Heated seat install

I am planning to add heated seats to my 2020 tundra I just bought. It has the dark clothe interior which I am a fan of so I don’t have the need for leather as of yet. Instead I Just want to install the heater pads in the bottom/butt and backs of the driver and passenger seat. I have seen numerous videos of the seat tear down and I am wondering if anyone has been able to accomplish this without removing the seats. I was thinking a complete tear down is not needed as the door side of each seat will give access to one side of hog rings which you can remove after the bottom clips are undone and door facing side trim are removed.

The videos are one thing but those with personal experience would be great to hear from. Really do not want to remove the seats and just do this working from doors side to center console if possible.

Also, Canadian models of the tundra have this switch in their sr5s. Is there anyone that can find this or have a part number. I have been struggling too but I also am not as familiar with part sourcing as others.

 

I just put them in my 2020 last weekend. I pulled my seats because I was putting on leather covers in replacement of the cloth. IMO, it's not difficult to pull your seats out. Four bolts, two plastic snap on covers and a couple plugs per seat is all that it was. For the bottom cushion, there's hog rings on 3 sides (left/right/horizontal by thigh). Essentially where the dipped lines are in the seat. I doubt you'll easily be able to clip those, slide in the heat panels and then reinstall new rings. The back cushion, you might be able to pull this off because they zip up. You can just undo the bottom, unzip, place the panel in and rezip down.

Unless there's another reason you don't want to pull the seats out, I think it'll be your easiest route.

Also here for the p/n for the switch. I haven't wired mine in yet and I only have one blank switch spot left. I don't really want to have to drill holes for the rocker switches if there's an option for a factory dual switch like your picture.

 

Agreed- just pull the seats. You’ll hate yourself if you don’t. Your work will be much better quality and easier.

 

thanks for info. I just did not see a reason to take that one side off if you don’t have too. What would keep you from being able to snip the hog rings moving from the door side to console side? Rather than from front to back like if you took off the hog rings.

I was just thinking about not taking the seats off because their heavy/awkward weight and I feel like I’m end up scratching up the interior or door jambs or something dumb. I also am intimidated messing with the airbag cables and torque settings for seat bolts when putting back in.

 

Probably right!

 

Oh I understand about scratching things up. The person that helped me did it on a Tundra before so he had the experience doing it. Snipping the hog rings may not be horrible but I think putting in the new hog rings would be more difficult.

In the picture below, there's hog rings on the red lines. Everything else is stuck with Velcro. The green part in the picture would need to come off to get access to pull the covers up. There's another smaller piece on the console side of the seat.

For the airbag cables, there's three plugs under the driver seat (power and airbag) there's clips holding the cables together. Pop the clips and unplug the connections. That simple. I didn't have to mess with anything else. My passenger is non-power so it was just airbag.

Just take the head rest off, lift the seat and turn sideways and pull er out. It's not too heavy. I was intimidated at first thinking about it but it's not too complicated.

 

when you put back in sis you use a torque wrench for everything to ensure factory tightness or just wing it with regular wrench?

 

Just got her tight with a dewalt cordless impact gun. At some point I'll torque with a torque wrench just to be overly cautious since it's something holding my (and my familys) ass. As far as the 4 bolts that hold the back part of the seat to the bottom seat, I used Loctite on those.

 

Looking at that pic even more from where you laid out. Could I do the following:

1. Remove green trim area.
2. Remove the side clips behind where that green trim was.
3. Remove front clip on bottom
4. Remove back clip on bottom.
5. Lift up from side and start clipping hog rings but leave the console side seam in tact.

Wouldn’t that allow the bottom to be done or are those clips a royal pos that trying to reclip under seat is a Biotch?


I’ll probably remove the seat but just was an interesting idea to approach this way.

 

Disconnect the battery, remove the bolts, lean the entire seat back, disconnect the plugs (the yellow air bag is a little tricky), pull the seats.
Having installed seat heaters in my 2014 there is no way I'd try to do it in the vehicle.

You need to have access to the console to tuck wiring, and possibly take the console top off to run wiring or make connections.
I tapped into the 12v socket plug circuit, adding my own inline fuse for each heater.
Some say you should not use electric seat heaters with fabric seats, but that is ultimately your decision.






