's you quoted so it didnt look like you posted anything. Just make sure you post at the bottom of their quote (I caught myself doing it too a few times) after the [/QUOTE].
 












I think I have the same model as the OP.

when I have the seat heating on I have no fan running just the heating elements in the bottom and back. it has been awhile since I used the remote start in cold weather so I don't recall if the seat heaters came on. I do recall that is how I found out that I had a heated steering wheel.
 






Got the car back today. They did reprogram the seat module, but of course today is 50 degrees, so i can't test it.. He did state that he and another tech who have '17 / '18 Explorers had theirs reprogrammed and it fixed the issue.. On the paperwork it states they performed SSM48431 if you want to bring it up with your dealerships.

Hope this helps!
 






Was able to test it out and confirms it does work properly now. Seat remains on after fully starting the vehicle. Glad that’s fixed now lol
 






I thought it was just be being super sensitive to the seats on remote start. Was there also a thread for only the top section of the heated wheel being hot? I have to 1 handed "bro" grip it at the top for heat, 1st world problems.
 






I thought it was just be being super sensitive to the seats on remote start. Was there also a thread for only the top section of the heated wheel being hot? I have to 1 handed "bro" grip it at the top for heat, 1st world problems.
Do you mean the rest of the wheel isn't heated? Or the top portion is hotter than the rest? If it's hotter than the rest of the wheel it's because the material you're touching is different. They're the same temperature, but heat transfers more easily through the wood and resin than the leather.
 






Do you mean the rest of the wheel isn't heated? Or the top portion is hotter than the rest? If it's hotter than the rest of the wheel it's because the material you're touching is different. They're the same temperature, but heat transfers more easily through the wood and resin than the leather.

I'm an XLT Desert Copper trim, so it's all 1 material. later on I might shoot for that wheel and platinum gauge if I decide to keep this truck.
 






Got the car back today. They did reprogram the seat module, but of course today is 50 degrees, so i can't test it.. He did state that he and another tech who have '17 / '18 Explorers had theirs reprogrammed and it fixed the issue.. On the paperwork it states they performed SSM48431 if you want to bring it up with your dealerships.

Hope this helps!

Hello, I called to schedule an appointment for this and the dealer is threatening to charge me for them to even look at it. When I had them look at it over a year ago while under warranty. Is this a recall fix do you know?
 






An SSM (Special Service Message) is not the same as a recall. It is simply a message to the dealer that Ford has noticed a certain issue.
The fee the dealer is likely referring to is a diagnostic fee and totally legit. Recalls are only issued for 'Safety' related issues.

Peter
 






An SSM (Special Service Message) is not the same as a recall. It is simply a message to the dealer that Ford has noticed a certain issue.
The fee the dealer is likely referring to is a diagnostic fee and totally legit. Recalls are only issued for 'Safety' related issues.

Peter

So you're telling me that a known Ford issue is liable for payments by the consumer? For something that Ford screwed up on their end?
 






So you're telling me that a known Ford issue is liable for payments by the consumer? For something that Ford screwed up on their end?
I don't know for sure but unless the vehicle is still under warranty, the answer is probably 'Yes'. The same applies to a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). The repair is only done free of charge if the vehicle is under warranty.

Peter
 



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I don't know for sure but unless the vehicle is still under warranty, the answer is probably 'Yes'. The same applies to a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB). The repair is only done free of charge if the vehicle is under warranty.

Peter

That's absolutely ridiculous. This isn't something that broke on an isolated vehicle. This is faulting engineering by Ford that affected many vehicles.
 






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