97' FZJ80 heated seat install with Toyota horizontal low/high switches (1 Viewer)

[JoeW]

I don't know if this will apply or interest more than 1 or two of you on here. A couple of years ago I swapped out my seat leather with some L seat leather and put in seat heat switches that I got on ebay. My center console had been modified to be a sub box by the previous owner, so I was stuck running vertical switches in my radio bezel. They worked fine, but it was just one of those things that bugged me every time I drove it so I started looking into getting some horizontal switches from a Lexus RX300.

You can find the rx300 seat switches on ebay along with the console for around $20-50. The sellers never included a pigtail, so I decided to use the pins from my existing extended harness that I made when I plugged the JDM switches in under the seat and ran the wires up, under the console and into the radio bezel.

The vertical (jdm) switches come with a pigtail harness with a male side and square female side that plugs into the back of the switch. I had already made my coolguy extened harness and plugged it into the body harness, so I ordered a couple of 6 pin female connectors from corsa technic (6-Way Kit - https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=1360&category_id=129 ) and modified them to fit the RX300 switches. You have to trim a part on the inside of the switch and then also rotary tool / file off a small part of the top of the new corsa connector for everything to jive but the lock tab clicks and its secure. I used some flush cutters and a small file and was done in a few minutes.

You should know that the JDM and RX switches have a different pinout.
The JDM/ Vertical ones are as follows with the square connector

1. Low heat
2. ignition
3. illumination/ bulb positive
4. ground
5. High heat
6. Illumination/ bulb negative

And the RX is pinned like this and with wire colors from the JDM harness

1. Green- Bulb positive
2. blue/ orange stripe - high seat heat
3. blue/ black stripe- low seat heat
4. blue/ white stripe- ignition +
5. black/ white stripe - bulb negative
6. white/ black - ground

Once you get your wires all swip swapped around, you'll want to file down the locating tab on the top of the connector. Once thats done the switches will set in place and you can find something else to obsess over.

 

[dbbowen]

I don't know if this will apply or interest more than 1 or two of you on here. A couple of years ago I swapped out my seat leather with some L seat leather and put in seat heat switches that I got on ebay. My center console had been modified to be a sub box by the previous owner, so I was stuck running vertical switches in my radio bezel. They worked fine, but it was just one of those things that bugged me every time I drove it so I started looking into getting some horizontal switches from a Lexus RX300.

You can find the rx300 seat switches on ebay along with the console for around $20-50. The sellers never included a pigtail, so I decided to use the pins from my existing extended harness that I made when I plugged the JDM switches in under the seat and ran the wires up, under the console and into the radio bezel.

The vertical (jdm) switches come with a pigtail harness with a male side and square female side that plugs into the back of the switch. I had already made my coolguy extened harness and plugged it into the body harness, so I ordered a couple of 6 pin female connectors from corsa technic (6-Way Kit - https://www.corsa-technic.com/item.php?item_id=1360&category_id=129 ) and modified them to fit the RX300 switches. You have to trim a part on the inside of the switch and then also rotary tool / file off a small part of the top of the new corsa connector for everything to jive but the lock tab clicks and its secure. I used some flush cutters and a small file and was done in a few minutes.
View attachment 3095925View attachment 3095926

You should know that the JDM and RX switches have a different pinout.
The JDM/ Vertical ones are as follows with the square connector

1. Low heat
2. ignition
3. illumination/ bulb positive
4. ground
5. High heat
6. Illumination/ bulb negative

View attachment 3095929

And the RX is pinned like this and with wire colors from the JDM harness

1. Green- Bulb positive
2. blue/ orange stripe - high seat heat
3. blue/ black stripe- low seat heat
4. blue/ white stripe- ignition +
5. black/ white stripe - bulb negative
6. white/ black - ground

View attachment 3095935

Once you get your wires all swip swapped around, you'll want to file down the locating tab on the top of the connector. Once thats done the switches will set in place and you can find something else to obsess over.

View attachment 3095940

Dude that’s awesome. If I had an 80 series still that is the move. That fits perfectly under the radio in those horizontal brackets. Great write up!

 

[virginia cruise]

FINISHED PRODUCT
View attachment 1179339

I also just did some base line testing with a non Contact infrared thermometer from Harbor freight.
Non-Contact Infrared Thermometer With Laser Targeting
Here are the results:

It was 30 degrees outside.
I sat in the back seat for all testing, so I was not sitting on the elements.
The truck was cold and this was the first time I turned the truck on for the day.
The heat or ac was turned off.
Truck was running in park in my driveway.
I ran the test for 10 minutes.
The before temperature was before I turned the truck on, so I was sitting in the back seat and took some quick readings.

