Heated seats retrofit?

[JGard]

Hey all, my X5 came with pretty much no options, but one of the options it did have was the top-level comfort seats or whatever they're called. I'd like to get heated seats as it does actually get cold in Austin, despite what people think

My Google-fu, which isn't super strong, leads me to believe that these seats already have the heaters installed, but they're just not wired up and there's obviously no button on the control panel in the center console.

Does anybody know if buying a new control panel (around $160 on ebay) and the proper wire to connect these things would get the heated seats to work? Perhaps some other coding would need to be done, too, but I'm not sure. I'm not even 100% sure the heating elements are actually in my seats.

I can't find many/any threads of people retrofitting OEM heaters into their X5s, unfortunately...

[PAX5]

Post the last 7 of your VIN so we can check if you have heated seats ...

It is hard to believe that a 2011 LCI e70 X5 with comfort seats does not have heated seats.

... unless you are talking about second row, are you?

[JGard]

Nope, I wish it was just the second row. My car is very oddly optioned out. I have comfort access, Hi-Fi stereo with combox, and the comfort seats, nothing else. No nav, no backup camera, no heated anything, no parking sensors, etc.

1CA SELECTION COP RELEVANT VEHICLES

2LK LT/ALY WHEELS Y-SPOKE 335

2VB TYRE PRESSURE INDICATOR

225 STANDARD SUSPENSION

245 STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT ELEC

255 SPORTS LEATHER STEERING WHEEL

316 AUTOMATIC TAILGATE OPERATION

319 INTEGRATED UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL

322 COMFORT ACCESS SYSTEM

330 SPORTS PACKAGE

4AB FINE-WOOD TRIM BURR WALNUT

4NA INTERIOR MIRROR WITH DIG. COMPASS

402 PANORAMA GLASS ROOF

430 INT/EXT RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-DAZZLE

431 INTERIOR RR VW MIRROR W AUT ANTI-D

441 SMOKERS PACKAGE

456 COMFORT SEATS, ELECTRIC. ADJUSTABLE

488 LUMBAR SUPPORT DRIVER/FRONT PASSENGER

493 STORAGE COMPARTMENT PACKAGE

534 AUTOMATIC AIR CONDITIONING

563 LIGHTS PACKAGE

575 ADDITIONAL 12-V-OUTLET

6AA BMW TELESERVICES

6AB CONTROL TELESERVICES

6FL USB-/AUDIO INTERFACE

6VC CONTROL COMBOX

639 COMPLETE PREP. CELLULAR PHONE USA/CDN

655 SATELLITE RADIO

677 HIFI SYSTEM PROFESSIONAL

697 AREA-CODE 1

760 INDIVIDUAL HIGH-GLOSS SATIN CHROME

775 INDIVIDUAL ROOF-LINING ANTHRACITE

8KC OELSERVICEINT. 24.000KM/24MONTHS

8SC COUNTRY SPEC. RELEASE OF TELESERVICE

8S4 DECODING VARIABLE LIGHT DISTRIBUTIO

8TL DAYTIME LIGHTS FRONT AND REAR AKTIV

8TN DAYTIME LIGHTS ABOUT LIGHTMENU ADJU

[jiggz]

Strange build indeed with comfort seats but not heated?

Retrofitting would be a pain in the neck I would think.

[CFoote]

You can retrofit heated seats, but you'll need to do an aftermarket kit. The heated pads are sewn into the leather, and the leather covers are huge $$$.

This is exactly what you would want - switches can go where you please.

http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Imports...eated+seat+kit

[JGard]

Thanks. I'd prefer not to rip apart my seats and I never like the look of aftermarket switches, where ever I end up putting them. Perhaps I'll pass. Like I mentioned, I thought maybe the heaters were already built into the comfort seats, so it wouldn't require opening them up at all, but perhaps that isn't the case.

[Cattivo]

Not trying to thread jack but I have the active heated and ventilated seats...would using both the heated and ventilated options at the same time cause any problems?

[heatmizr]

Originally Posted by JGard

Thanks. I'd prefer not to rip apart my seats and I never like the look of aftermarket switches, where ever I end up putting them. Perhaps I'll pass. Like I mentioned, I thought maybe the heaters were already built into the comfort seats, so it wouldn't require opening them up at all, but perhaps that isn't the case.

I agree 100% - and it's worth checking into. On my previous M3, I am fairly certain the heating elements were actually in the seats but I did not have that option and no switches, etc.

If yours are the same, it would be big dollars to get a new dash panel with the right switches, but perhaps by getting power to them, and a switch, you could activate them?
But then you are back to looking like aftermarket, even if half the work is already done for you.

Perhaps a blanket in the winter months?

[heatmizr]

Originally Posted by Cattivo

Not trying to thread jack but I have the active heated and ventilated seats...would using both the heated and ventilated options at the same time cause any problems?

You just know that BMW has thought about this. It will either prevent you from doing this, or not - in which case I would think it would be fine. The two systems don't have much to do with each other.

Pls experiment and report back!

[P1]

Heated seats are treating me nicely in Austin these days...

[coocoomandon]

for some reason my switches are on the side of the seat