Here is a generic video that will let you know what you are getting into.

https://youtu.be/REG3_MZX7Mk


Look at the bright side:
At least you aren't sound deadening...



Good luck..

 

I think that would work. You could always give it a try. If it doesn't, then pull the seats. But you won't know for sure until you dig in and see how it goes. I would slide the seat all the way up and then recline the back all the way back to begin. Reclipping the rings isn't fun but it's not horrible either.

Fun part about working on accessories like this, it's all trial and error and see what works. Since you're not replacing fabric, you don't technically need to pull it all completely off the cushion.

Give it a try and let us know how it goes!

 

Pulling the seats will be much easier. Trying to work around that tight space between the seat and console would suck.

 

I think we might connect power to the power seats and then the passenger to the 12v socket plug circuit. Connecting to the power on the power (driver) seat gives me power anytime as well.

My buddy has a 2020 Ram 1500 that has factory seat heaters with factory fabric seats. First i've ever seen it that way but I also don't see any reason why not.

 

I need to finish my sound deadening. I did a couple of doors. Then had to replace a seatbelt latch, so I did the back. Eventually I'll get around to rest.

 

Why would you need power all the time for a seat heater?
What if you forget to turn it off?
Not only will it kill your battery, but you'd also have a heater on in an unoccupied vehicle.
That isn't a good idea, but hey, it's your truck...

If it is cold outside, I'll leave the seat heater on low when I shut it off..
That way when I remote start the truck, the heaters are warming up the seats.

 

Valid point lol

 

If you don’t have hogring pliers and rings don’t buy them. I’ll send you some. Just pay it forward.

 

sorry for a little off topic, but did that full floor and seat back make a pretty noticeable difference? Also - is there a parts number list we could get for the seat heater install (cause yes, I'm lazy to look it up on the parts site ).

As for seat heaters on cloth - my '14 outback had cloth and heated seats - so I guess ok? but also, they might have had a different temp output between cloth and leather

 

I didn't use hog ring pliers on my seats

 

I think they just help pull the covers down for a more factory look.

@RaginTxn I just got a set of Amazon heaters. They’re universal. They have their own switches rather than full factory but I’m ok with that.

 

Yes, the wife asked me why I was doing that to a new truck.
But she did notice it was quieter when I was done.
That was back when I had an 8" BAM that was pretty loud.
Swapped it for a 10, and I'm now swapping the 10 for 12.


As far as the seat heaters, I used 2 of these..

Amazon.com: Rostra 250-1870 Carbon Fiber Seat Heater : Automotive

Put my switches on the console.




My wife uses the heaters year around even in the summer when I have the AC cranked.
I only installed them for her, but I found I use them more than I thought I would in cooler weather..

They make a set with a Toyota switch, but I wanted my switches where I could see them.

Amazon.com: Rostra 250-1870-TOY Seat Heater for Toyota Vehicles with Custom Control Switch : Automotive

Seat Heater for Toyota Cars and Trucks (rostra.com)

They also make a set with a single dual seat switch but I don't think it is a Toyota cut-out..

 

I pull my drivers seat out all the time (long story). Never DC the battery or worry about torque specs. Just unplug the three connectors in the front, remove four bolts, and she comes right out. Careful putting it back in…one time I accidentally hit the outside of the truck with one of the metal seat brackets and caused a pretty big gouge.

 

I was debating putting my switches there like you have yours. As far as Aesthetics, it's a good spot. I also was thinking down by the cup holders close to the arm rest.

Now that I see them on yours how they are, that's the route I'm going to go.

 

Someone did put theirs closer to the console armrest.
A nice write up of his install.

Seat heater install on 2014+ Tundra | Toyota Tundra Forum (tundras.com)



I have my bass knob there..
I also felt they would hard to see if they were on or not.



Another guy put them here..

 

I really like the location of the last image but I want seperate switches and the other side is flat. In the first picture, I feel like it's going to have an unnatural feel to reach them. I'll probably go with the original plan with one on each side how you've done yours. Thanks for sharing these!

 

I put mine slightly forward of that last pic on the flat portion.

 

Comfortable like that?

 

They worked out great there. Easy to see if they are on as well.

 

I went with the stealth option.
I did the same with my last Tundra . When they listed it for sale it didn’t mention the seat warmers so the buyer got a bonus if he found them.

 

Nice.
Where did you get that shift gate flag?