Dead Seat Warmer Troubles VW Passat Hybrid Owner

Had the same heating repair issue on my 2015 VW Arteon Hybrid. The seat cushion heating element failed completely, pretty common problem after the 80000km mark. Initially thought it was just a thermal sensor malfunction since the controls lit up but no heat. Turned out the heating mat inside the seat was defective and needed full replacement. The copper wiring inside the mat breaks down over time due to constant movement and temperature changes. This is actually a serious repair since they need to remove the entire seat, take off the upholstery, and replace the heating element. The wiring harness also needed checking as heating failures can sometimes damage the connectors. My mechanic found some deterioration in the surrounding foam padding too, which is typical when these heating mats fail. The repair involved: Complete seat disassembly, New heating mat installation, Wiring harness inspection, Temperature sensor testing, Full system diagnostic check While not a safety issue, worth fixing soon to prevent further damage to the seat materials. The repair took about 4 hours in total.

Thanks for sharing your Arteon repair experience. Had a very similar heater failure with my Passat. Really helps to know the heating element was the culprit rather than just a thermal sensor, will save me some troubleshooting. My seat heater also lights up but produces zero heat. Bit worried about the seat cushion damage you mentioned though. Good heads up about checking the wiring harness during the heating repair. Can you remember roughly what the total repair cost came to? Also curious if youve had any issues since the fix or if its been working perfectly?

Got the seat warmer repair done last week, working perfectly now. The temperature control kicks in immediately just like when the car was new. Total cost was 390€ for replacing the heating element and checking all connections. The automotive repair shop confirmed it was indeed the heating mat that failed, not just a sensor issue. They had to remove the entire seat cushion to access the defective components. The surrounding foam was actually in decent shape, unlike in my Arteon case. The repair involved installing a new heating element and thorough testing of the temperature control system. Been driving daily since the fix and the seat heater performs flawlessly, heats up within seconds of activation. Much better than watching the indicator light up with no actual warmth. This repair cost was worth every cent considering the comfort factor during cold weather. Plus getting it fixed early prevented any potential damage to the rest of the seat materials.

Followed up with my mechanic visit today for the seat warmer issue. The heating element replacement went smoother than expected. They had the exact part in stock which saved some waiting time. Total repair cost came to 420€ which included labor and a new heating mat. The automotive repair team found the original heating element completely burned out, exactly like you described. They checked the entire wiring setup and thankfully found no additional damage to the seat cushion. Took about 3.5 hours for the whole job. They showed me the old heating element, copper wires were totally shot. Really glad I went in before winter hits. The heater failure turned out to be pretty straightforward to fix. Just drove home and tested the seat warmer extensively. Working perfectly now, gets toasty within seconds just like when the car was new. No error codes showing up either. Will update if anything changes but so far very happy with the repair outcome. Really appreciate your detailed feedback earlier, helped me know exactly what to expect at the shop. No surprises in the diagnosis or repair process thanks to your insights.