Hello everyone from the F.N.G..
I am new to this forum and want to thank everyone for letting me post here.
I have an 2002 r50 mini and I am curious as to if anyone knows which plug (wires) under the seat, controls the heated element. I have a bad drivers heated seat that will not turn on at all and want to replace the bottom or back element (whichever is bad) without paying $1000 to the dealer. I have already checked the switch and that is not the problem.
Thanks in advance
M.C.

 

on my '06 it's a wide black plug with three wires (very unlike the others which are normal molex type and smaller)

 

does it have two fatter gauge wires? one orange, one green with purple stripe and one thinner gauge wire that is white with green strip?

 

sounds right. if you post a pic, I can tell you for sure

 

 

hmmmm....that's a little different than mine. it's the left one but the one next to it (second from left) might be involved too. the yellow is the side airbag and the other is the seatbelt sensor and pretensioner

 

so you think if I dont mess with yellow or blue, Ill be o.k.?

 

well, what are you trying to do? check the connector? You can remove the seat (make sure the battery is disconnected) and remove the cushions. It should be easy to see what connector goes to what and also look over the heating elements. MINI sells the cushions as whole items with integrated heated elements.

 

I was going to check the continuity of the heating element while the seat was still in the car. That way I know wheter it is bottom or back. Then I was going to replace the element with an aftermarket pad style to avoid buying the whole integrated cushon/element from mini.

 

Have you checked the fuses?

 

Check the pins for arching. Molex type pins dont handle high amps very well. The heat from the amps will cause the pin to loose spring tension. We had a similar problem on a King Air 200 electrically heated ceiling. We got rid of the molex plugs and installed a buss bar no problems sense. We were lucky, pilots reported smoke in cabin. The plug was partly melted.

 

yes

 

just checked the connectors.. The pins look to be o.k. I cleaned them off with some blue shower and still no luck.

 

Check for continuity in the plug.

 

good advise.
which plug and where?
anyone got a wiring diagram?

 

I going to assume the plug on the left is the one, due to the larger wires. You can check it with a volt meter. Turn the seat heat on and see if you got power to the plug. Then switch the seat heat off. If you loose voltage you found the correct plug. Then a continuity check on the plug going to the heating elements.

 

well, the drivers seat will not turn on... that is the problem. The two LEDs blink once and then dissappear.. I am not so sure that will work for me.
But I believe you are right with the larger wires being power..
I also think that PGT is on to somthing with that plug just to the right of that maybe being upper and lower heating element, so it is just a matter of narrrowing down wire color.

 

Anyone?

 

I've got a Bentley manual that should go through this info, but, it's at the shop with my car. I'll get it back tomorrow and see what I can get for you.

 

I would be Much obliged.