Circuit/System Description
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Pontiac Torrent and 2009 Chevrolet Equinox. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
The driver and passenger heated seat heating elements are controlled by a common high current relay internal to the heated seat module (HSM) and by individual low side element control circuits. The HSM connects the heater element supply voltage circuits for both seats to a common reference point. This reference point is biased to approximately 2 volts. Before the HSM will allow heated seat operation, it checks to see if the heating element supply voltage circuits and control circuits are shorted to ground or voltage. Once the module verifies that it is not closing into a shorted heating element, it allows heated seat operation. After which it continues to monitor for a shorted a circuit.