Driver side seat switch was turned to the low position:

Drivers Side (Set to Low)
Before
Bottom Element - 24.7 Degrees
Back Element - 25 Degrees

After
Bottom Element - 30.1 Degrees
Back Element - 34.0 Degrees



Passenger Side (Set to High)
Before
Bottom Element - 30.1 Degrees
Back Element - 34.00 Degrees

After
Bottom Element - 55.1 Degrees
Back Element - 59 Degrees

I know that isn't the most scientific way to test/show the temperature... but it at least gives you an indication of the difference between Low/High.

I hope this is useful to everyone. There are a lot of great threads that I read through to help pull this all together. It is rather easy once you get into it.
If there are any questions or comments fire away.

Did after market heaters effect pleats in seat? Could I still source factory heating pads?

 

[DirtyPepper]

Subscribed for future reference.

I recently pulled the On/Off heated switches (Not Hi/Off/Lo kind) from a 2002 Avalon that fit perfectly into the coin slots of my console in the 80. I'm hoping the pigtails connect into what's under the console!

This might change my mind from buying different seats...I might just reupholster the 80 series seats! Maybe.

 

[Dubbinchris]

Subscribed for future reference.

I recently pulled the On/Off heated switches (Not Hi/Off/Lo kind) from a 2002 Avalon that fit perfectly into the coin slots of my console in the 80. I'm hoping the pigtails connect into what's under the console!

This might change my mind from buying different seats...I might just reupholster the 80 series seats! Maybe.

If you got on/off switches verses 3 position switches then the chances of it plugging right into the pigtails are slim IMO

 

[DirtyPepper]

If you got on/off switches verses 3 position switches then the chances of it plugging right into the pigtails are slim IMO

Good to know, thanks!

 

[GeoRoss]

Good to know, thanks!

However, you may be able to repin into the correct connector if it is a three-position switch

 

[Dubbinchris]

However, you may be able to repin into the correct connector if it is a three-position switch

He indicated that it’s a 2 position switch hence my previous comment.

 

[Somebodyelse5]

However, you may be able to repin into the correct connector if it is a three-position switch

I think there is a plug drawing somewhere, with the correct part number... and I think you can order the naked plugs. I tried doing some digging but couldn't find it (maybe, too little coffee this morning).

 

[TX FJ80]

No problem. Initially I 'rewired' then on how I thought they should go because the way it is didn't make any sense to me. When I did that it backfed voltage through the switch on low and both lights lit up and then on high it would just pop the fuse instantly since it was wired straight to ground essentially.

Odd behavior all of a sudden on my driver’s seat heater wiring - I bought the truck with this mod already done and everything worked like it should.

Out of the blue, I started getting some Hi/orange illumination when Lo/green is selected on the LH/Driver’s seat only. Swapped the switches and it doesn’t follow the switch. This leads me to believe there is a small short, likely under my seat and unrelated to the switch, pigtails, or their extension solder joints.

I’ve separated all of the pigtail wiring and I still get this “backfeed” situation you described.

Could you help me understand what you did incorrectly the first time so I can more quickly chase down the wonky wiring?

The other odd thing is sometimes the Lo wouldn’t illuminate at all - unless I cycled on the rear heater. I don’t see any janky splices under the console harness, so not sure how one has any effect on the other.

Current situation. Driver’s side is acting up and passenger side works as expected. I checked under each seat and the wiring looks exactly the same.

 

[JoeW]

Odd behavior all of a sudden on my driver’s seat heater wiring - I bought the truck with this mod already done and everything worked like it should.

Out of the blue, I started getting some Hi/orange illumination when Lo/green is selected on the LH/Driver’s seat only. Swapped the switches and it doesn’t follow the switch. This leads me to believe there is a small short, likely under my seat and unrelated to the switch, pigtails, or their extension solder joints.

I’ve separated all of the pigtail wiring and I still get this “backfeed” situation you described.

Could you help me understand what you did incorrectly the first time so I can more quickly chase down the wonky wiring?

The other odd thing is sometimes the Lo wouldn’t illuminate at all - unless I cycled on the rear heater. I don’t see any janky splices under the console harness, so not sure how one has any effect on the other.

Current situation. Driver’s side is acting up and passenger side works as expected. I checked under each seat and the wiring looks exactly the same.
View attachment 3336657

I had wired my heated mat before the relay all kinds of stupid. When I did it, both high and low would light up on low and the rear heat fuse would blow in high. I wonder if you have a short in your heated seat mat somewhere.

