Heated seat wiring question? (2 Viewers)

[shtbrwn86]

Not a question specific to the 80 series but I want to add heated seats. I picked up a seat heater switch out of an 08 Camry that would blend in nicely and look factory but I am unsure how I would go about wiring it. My plan was to just get a heated seat kit and ditch the switches in favor of the Camry switch. I got the Camry wiring diagrams and I can see that the switch. The diagram shows four wires coming out (Pink, Blue, Black and BlackWhite) but the switch has two additional wires (Green and Brown). I am guessing the two additional wires are for the illumination of the switch icon in the middle? I have the entire FSM for this camry so I could check different parts but I just don't know where to look.

 

[Demonic92]

Probably unhelpful for the switch that you have. But here's my plan with switches from an RX300, with wiring diagram.

Heated Seat Switches RX300

the RX300's rarely show up in the yards. 2 of them in Newark, CA at the moment: Pick-n-Pull » Check Inventory

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[shtbrwn86]

Probably unhelpful for the switch that you have. But here's my plan with switches from an RX300, with wiring diagram.

Heated Seat Switches RX300

the RX300's rarely show up in the yards. 2 of them in Newark, CA at the moment: Pick-n-Pull » Check Inventory

forum.ih8mud.com

Thats a good thread to read over. I was originally looking at the horizontal two-stage switches from the RX, but I liked the simplicity of the single-stage control for both seats in one switch. The reality is, in my other cars with mutl-stage heated seats I leave it on full or off. Never in between. Also, with the camry switch it's all contained in one switch and doesn't need to take up two blanks.

 

[Demonic92]

Thats a good thread to read over. I was originally looking at the horizontal two-stage switches from the RX, but I liked the simplicity of the single-stage control for both seats in one switch. The reality is, in my other cars with mutl-stage heated seats I leave it on full or off. Never in between.

i suffer from cold-ass syndrome in the winter. I like the dual-stage option, lol. Anyways, I'm guessing the two mystery wired on your camry switch are + and - for the switch backlight. I believe on all the cruiser switches, the - for the backlight ties into the rheostat circuit and the + is just +12v. I have another thread in my profile where i figured out backlighting for factory Jdm fog light switches that i'm too lazy to pull up. Just dont know which one's which on the camry switch.

 

[shtbrwn86]

Turns out the Green/Brown wires are for the decal illumination. Tested it on a 12v pack and it lights up. The rest should be pretty straightforward

 

[oilbrnr]

I used a couple horizontal RX switches, with relays, to run my seats on hi. As a prior poster noted, I turn them on to get my buns toasty and then turn them off.

 

[shtbrwn86]

View attachment 3518981

I used a couple horizontal RX switches, with relays, to run my seats on hi. As a prior poster noted, I turn them on to get my buns toasty and then turn them off.

My understanding is that the aftermarket seat pads come in two pieces, upper and lower. The three way switch they include either turns the bottom on (low) or top and bottom (hi). To wire them on HI, do you just connect the two pads together, and run the one wire to the combined seat pads so that they both turn on at the same time?

 

[TomH]

On the two sets I've installed and the one in my garage waiting to be installed, both pads heat on hi and low settings. If you are running a single setting then you should only need to provide power and ground to the heater pads.

The set in my garage uses a variable ground to control the temperature of the pads. I bought this set with the rotary switch (by mistake) so I had to figure out how the switch worked so I could incorporate stock Toyota switches.

This is the type of switch the heaters use:

 

[oilbrnr]

My understanding is that the aftermarket seat pads come in two pieces, upper and lower. The three way switch they include either turns the bottom on (low) or top and bottom (hi). To wire them on HI, do you just connect the two pads together, and run the one wire to the combined seat pads so that they both turn on at the same time?

So the heat pad kits switch combines the top and bottom pad in parallel so they both see 12v, this is ‘Hi’. For low, the switch combines the two pads in series, thus halving the voltage, ’Low’.

I paralleled the pads. I also used a relay, as I’m not sure the factory Toyota switches can handle 5-10 amps. (not sure what the pads pull, but it isn’t trivial)

 

[shtbrwn86]

So the heat pad kits switch combines the top and bottom pad in parallel so they both see 12v, this is ‘Hi’. For low, the switch combines the two pads in series, thus halving the voltage, ’Low’.

I paralleled the pads. I also used a relay, as I’m not sure the factory Toyota switches can handle 5-10 amps. (not sure what the pads pull, but it isn’t trivial)

Thats really helpful. Thanks. Can you link to the one you installed? I thought for sure there would be tons of these on Amazon but not so much. Looks like I need to get some heated seat pads on ebays. I plan on basically making my own harness as well since I am replacing the switch. I have tons of Toyota wire and connectors that I can probably make it look pretty OEM.

 

[oilbrnr]

Thats really helpful. Thanks. Can you link to the one you installed? I thought for sure there would be tons of these on Amazon but not so much. Looks like I need to get some heated seat pads on ebays. I plan on basically making my own harness as well since I am replacing the switch. I have tons of Toyota wire and connectors that I can probably make it look pretty OEM.

