Heated seats query

[wotnot]

This may sound like a stupid question but, as I have no frame of reference I'll ask it anyway.

I have a C32 with heated seats. The bases don't work and never have.
However, I just bought my wife a R171 SLK which also has heated seats.
I've noticed that the backs get really warm, practically hot, on the highest setting whereas the base only gets slightly warm. Should the base be the same temperature as the back or are they working correctly?
I'm thinking they're defective.

[honest_delboy]

From the forums, R171's seem to have failures in the base quite frequently. Mine has failed on the drivers seat. You need to take out the seat and replace the heated element. I think the parts are ~£120.

[Ari]

Have a look on SLKWorld, lots of posts about heated seat failures.

[honest_delboy]

^^^ Wot he says, in fact:

http://www.slkworld.com/slk-r171-general-discussio...

Are you planning on DIYing or taking to an Indy?

[wotnot]

Thanks guys.
One of these days I'll buy a fully functioning car!
I was looking at taking it to a local indy. Don't think the wife would be too impressed if I start taking her pride and joy apart!
Looks like I'll be spending a few quid on this.

[SLacKer]

Having owned both a C32 and SLK32 I know all about heated seat failure. They are fairly easily fixed though. I did a write up on here about the procedure.

No experience of the R171 though, it is odd as the non AMG R170 had separate heaters so they never broke whereas others are sown in and they are not flexible enough..

[wotnot]

W203, R170, R171, I imagine the list goes on! You'd think a company like MB would sort out a piece of kit with a failure rate like that.
Looked through your back catalogue of threads to see if I could find it but failed. To be fair, if it involves DIY I'd be giving it to someone else anyway.....

[SLacKer]

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r170-slk-class/148...

It is DIY but after this no more failures.

[nickwilcock]

The seat heaters in my SLK320 worked fine, whereas the driver's seat base in my SLK32 AMG, with its very expensive designo seats, does not..... The seat back heater is OK though.

I think it's covered under my extended warranty though - but getting the dealer to fix it would no doubt take a deal of arguing!

[wotnot]

Had a bit of chat with the wife and we came to the conclusion that as long as her back's nice and warm and the air scarf is on she's not exactly going to be freezing.
That should save me some cash, at least in the short to medium term.
Just a shame the car wasn't quite as up and together as I would have liked. Ho hum.

[honest_delboy]

I was clicking round a few links and some fell has done it without having to remove the seat, I might give it a go at the end of the summer. In the meantime I have airscarf and heated steering wheel to keep the colly wobbles away.