Seat Heater on with no indicator?

[wrees]

I've had my 2014 for about a week, and I've notice that my back is hot and sweaty much more than in my old Prius, even in the morning when it's not hot out yet. I've read that the seat heater is linked to the various ECO modes of the climate system, and I know about and have been watching the seat heater indicators. My question is this:

When the seat heaters are turned on automatically as part of the ECO modes, do the seat heater indicators always light up? I'm suspicious that they don't.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I've had my 2014 for about a week, and I've notice that my back is hot and sweaty much more than in my old Prius, even in the morning when it's not hot out yet. I've read that the seat heater is linked to the various ECO modes of the climate system, and I know about and have been watching the seat heater indicators. My question is this:

When the seat heaters are turned on automatically as part of the ECO modes, do the seat heater indicators always light up? I'm suspicious that they don't.

Yes, the seat heaters will automatically come on in ECO mode.

Yes, the seat heater indicators will light up when they come on.

 

[wrees]

OK, great. Thanks.

I wonder what else might be going on. I just sat in the turned-off car in the garage for 15 minutes and felt no unusual amount of heat in the seat, nor did I get hot. Therefore, I don't think it's just my body heat heating up the seat.

1. Does the EV perhaps use the seat heaters a little as a heat sink?

2. What is the behavior of the automatic use of the seat heaters? Do they come on and stay on or do they cycle on and off? If it has been cycling on and off I might have missed the indicator turning on and off as I was driving.

 

[TonyWilliams]

OK, great. Thanks.

I wonder what else might be going on. I just sat in the turned-off car in the garage for 15 minutes and felt no unusual amount of heat in the seat, nor did I get hot. Therefore, I don't think it's just my body heat heating up the seat.

1. Does the EV perhaps use the seat heaters a little as a heat sink?

No.

2. What is the behavior of the automatic use of the seat heaters? Do they come on and stay on or do they cycle on and off? If it has been cycling on and off I might have missed the indicator turning on and off as I was driving.

The seat heater likely does cycle on and off to keep a relatively constant temp, but the indicator would stay on.

 

[wrees]

Very helpful! Thanks.

Does the EV have heat dissipation challenges in general? Like are there other heat sinks or other special mechanisms to deal with heat? Or do they run cooler than combustion cars?

If there are heat challenges, could the cabin be running a little hotter than, say, my old Prius and therefore require a little more active management than I'm used to?

 

[DevinL]

Very helpful! Thanks.

Does the EV have heat dissipation challenges in general? Like are there other heat sinks or other special mechanisms to deal with heat? Or do they run cooler than combustion cars?

If there are heat challenges, could the cabin be running a little hotter than, say, my old Prius and therefore require a little more active management than I'm used to?

Going from the LEAF to the RAV, the RAV does feel warmer to me (very unscientifically). I think it's partly due to the fabric of the seats and also the size of the cabin which takes more time to cool down. Plus, there is more glass which exacerbates the greenhouse effect.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Very helpful! Thanks.

Does the EV have heat dissipation challenges in general? Like are there other heat sinks or other special mechanisms to deal with heat? Or do they run cooler than combustion cars?

If there are heat challenges, could the cabin be running a little hotter than, say, my old Prius and therefore require a little more active management than I'm used to?

Nothing like that. There are no heat challenges for battery electric cars in general, and the cooling systems they use is very modest compared to the equivalent oil car.

 

[fooljoe]

I must say I've suspected the same "phantom seat warming" a few times myself, but I haven't done any sort of testing to get hard proof. Especially when my wife has the seat warmer on in the passenger seat (she insists on having it on at ALL times), it often feels to me like my seat warmer comes on too, although I of course check and re-check the controls to make sure it's off.

 

[rickrides]

Could you unplug it?