Retrofit after market heated seats...

[Monks600]

Im wanting to retrofit after market heated seats in to my 2014 MK3 PFL ST-2... that’s not a problem. The only issue is, I want to have the factory switches up front where the cup holders/lighter socket is. I’ve found the replacement part on eBay and it’s cheap enough... my question is, how would I go on about wiring the switches built in to this piece?

I don’t believe this is tied in to the BCM and it’s a separate manual switches circuit and probably involves a relay. My wiring harness and boot fuse box is already populate and there.. so I can wire the pads in to the seats to the original connectors no problem. The only part I’m trying to get my head around is the factory controls up front... or is there any easier way to do this whilst retaining factory controls?

this is the part I’m referring too:
Seems to be 2 x pin connectors. Assuming that 2 of the pins on each socket will be 12v and ground and the other two will be signal pins to control the heat of the seats.

[midnighttd]

Pull out the original slot to see what’s behind it. Wires and plug might actually be taped up behind already

[Nathan Buffery]

On the wiring diagram it shows 4 terminals on each switch 1,2,4 &5 (dunno where 3 is) 1 and 2 are for the switch illumination and 4 and 5 are the signal (not sure if these are live or neutral). If the connection is not taped up under the console, you could see if you can find connection c33. (Someone on here will hopefully chirp in) Terminals 24 (signal in to both sides), 25 (signal out to left seat) and 26 (signal out to right seat). Its quite possible that the terminals are going to the connection but not out, so you could pin the connections and run the wires to your switch.

[Dojj]

you might be lucky and find the wiring already there, but it's totally hit and miss

if you had the mk3.5 it's all there and you plug the panel in and turn it on via forscan (yes i've done it, the switches light up so all i need are the heated seats but i can't find a set to match my cloth) but for the earlier cars you may need to find an expert who's already done this mod

good luck

[Monks600]

Sorry, should have been clearer. I’m not swapping the seats, I’m simply putting in after market pads in the seats and hoping to tie that in to the original switches posted in the eBay picture. The kit I’m buying comes with separates switches where you simply drill out a hole somewhere where convienient and pop it through.

so, ideally... I’m going to use after market heat pads from a kit and instead of using the switches they come with Id want them tied in with the original ford switches.

thanks for the comments so far, it’s given me a few ideas! :)

[Nathan Buffery]

2 hours ago, Monks600 said:

Sorry, should have been clearer. I’m not swapping the seats, I’m simply putting in after market pads in the seats and hoping to tie that in to the original switches posted in the eBay picture. The kit I’m buying comes with separates switches where you simply drill out a hole somewhere where convienient and pop it through.

so, ideally... I’m going to use after market heat pads from a kit and instead of using the switches they come with Id want them tied in with the original ford switches.

thanks for the comments so far, it’s given me a few ideas! 🙂

Ah I get you now. The ford switch looks to be a variable resistor. So in theory, if the after market switch is also a variable resistor, it would work. You could test the tolerance with a multi meter.

On the non facelift wiring diagram it shows a module, which I think is in the seat. This would throw up all sorts of problems if you were to use the existing wiring.

A while ago I bought half leather seats for mine and I'm pretty sure they have heated seats in them. The problem I have, is that i have swapped the centre console for a facelift console, and I dont know what the switch looks like for the facelift or where it would locate.

[JW1982]

The original heated seat switches are connected to a control module that is installed under each seat. The heated seat pads are controlled by the module based on the position (resistance value) of the switch. The module uses PWM to control the heated seat pads and basically acts as a thermostat.

 

Aftermarket heated seat pads usually have a different resistance than the original pads. Because of this most aftermarket heated seat pads are not suitable to be used in combination with the original switches and modules.

To make it work the resistance of the aftermarket heated seat pads needs to be (almost) identical to the resistance of the original heated seat pads.

