Anybody modified the seat heater switch to Hi-Lo-Off?

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by krausternet, Oct 21, 2012.

  1. krausternet

    krausternet Member

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    It's a little ridiculous for me to be asking this considering that 1) I don't yet own a Prius. 2) I've never had heated seats and don't know much about them. But my wife came back from a trip with a friend and said the next car should have heated seats. Having asked here on Priuschat about heated seats I've learned that the switch for them is an On/Off switch and that the seat is very quick to heat up and that the seat gets very hot. A few questions come to mind:

    - is it possible that next year's model, coming in weeks, will have an two level or switch? Do other Toyota models have two level switches that might make this type of change easy for the Prius line to do? (Answer to first question is probably: nobody knows, wait and see.)

    - has anyone modified the heater switch to make it a Hi/Low/Off or maybe a variable thermostat?
     
    #1 krausternet, Oct 21, 2012
  2. Adam Leibovitch

    Adam Leibovitch Member

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    I believe this has been fixed in the newer models.
     
    #2 Adam Leibovitch, Oct 22, 2012
  3. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    My 2012 Prius Five (mfg date of 01/12) had just on/off for the seat heater.
    My 2012 PIP (mfg date of 06/12) has Hi/Off/Low switch for the seat heater.
     
    #3 ny_rob, Oct 22, 2012
  4. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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    My 2012 PIP (mfg date of 5/2012) has Hi/Off/Low heated seats.
     
    #4 usbseawolf2000, Oct 22, 2012
  5. a priori

    a priori Canonus Curiosus

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    So . . . Is there a mod for the Gen III? It sounds like there should be something available.
     
    #5 a priori, Oct 22, 2012
  6. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    maybe you can by pip switches and relace originals.
     
    #6 bisco, Oct 22, 2012
  7. Texas-Prius

    Texas-Prius One more Prius to fight terrorism

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    It might be worth it for those of us that do not have PiPs for someone that has a PiP to pop the switch out and run an Ohm meter on it. If the switch is the same size, and it just has a simple resister built in to it; it might be as simple as ordering the PiP's switches to replace the ones we have. Any PiP owner want to take this on?

    - TP
     
    #7 Texas-Prius, Oct 22, 2012
  8. ny_rob

    ny_rob Senior Member

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    Sorry- I finally have a rattle free Prius (the Five had many frustrating rattles/buzzes/squeaks, etc..) and I'm not touching jack on this car till I have to. I was even hesitant to inflate the tires to 40/40 this weekend- but it's still rattle free thank goodness.
    Maybe post your request in the PIP forum for a taker...
     
    #8 ny_rob, Oct 22, 2012
    ursle likes this.
  9. jonb505

    jonb505 Member

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    Unless you drive your car naked I personally don't find the seat heater in my V to be too hot. I'm guessing its the same as in the 2012 liftback. If anything I wish it was a tad warmer. Winter is officially here in this part of the world and anything below -5 I leave the seat heater on all the time. I notice it will get really warm when you first turn it on, then it cools off for a few minutes, then heats up again for a few seconds, then repeats the on off cycle. Must operate on a thermostat. I hope when it actually gets cold out it will stay on longer.
     
    #9 jonb505, Oct 27, 2012
  10. N2Wind

    N2Wind Junior Member

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    My 2012 Prius package 4 has lo/high.
     
    #10 N2Wind, Oct 27, 2012
  11. Texas-Prius

    Texas-Prius One more Prius to fight terrorism

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    Interesting. I have a 2012 Four, and the switch only has one setting. Maybe you got an additional package that I didn't get?

    - TP
     
    #11 Texas-Prius, Oct 27, 2012
  12. N2Wind

    N2Wind Junior Member

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    I bought mine in June 2012, so it may be a later manufacture. My wife's 2011 Ford Edge that we bought in 2011 has a few different things than the same model that we bought in 2010 (due to a wreck.)
     
    #12 N2Wind, Oct 27, 2012
  13. Texas-Prius

    Texas-Prius One more Prius to fight terrorism

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    I bought mine in August 2012 with a manufacturing date of June 2012.

    - TP
     
    #13 Texas-Prius, Oct 27, 2012
  14. DaWeav

    DaWeav Junior Member

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    Well, I just checked out a 2013 package four and the switch can only be depressed. No hi or low setting from what I could tell.

    GT-P7310 ?
     
    #14 DaWeav, Dec 14, 2012
  15. mad-dog-one

    mad-dog-one Prius Enthusiast

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    On/Off for the factory heated seats seems to work fine for us. My guideline is, "if it aren't broke, don't fix it."
     
    #15 mad-dog-one, Dec 14, 2012
  16. Danger

    Danger Member

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    I don't mind the on/off switch. I just hate the placement. Anyone ever try to relocate the switch to a more ergo place?
     
    #16 Danger, Dec 14, 2012
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