The passenger-side heated seat in my Volt doesn't seem to work. When I manually turn it on there doesn't seem to be any heat and the indicator light on the console turns itself off after 30-60 seconds. The driver-side seat works fine.

Is anyone else having this problem?

The passenger-side heated seat in my Volt doesn't seem to work. When I manually turn it on there doesn't seem to be any heat and the indicator light on the console turns itself off after 30-60 seconds. The driver-side seat works fine. Is anyone else having this problem?

Well you don't sit there so it's not that big of problem <grin>.

The passenger-side heated seat in my Volt doesn't seem to work. When I manually turn it on there doesn't seem to be any heat and the indicator light on the console turns itself off after 30-60 seconds. The driver-side seat works fine.

Is anyone else having this problem?

Is anyone sitting there when this is happening? The Volt seems to have some "smarts" about passenger occupancy. I've noticed when someone sits there, that seat comes on during auto climate control, but when someone isn't there, or leaves, the seat turns back off.

It may be your Volt is just trying to save you some range if there's nobody in the seat. :)

Is anyone sitting there when this is happening? The Volt seems to have some "smarts" about passenger occupancy.

Yes, I had an adult passenger on 2 hour-long trips and saw this problem both times. We tried manually turning on his heated seat several times but got no heat and the indicator light turned itself off after 30-60 seconds. Meanwhile, doing the same actions for my seat worked great. The ceiling air bag status light indicated the passenger air bag was enabled so the car knew someone was seated.

Yes, I had an adult passenger on 2 hour-long trips and saw this problem both times. We tried manually turning on his heated seat several times but got no heat and the indicator light turned itself off after 30-60 seconds. Meanwhile, doing the same actions for my seat worked great. The ceiling air bag status light indicated the passenger air bag was enabled so the car knew someone was seated.

Well, it was worth a shot. I haven't seen any issues with passengers in mine. Hopefully the dealer will be able to help.

I'm pretty sure in my car the passenger seat does not preheat during remote start, even between trips when someone was sitting there. Both seats are set to Auto. The manual control works OK, I believe.

Hopefully it is simple like a wire was not plugged in or vibrated loose (ie. it was not pushed on hard enought to "lock").

I'm pretty sure in my car the passenger seat does not preheat during remote start, even between trips when someone was sitting there. Both seats are set to Auto. The manual control works OK, I believe.

I was using the manual controls unsuccessfully for the passenger seat in my Volt.

The auto heated seat climate control setting is ignored during remote start unless you specifically enable it using the "vehicle personalization" menus described in the Owner Manual on pages 5-48 through 5-50 under the heading labelled "Remote Start Auto Heat Seats".

When I purchased my Volt from the dealer, I chatted with the mechanic who did the Predelivery inspection, and he told me that one of my heated seats "had a problem" that he fixed. I did not get the impression that he replaced the seat, but I honestly did not ask anymore about it. Both of my heated seats work great.

As an interesting side note it is far more efficient to use your heated seats then to run your heater for the entire cabin.

-Chris
Volt #44

I've noticed even my drivers seat will not heat during auto start mode, and YES it's enabled in the settings to "on" or aka "check mark" I verified this with a temperature gun and video taped it. Took it into the dealer and they kept it over night. Said they didn't really have an answer, and even their 2012's were not coming on when they tested them in the early morning cold. I'm getting ready to take this car back if it's not remedied. This was a very important feature for me, and my GF. FYI auto started the car when temps were 55deg, in and out of the car, driver seat and passenger seat, and back seats were all the same temp at end of heating cycle for auto start. Again verified via temperature gun.