[Monks600]

Just now, Nathan Buffery

2 hours ago, Monks600 said:

Sorry, should have been clearer. I’m not swapping the seats, I’m simply putting in after market pads in the seats and hoping to tie that in to the original switches posted in the eBay picture. The kit I’m buying comes with separates switches where you simply drill out a hole somewhere where convienient and pop it through.

so, ideally... I’m going to use after market heat pads from a kit and instead of using the switches they come with Id want them tied in with the original ford switches.

thanks for the comments so far, it’s given me a few ideas! 🙂

Ah I get you now. The ford switch looks to be a variable resistor. So in theory, if the after market switch is also a variable resistor, it would work. You could test the tolerance with a multi meter.

On the non facelift wiring diagram it shows a module, which I think is in the seat. This would throw up all sorts of problems if you were to use the existing wiring.

A while ago I bought half leather seats for mine and I'm pretty sure they have heated seats in them. The problem I have, is that i have swapped the centre console for a facelift console, and I dont know what the switch looks like for the facelift or where it would locate.

That’s another thing I wanted to do! Swap the pre facelift Center console for the facelift. Straight swap I assume as long as you have the correct parts? :)

[Monks600]

Just now, JW1982

The original heated seat switches are connected to a control module that is installed under each seat. The heated seat pads are controlled by the module based on the position (resistance value) of the switch. The module uses PWM to control the heated seat pads and basically acts as a thermostat.

 

Aftermarket heated seat pads usually have a different resistance than the original pads. Because of this most aftermarket heated seat pads are not suitable to be used in combination with the original switches and modules.

To make it work the resistance of the aftermarket heated seat pads needs to be (almost) identical to the resistance of the original heated seat pads.

Thanks for the reply!

that makes a lot of sense thinking about it.
now the next question is, can you by the official heating pad elements and do it that way or is it a matter off swapping the entire seat?

I really like my half leather recaro’s, not a fan of the full leather.

 

[Nathan Buffery]

38 minutes ago, Monks600 said:

That’s another thing I wanted to do! Swap the pre facelift Center console for the facelift. Straight swap I assume as long as you have the correct parts? 🙂

There's a guide I did in the guide section. The difficult bit for me was having to create a panel and switch for the heated rear screen as I couldn't get the facelift heater control panel (mine is the very basic) to work. I also had to extend the wires for the parking assist, parking aid and stop start down to the new switch. If you have automatic climate control, I think it's just plug and play.

[Monks600]

Just now, Nathan Buffery

38 minutes ago, Monks600 said:

That’s another thing I wanted to do! Swap the pre facelift Center console for the facelift. Straight swap I assume as long as you have the correct parts? 🙂

There's a guide I did in the guide section. The difficult bit for me was having to create a panel and switch for the heated rear screen as I couldn't get the facelift heater control panel (mine is the very basic) to work. I also had to extend the wires for the parking assist, parking aid and stop start down to the new switch. If you have automatic climate control, I think it's just plug and play.

Awesome, I’ll take a look. Cheers!

[Dojj]

this is something i am halfway through doing

i'd be fully way through doing it if the heater pads weren't £170 per seat!!!!!!

 

[JW1982]

On 1/23/2021 at 10:23 PM, Monks600 said:

Thanks for the reply!

that makes a lot of sense thinking about it.
now the next question is, can you by the official heating pad elements and do it that way or is it a matter off swapping the entire seat?

I really like my half leather recaro’s, not a fan of the full leather.

 

The original heated seat pads and control modules are available as spare parts.

Each seat requires 2 pads (in the seat and in the back) and a control module. Unfortunately the required parts are pretty expensive from Ford. Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that the Recaro seats have different heated seat pads than the regular seats.

From a technical point of view the Focus MK3 heated seat system is identical to the Focus MK2/MK2.5 heated seat system. Both the MK2/MK2.5 and MK3 uses the exact same control module. Because of this the MK2/MK2.5 heated seat pads are also compatible with the MK3.

[Nathan Buffery]

8 hours ago, Dojj said:

this is something i am halfway through doing

i'd be fully way through doing it if the heater pads weren't £170 per seat!!!!!!

 

Ah......that answers the question of where the switches are on the facelift. I tried for ages to get the facelift heater control to work in my focus and gave up in the end. 

