Heated Seat Element: Operation
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2005 Jeep Liberty. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The heated seat elements resist the flow of electrical current. When battery current is passed through the elements, the energy lost by the resistance of the elements to the current flow is released in the form of heat. When the temperature of the seat cushion cover rises, the resistance of the sensor decreases. The Heated Seat Module supplies a five-volt current to one side of each sensor, and monitors the voltage drop through the sensor on a return circuit. The Heated Seat Module uses this temperature sensor input to monitor the temperature of the seat, and regulates the current flow to the seat heating elements accordingly.