I've noticed even my drivers seat will not heat during auto start mode, and YES it's enabled in the settings to "on" or aka "check mark" I verified this with a temperature gun and video taped it. Took it into the dealer and they kept it over night. Said they didn't really have an answer, and even their 2012's were not coming on when they tested them in the early morning cold. I'm getting ready to take this car back if it's not remedied. This was a very important feature for me, and my GF. FYI auto started the car when temps were 55deg, in and out of the car, driver seat and passenger seat, and back seats were all the same temp at end of heating cycle for auto start. Again verified via temperature gun.I'm surprised your dealer didnt mention that there's a bulletin on this issue (for ALL GM vehicles, not just the Volt).
The seating surface itself likely wont reach a desired temperature until someone physically sits in the seat. The heating element is built into the cushion assembly and won't mechanically couple to the pad and seat cover until there's enough weight in the seat for this to occur. So checking or testing the surface temperature of the seat with your hand (or measuring it with an infrared tool) won't show much of a temperature increase after 10 or even 20 minutes (maximum) of remote start duration.

However pre-heating the internal seat infrastructure during remote start/pre-conditioning will still permit the seat heating system to begin to provide comfort much sooner than not using the AUTO feature at all.

If you're certain it's NOT working AT ALL another possibility (especially if your radio has ever been reprogrammed) is the incorrect radio software might have been installed. A quick way to confirm this is IF the Auto Heated Seats symbols are correctly displayed on your climate control screen (as shown below) NOTE: IF you have correctly configured the "AUTO heated seats on remote start" feature (in vehcile config) they should be in green in color not blue as shown.More info on the potential update error can be found here: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9088-2011-Software-Update&p=95754#post95754

HTH
WopOnTour

PS> The inop/flakey seat heater issues mentioned earlier in this thread (2011 models) were mostly resolved by an HVAC system software update (unless of course another root cause was identified)

I just realized I never followed up after my passenger heated seat problem was resolved. It turned out to be a faulty wiring connector. The dealer had to order a new one and it was all fixed under warranty.

So yes, I do have the new software update and I do still have my auto seat icon still on my center dash as before the update. So with that out of the way your reply got me thinking... if what you say, or GM says is true, than I can varify this easily with a little test.
I went out to the volt, opened it up, and took a temp reading of the seat for a start off point, 55 degrees, ok, next I started the vehicle and turned off the cabin heat all together, no fan even. But I DID turn on the heated seat manually. Next I waited one minute and took another temp gun reading, 70 degrees in one minute! I then took another reading at the two minute mark, 75 degrees, and one more at a four minute mark, 80 degrees!!!! and the seat was warm to the touch, "where the heater elements were of course" Now I know for a fact that the missing person from the seat theory does not hold water. The seat will warm up without someone sitting on them when the seat warmers are MANUALLY turned on! But not when the auto seat function on auto start is engaged. It's is odd though that the seat gets hot in two small places, unevenly. I just traded in a mercedes E500 and those seats warmed up nice and even all around, MUCH better performance. I am dissapointed, and my GF HATES cold leather seats, UGH. I hope they fix this fast, again, I'll return the car for this issue.



I'm surprised your dealer didnt mention that there's a bulletin on this issue (for ALL GM vehicles, not just the Volt).
The seating surface itself likely wont reach a desired temperature until someone physically sits in the seat. The heating element is built into the cushion assembly and won't mechanically couple to the pad and seat cover until there's enough weight in the seat for this to occur. So checking or testing the surface temperature of the seat with your hand (or measuring it with an infrared tool) won't show much of a temperature increase after 10 or even 20 minutes (maximum) of remote start duration.

However pre-heating the internal seat infrastructure during remote start/pre-conditioning will still permit the seat heating system to begin to provide comfort much sooner than not using the AUTO feature at all.

If you're certain it's NOT working AT ALL another possibility (especially if your radio has ever been reprogrammed) is the incorrect radio software might have been installed. A quick way to confirm this is IF the Auto Heated Seats symbols are correctly displayed on your climate control screen (as shown below) NOTE: IF you have correctly configured the "AUTO heated seats on remote start" feature (in vehcile config) they should be in green in color not blue as shown.More info on the potential update error can be found here: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?9088-2011-Software-Update&p=95754#post95754

HTH
WopOnTour

PS> The inop/flakey seat heater issues mentioned earlier in this thread (2011 models) were mostly resolved by an HVAC system software update (unless of course another root cause was identified)

Yea the actual surface temps achieved varies between the seat designs but it sounds like your heaters are working manual just dont work in remote start correct? If so I misunderstood.

