Ventilated seat expectations

[cab777]

This is my first car with ventilated (or heated) seats. Things are starting to warm up here, and I think they are working (I can hear the fan kick on when I turn them on), but I can't say I feel a big difference with them on recently. In colder temps I could definitely feel them working (that odd sensation where it almost feels like your pants are wet). Is it just circulating the air in the cabin (I was driving around with windows down in 80 degree weather), or is it supposed to actually pump out cold (A/C) air? Just wanted to make sure they are functioning properly. Thanks in advance!

 

[565565]

If they seem like they do nothing at all then they are functioning perfectly.

 

[rdollie]

Key word is 'ventillated', not 'cooled.' Your seats are probably fine. They do help on very hot days though if your skin is touching dark leather!

 

[theprototype]

As far as I know at least these seats blow OUT air to cool your cheeks. My old c63 the ventilated seats were a fan that sucked air INTO the seat for ventilation. Completely useless in the heat.

 

[rubberduck]

Set the AC so that it comes out on the floor and the dash. Having it come out the floor will help the ventilated effect.

 

[Exia]

These are ventilated seats not AC cooled seats. All it is is a fan that pulls air from the floor of the cabin and sends it to your ass/back.

The only time you will be able to feel them doing anything is when you first get in the car on a warm day and turn the AC on, the air flow needs to also be set to direct air to your feet. The cold air to the foor will get sucked up by the fan in the seat and sent to you.

However after a few minutes the cabin of the car will acclimate and the floor temp will be the same temp as the rest of the car, once this happens you won't feel anything from the fans because the temperature is the same throughout the vehicle.

The fans can be turned off at this point.

 

[jbawden]

No ventilated seat is going to work magic. Your moist backside against coated leather on a hot day is a prescription for swamp ass and in my experience the ventilation definitely reduces the symptoms.

 

[Neveready]

I find that they work best when you're not sitting in them.

In all sincerity, vented seats do not work as well as heated seats. They are ventilated not air conditioned seats.

 

[sethsquire]

Set the AC so that it comes out on the floor and the dash. Having it come out the floor will help the ventilated effect.

This is the correct answer.

In my experience, the only ventilated seats I ever experienced which I felt were actually good were in a Ford Mustang I rented once. I've experienced vented seats in my 4BW, my wife's old Kia, my boss's Audi and a couple others and they were all lackluster.

 

[99sport]

We have a Highlander with ventilated seats. It must get the air from the AC ducts going to the back seats (car has three zone AC) - the air coming from the front seats is COLD - probably 40 degrees if I had to guess. After a few minutes we turn it off or to the lowest setting possible as it's too cold once the car is cooled down.

I'm surprised Cadillac doesn't do something similar

 

[Tall Steve]

I went on a test drive in a Porsche and the "ventilated" seats were bad to the bone..... I wish GM seat worked that well..

 

[The Sandman]

Maybe ask TapOut to add some larger air passages and forced induction to the seat ventilation system as an upgrade?

 

[Deejay55]

I have to say that my last 2 bmw‘s ( 2022 x5m, and a 2020 m5c ), the ventilated seats were one step above useless. On the other hand, the seats in my 2015 ford explorer were great.

 

[CBH]

They can feel like a convection oven when you get into the car in August in Texas.

But they are really nice on long trips once the car is cooled off. The noise is the only thing that's annoying.

It's the first time i've paid for heated/ventilated seats too. Memory seats are so cool..........really a life saver when you and the wife are different sizes.

 

[Beer_Claw]

Ford makes the most powerful ventilated seats bar none. Have had 3 different trucks and you can actually feel them blowing.

Of the other brands I have owned with ventelated seats Lexus, GM/Cadillac, Acura they all seem to jist take the edge off and keep you butt from sweating on those hot days.