Seat Upgrade

amschind · Jul 31, 2023

I am getting the climate control module to control my heated steering wheel, and wanted to see about getting vented seats as well. I chatted with the folks at Leatherseats.com, as they got me my initial seat covers, and their heated/vented system is meant to completely replace the factory system; rigging the factory module to control it is probably the costliest and most failure prone option.

So my next idea is just buy used Lariat+ heated/vented seats and swap the seats. I want to know if I can plug my XLT 302A heated seats harness connector into a Lariat+ heated/vented seat. Therefore, I ask the collective to post pics of the Lariat+ heated/vented seat control module part number AND wiring harness connectors. Maybe the answer is they don't fit, but that's at least knowledge for other trying to go down this path.

Thanks!

amschind · Jul 31, 2023

I have full leather seats from Leatherseats.com, and absolutely love them. Katzin is also great. To your point, I probably will get leather seat covers to replace the factory "leather", but again that's the easy part and now what this thread is about.

Katzkin and Leatherseats.com both make aftermarket heating/cooling kits, but I'm trying to use the factory climate control module and parts if possible. I have heated seats, but I'm trying to see if I can add cooling as well.

amschind · Jul 31, 2023

I think you're missing my goal.

Katzkin and Leatherseats both make modules that will heat and/or cool any seat that Ford makes when combined with perforated foam and seat leather. These modules are completely independent of the truck's wiring: to use them, you unhook the seat wiring harness and hook the aftermarket seat module to power and ground, and it has its own button. You are correct that this is available; that is NOT what this thread is about (I'm trying to leave a pro/con discussion out of this thread, but after I'm done I'll probably have thoughts for and against both setups.

My goal is retrofitting a Ford heated/cooled seat into a truck that came with neither or with only heated seats (as mine did). I have already bought the dash climate control module for another mod, so I want to see how tough it would be to simply replace the seats and reprogram my new dash buttons to control vented seats as well.

Hope that helps, and thanks for the replies!

CaliF150 · Aug 1, 2023

I hav e done cooled seats on my own before in my Honda Ridgeline and will be doing this in my F150 soon enough (I still have all the parts) You can take that approach.
This is the video of the side blow fans I used. Later I actually changed it to direct fan.
Using Aliexpress parts. Was cheap considering

If you are interested I can find the parts list

amschind · Aug 1, 2023

CaliF150 said:
I hav e done cooled seats on my own before in my Honda Ridgeline and will be doing this in my F150 soon enough (I still have all the parts) You can take that approach.
This is the video of the side blow fans I used. Later I actually changed it to direct fan.
Using Aliexpress parts. Was cheap considering

If you are interested I can find the parts list

That fix is also super cool (and probably deserves its own thread for folks with base seats who would have replace a ton of stuff to add heated/cooled seats). I would probably go the Katzin/Leatherseats.com kit route if I were doing it that way (i.e. non-OEM) just because I prefer to limit the "experimental nature" of projects on things that I depend upon. Broadly, cars are so computerized now that it has become really tough to predict what mods will mess up other stuff, to the point that it appears random without specialized knowledge that's hard to obtain. Going completely "standalone" as in your solution or the kits is one way to get around that issue, the other being staying as OEM as possible.

A big factor in this is that while Lariat+ seats are $1k/ea right now, last generation are $500 each. $1k for seats, $700 for premium leather, $300 for the leather install gets me to $2k minus whatever I can get for the old seats. I haven't made up my mind to even do this install, and like I said how much effort and cost the seat wiring harness and connector require will be a big determinant.

CaliF150 · Aug 1, 2023

amschind said:
That fix is also super cool (and probably deserves its own thread for folks with base seats who would have replace a ton of stuff to add heated/cooled seats). I would probably go the Katzin/Leatherseats.com kit route if I were doing it that way (i.e. non-OEM) just because I prefer to limit the "experimental nature" of projects on things that I depend upon. Broadly, cars are so computerized now that it has become really tough to predict what mods will mess up other stuff, to the point that it appears random without specialized knowledge that's hard to obtain. Going completely "standalone" as in your solution or the kits is one way to get around that issue, the other being staying as OEM as possible.

A big factor in this is that while Lariat+ seats are $1k/ea right now, last generation are $500 each. $1k for seats, $700 for premium leather, $300 for the leather install gets me to $2k minus whatever I can get for the old seats. I haven't made up my mind to even do this install, and like I said how much effort and cost the seat wiring harness and connector require will be a big determinant.

I understand your approach. Just heads up when I was done with my setup it looked OEM and worked very well. Compared to OEM seats with vents mine would freeze your butt. All for under 80 bucks

here is the product I used
AliExpress Fans

CaliF150 · Aug 3, 2023

you inspired me to start it on f150

SpaceWhiteF150 · Aug 3, 2023

CaliF150 said:
I understand your approach. Just heads up when I was done with my setup it looked OEM and worked very well. Compared to OEM seats with vents mine would freeze your butt. All for under 80 bucks

here is the product I used
AliExpress Fans

Can you post a work king link? Would like to see the results!