So yes, I do have the new software update and I do still have my auto seat icon still on my center dash as before the update. And the symbols are GREEN correct? (not blue as shown in the photo above) because if they are not green then your heated seats have not been set to AUTO in your CONFIG screens.
WOT

What is the ambient temperature when you are testing the auto heated seat function? I know that mine don't seem to come on when the climate is set to 'auto' unless the ambient is in the low 40's or maybe lower. Now I've only had the car not quite a month and have not paid precise attention to what temp it needs to be but I've always assumed that the remote start temp for them to come on would be the same temp the climate system turns them on while I'm driving and thats only happened once. They came on at 1 light and in about 3 minutes the climate system turned them off.

Do other people actually see them come on for remote start when it's in the 50's?

well they are commonly green when I have not overiden it with manual mode. But in auto start the dash does not light up so no way to see them at that time.

When I tested it last night it was 55 degrees out. Not freezing but by far not comfortable, and considering human skin runs around the low 90's and a 55 degree leather seat is still a shock to the system. Cabin was set to 75, and left in auto mode when the car was shut down. Not that this should matter, it should warm up the cabin or cool down when the temperature outside is no where near the temperature set for the cabin on the center dash display, period.


What is the ambient temperature when you are testing the auto heated seat function? I know that mine don't seem to come on when the climate is set to 'auto' unless the ambient is in the low 40's or maybe lower. Now I've only had the car not quite a month and have not paid precise attention to what temp it needs to be but I've always assumed that the remote start temp for them to come on would be the same temp the climate system turns them on while I'm driving and thats only happened once. They came on at 1 light and in about 3 minutes the climate system turned them off.

Do other people actually see them come on for remote start when it's in the 50's?

well they are commonly green when I have not overiden it with manual mode. But in auto start the dash does not light up so no way to see them at that time.OK so just to verify this has been set then correctly then.


http://gm-volt.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3843&d=1321291726

Remote Start Auto Heated Seats
When on, this feature will turn the heated seats on when using remote start.

To turn the remote start auto heated seats on or off:

1. Press the Vehicle Settings menu.
2. Select Climate and Air Quality.
3. Turn the remote start auto heated seats feature on or off.
4. Press Back to return to the previous menu.

YES, in the "configuration Settings" the " remote start auto heated seats feature" is set to ON. With a check mark as previously stated. also to repeat my self, my local dealer did the same test on their 2012 model and it too did not warm up the seat on a cold morning. They are a bit stumped themselves.



OK so just to verify this has been set then correctly then.


http://gm-volt.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3843&d=1321291726

Remote Start Auto Heated Seats
When on, this feature will turn the heated seats on when using remote start.

To turn the remote start auto heated seats on or off:

1. Press the Vehicle Settings menu.
2. Select Climate and Air Quality.
3. Turn the remote start auto heated seats feature on or off.
4. Press Back to return to the previous menu.

I'm still going with "it's not cold enough". When I start the car and auto heated seats are set in the climate system it needs to be pretty cold before the climate system turns on my seats. And when it does it does so only briefly. The lowest temp I've seen since I've had the car is about 38 and when we went to dinner and parked outside then returned was the first time I saw it turn to seats on itself. I'm just assuming it uses the same rule for remote start. I don't like it much because I too would like them on when it's a bit warmer than that. I believe this is why your dealer didn't see it work either. Now, if someone could tell us what that temp is we might be able to test it. Also, some of the folks that park outside in Michigan or Canada might be able to shed some light on the accuracy of my assumption.