Sorry, but the heat kit came with the new leather seat covers done way by the infamous Shane, (Atlas1x,MetricTLC) back in like 2013-14. I have no idea now who made them. Not sure I'd waste money on something from Amazon. It's a fair amount of work, just to have cheap stuff fail shortly down the road... Think how pissed you'd be if your passenger was all nice and toasty, while the bun section of your side has gone tits up and it is cold, grey, bleak, wet, depressing day up there in Tacomaland (odds are good it is like that right now).

 

[shtbrwn86]

For anyone else looking to do something similar to this, I found this post on a Supra forum... OEM single switch to control both seats.

How to Guide: Install heated seats using the OEM heated seat switch

After getting mine to work at long last, I thought I'd post up a guide so that no one else had to suffer as I did! First of all, a big thanks to Scott and Sketch. Their help in THIS thread was invaluable. Next, just to cover myself, I am not an auto electrician (hence the basic diagrams you see h...

www.mkivsupra.net

 

[shtbrwn86]

Sorry, but the heat kit came with the new leather seat covers done way by the infamous Shane, (Atlas1x,MetricTLC) back in like 2013-14. I have no idea now who made them. Not sure I'd waste money on something from Amazon. It's a fair amount of work, just to have cheap stuff fail shortly down the road... Think how pissed you'd be if your passenger was all nice and toasty, while the bun section of your side has gone tits up and it is cold, grey, bleak, wet, depressing day up there in Tacomaland (odds are good it is like that right now).

It is like that right now and I would be pissed you're right! I wouldn't mind spending more for a better kit so I don't have to do this all over again! Taking the seat covers off and re-attaching them is the most daunting part of this for me so I don't want to do it twice!

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

So looking at the wiring diagram, the blue is positive for the right hand seat, the pink for the left hand seat...white wire with black stripe is the ground for the switch Black wire is 20Amp fused from an ignition acc. circuit. Green and brown are backlight wires. One a ground and the other probably an illumination circuit positive.

 

[shtbrwn86]

So looking at the wiring diagram, the blue is positive for the right hand seat, the pink for the left hand seat...white wire with black stripe is the ground for the switch Black wire is 20Amp fused from an ignition acc. circuit. Grean and brown are backlight wires. One a ground and the other probably an illumination circuit positive.

I hooked them up to a 12v battery pack and was able to verify that this is indeed how they are supposed to function. I imagine I would need to run the positives to the seat positive and then the seat negative would go where? Ground somewhere?

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

I hooked them up to a 12v battery pack and was able to verify that this is indeed how they are supposed to function. I imagine I would need to run the positives to the seat positive and then the seat negative would go where? Ground somewhere?

without the remainder of that wiring diagram I can't be sure of where the positive side juice is coming from. Usually there is a relay supplying power to stuff like seat heaters, heavier gauge wire and a fused circuit feeding it.

The short answer is yes. The positive goes to the heater from the switch and the heating elements are grounded to the body, same as the white wire with black stripe.

HOWEVER, I wouldn't condone such a thing. I don't know what kind of amperage draw your seat heating elements are pulling. Pulling 20A through the switch alone may be a bit dangerous.

I would highly suggest a couple of decent relays with holders. Something like this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BZYRLTGN?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image)

The seat heater ground goes to the body, the switch is wired as mentioned above except you'd use the switch to power the relay coil and the relay with fused input to power the positive side of the heater.

 

[LandCruisinMy93]

In case I'm being unclear.

I would run and ignition switched power source to the Switch BLACK wire.

The WHITE with BLACK STRIPE goes to an existing white with black stripe or body ground since that's where it will end up anyway.

The BLUE wire (Right side) from the switch would go to pin 85 or 86 of a relay, the magnetic coil.

The relay would look something like this:

Pin 85----Blue wire from switch
Pin 86---- Attach to body ground
Pin 87----Appropriately rated fused power coming in.
Pin 30----Right side seat element Positive.

Seat element negative to body ground.

Repeat for the left side except the switch PINK wire goes to Left side relay PIN 85 or 86.

You can, if decent wire gauge is used branch your RELAY positive input power wire to both left and right relays. You can also branch the seat and relay grounds . Then wire the switch BROWN and GREEN wires to whatever they're meant for. I assume the switch lights up without the green or brown wire connected just running off of the switch diagram.

So then green and brown are likely illumination circuit positive and negative and which is which is likely inconsequential as they're probably a separate circuit.

 

[shtbrwn86]

So I just got my heated seat kit yesterday and am unclear if I can cut it to length or not and/or cut in the middle for the middle of the seat cover to go back on? The poorly translated "english" instructions indicate that it probably can be cut?

On the ebay picture, there are clear breaks in the element which indicates it could probably be cut, but my pads don't have that break. They are continuous all the way through.

Ebay Picture:

VS the pads I recieved...

 

[Marvelicious]

Just a guess visually, but that looks like a bunch of parallel paths from one side of the element to the other. Trimming should be fine basically anywhere as long as you go across from orange stripe to orange stripe. No guarantee, but based on what I see I wouldn't be afraid to try it. The smaller you cut, the less overall heat output, but also less amp draw.

 

[Marvelicious]

If you do trim, you'll want to protect that bare edge to avoid shorts and electrified ass (lol). Kapton tape wrapped over the edge would be ideal... I suspect that's what the orange stripe is.