 

[TX FJ80]

I had wired my heated mat before the relay all kinds of stupid. When I did it, both high and low would light up on low and the rear heat fuse would blow in high. I wonder if you have a short in your heated seat mat somewhere.

I’ve checked the wiring, the switch, the added pins. Problem doesn’t follow the switch. I’m definitely going to pull the passenger seat tomorrow and try to swap them around, or at least jumper from the passenger seat plug to the driver’s seat. If the problem follows the seat - there’s my answer. Being that all of this effort is to prep it for sale, and these seat leathers are only several years old, I’m not tearing into them for a nuisance issue.

Like I said above, It’s more of a nuisance than an outright failure - the seat heats in both Lo and Hi, no fuse/overload issues…just the dang Amber Hi light when in Lo mode. I’m just bummed - I wanted to be able to confidently and accurately say “only thing inop/needs attention is the power antenna” - now I have this thing going on.

What’s really confounding is this basically just started as I went to reassemble the interior after a deep cleaning and some light bulb replacement in the center stack. Problem just started.

Thanks for the feedback/help!

 

[ppc]

I would look for a bent over pin in one of the connectors.

 

[TX FJ80]

I would look for a bent over pin in one of the connectors.

Thank you! I’ll give all the connectors a very thorough look tomorrow. I am 98% sure I did when I cleaned and greased them all, but better to double check while it’s all torn apart. The eyes aren’t exactly 100% anymore.

Any other adjoining circuits I need to inspect?

 

[TX FJ80]

I bought some of the vertical switches a long time ago from cruiserparts.net and I finally tackled this job. But there were still some unanswered questions that weren't really addressed on this thread (at least not according to my feeble brain), so I was hoping to shed a little bit of light on the things that confused me.

First, according to this (http://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/seat-heater-electrical-diagram-pdf.460604), the seat heaters are connected in parallel when the switch is HI (each sees the full 12V), and in series when the switch is LO (each sees only 6V). There are two extra connections to be made to the under-seat connector, in addition to the ground. When switched to HI, the pins are connected to:

1 GND
2 +12V

When switched to LO, the pins are are:

1 +12V
2 Open Circuit

So you can wire the aftermarket heaters to be in parallel/series like:

Seat Heater Schematic

• ZRotheohv
• Dec 2, 2016

In HI, the voltage at pin 2 reaches both heaters and they are both independently grounded. In LO, the voltage travels through the top heater, then the bottom, then to GND.

Also, I wanted to put new pins in the connector on the seat, and I searched for exactly what kind of pins they are (and a part number). Using this (https://forum.ih8mud.com/attachments/connectors-pdf.915794/), I found that the pins are of the 2.3II type (since the pin is 2.3mm across), and that you can buy one from Toyota using part number 82998-12330. But they're quite expensive and include a pigtail. I just wanted the pin itself, and I found this (Amazon.com: Automotive Connectors 090Ii Non Sld Tab(Sq 0.3-0.5): Automotive) if you want 5 or this (Amazon.com: Automotive Connectors 090II NON SLD TAB(SQ 0.3-0.5) (50 pieces): Automotive) if you want 50 of them. The 2.3II pin is the same as a 090II pin (they're also .090 inches across).

I hope that helps!

For some reason this diagram and explanation of the “pin state” at each switch position clicked for me.

My heating elements are showing the same resistance on both driver and passenger. I think I have a weak ground on the driver’s side causing the Orange/Hi indicator to light up on Lo mode because I’m getting some backfeed on Leg #2.

I am going to try two things:

1) Run a dedicated ground wire to the grounding location under the console, and
2) Put in a 20A+ diode on Leg #2 so that’s a “one way street” - this should permanently solve the illumination issue on my switch.

 

[Malleus]

Here's a shot of how I got the elements mounted. Bit tough to get them oriented with the metal rods but, this seems to work. We'll see how long they last like this.
View attachment 2888971
View attachment 2888972

Is that a new seat bottom cushion?

 

[Somebodyelse5]

Is that a new seat bottom cushion?

Yup, from lc heaven

 

[Malleus]

I'm glad this thread resurfaced. I looked for those upper/lower pads years ago, and couldn't find anyone selling them. This made me look again, after seeing what LCH wanted for them, and realizing that if they truly were reselling OEM pads, they must be available again. Sure enough, McGeorge has them listed (both) for less than LCH wants for the pair of lowers (that they won't sell separately).
Pad, LF, seat back:

Pad, LF, seat bottom:

 

[Malleus]

Curiously, the RH bottom is still listed as available, but the back isn't. Guess I know which ones wore out.

 

[cgmud]

Anyone have some horizontal switches they are willing to part with?