[Dojj]

5 hours ago, Nathan Buffery said:

Ah......that answers the question of where the switches are on the facelift. I tried for ages to get the facelift heater control to work in my focus and gave up in the end. 

i bought my entire switch panel from eBay for the grand total of £20, including postage, plugged it in and everything works 🙂 

the swap is easy enough too, remove some trim, undo some screws, unplug a few bits and job done, it took me less than 10 minutes, also got my fancy parking switch fitted at the same time so double bonus 🙂 

on the flip side, i don't seem to have the wiring in the floor to plug the heated seats directly into though, but maybe i haven't looked hard enough...

[Nathan Buffery]

17 hours ago, Dojj said:

on the flip side, i don't seem to have the wiring in the floor to plug the heated seats directly into though, but maybe i haven't looked hard enough...

I'd be pretty surprised if I had the wiring going to the seat as well. So will you be adding the wires separately or looking to replace the floor loom? 

[JW1982]

Wrong topic.

[Nathan Buffery]

1 hour ago, JW1982 said:

Minor modifications means that the sensor needs to be spliced into the original wiring and the sensor needs to be fixated into the mirror housing with adhesive.

Think this reply is in the wrong topic!!

[JW1982]

You are correct.

[Dojj]

On 1/26/2021 at 7:30 AM, Nathan Buffery said:

I'd be pretty surprised if I had the wiring going to the seat as well. So will you be adding the wires separately or looking to replace the floor loom? 

if it needs a floor loom then i think i'd be happy to purchase one, but then wait until the mrs had gone on holiday for a month before i attempted to fit it all lol
hang on, i'll go and get a pic of it right now

what do you think?

Edited January 30, 2021 by Dojj
added picture

[Nathan Buffery]

On 1/30/2021 at 3:01 PM, Dojj said:

what do you think?

Looking at the wiring diagram it shows that pins 9, 10 & 17 are for the heated seats on the big plug that goes to your seats. I'm going to have a look at mine today, so I'll report back if the pins and wires are in mine. I'll need to sort out some way of mounting the switches, as like most of the Focus switches, you cant just drill a hole in the panel to mount them. 

[JW1982]

For heated seats you do indeed need Pin numbers 9, 10 and 17 at both seat connectors.

Below some pictures of my 2013 Focus MK3 with factory fitted heated seats:

Driver side.

 

Passenger side.

 

Note that since my car is a LHD vehicle The pictures will be mirrored on your car. The connectors and Pin numbers however are identical.

The seat side of the seat connector contains a number of color codes 2-pin connectors. The function of the connector can be identified by the color of the connector. Blue and Green are used for heated seats. Each color has a different locating tab and only fits in one position of the main connector. The seat connector is more or less standardized. The same color coding and connector pinout has been used on most Ford models for over 20 Years.

Also be aware that the heated seats require the extra fuse box in the boot. The extra fuse box in the boot is only present on vehicles that have functionality/options that require the extra fuse box. Lower spec vehicles that do not have functionality/options that require the extra fuse box do not have the extra fuse box and have less/different wiring.

[Nathan Buffery]

35 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

Also be aware that the heated seats require the extra fuse box in the boot. The extra fuse box in the boot is only present on vehicles that have functionality/options that require the extra fuse box. Lower spec vehicles that do not have functionality/options that require the extra fuse box do not have the extra fuse box and have less/different wiring.

I already have a fuse box in my boot, so are you saying that I have functionality for the heated seats, or do I need an additional fuse box? 

[JW1982]

If your car has the extra fuse box in the boot you will be fine. Even if the heated seats wiring is missing it can easily be connected to the extra fuse box.

On a vehicle without the extra fuse box retrofitting the original heated seats is much more difficult. In this case the extra fuse box and wiring also needs to be retrofitted.

[Nathan Buffery]

21 minutes ago, JW1982 said:

If your car has the extra fuse box in the boot you will be fine. Even if the heated seats wiring is missing it can easily be connected to the extra fuse box.

That's Brilliant news. The only issue I have now is the switches. Do you think, if i matched up the variable resistor to the same values, I could get it to work? And my next question would be, what are those values. On the wiring diagram there are 2 numbers, 2610 and 5k. I'm not sure if the resistor should be from 2610 to 5000, or it's from 0 to 5k.