Seat warmer turns on automatically
- Thread starter Jordan
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This happens when you are in ECON mode, to save energy. If you take the car out of ECON mode, it should prevent this.
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ClarityDoc
Active Member
If it really bugs you, [and you want to stay in ECON], fuse C32 is labeled “Front seat heater control unit (via front seat heater relay circuit)” and controls nothing else. One would suspect that pulling this fuse would disable the relay, and therefore the seat heaters.
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KentuckyKen
Well-Known Member
I could not find a setting for this either. The manual says it’s pegged to the climate control settings and if you don’t want it, then turn it off. No help there! It also says that in Econ it will auto turn itself down as well.
Mine seems to always turn on the driver’s seat heater if it’s in Econ, but not if Econ is off at start up. And if I choose Econ after start up, it comes on too if the Climate Control temp is high enough.
It seems pegged to Econ being on along with Climate Control being on with temperatures and settings that call for heat.
So the only way I can find to not have it auto come on is to not be in Econ, or not have the CC on, or CC on with low temperature set. But that still requires it to be turned off or Econ and CC turned back on. So I still have to push buttons.
So I can’t find a way to defeat the auto seat heater in Econ without button pushes.
Anybody figure this out?
Mine seems to always turn on the driver’s seat heater if it’s in Econ, but not if Econ is off at start up. And if I choose Econ after start up, it comes on too if the Climate Control temp is high enough.
It seems pegged to Econ being on along with Climate Control being on with temperatures and settings that call for heat.
So the only way I can find to not have it auto come on is to not be in Econ, or not have the CC on, or CC on with low temperature set. But that still requires it to be turned off or Econ and CC turned back on. So I still have to push buttons.
So I can’t find a way to defeat the auto seat heater in Econ without button pushes.
Anybody figure this out?
John Gardner
New Member
Anything that derives its energy from the 12 volt battery is minuscule compared to Climate Control. The seat heaters in the grand scheme of things draw very little power. I have not done or read about any current measurements for these devices but in the Fit EV we had a display for energy use when we turned on different items. Lights except for headlights showed one bar, turning on headlights were two bars. Wipers in intermittent were one bar but set to on then would use two bars. Adding devices together would still show two bars. Seat heaters were one bar.
By using these 12 volt devices would impact range very little. This was observed over 5 years of driving the same route to work and home. Heater was the highest consumer of power (no heat pump in the Fit) and the air conditioner was high but no where near what the heater draws. Everything else adds up to reduce range in the colder months. The cold air makes the battery less efficient and does not hold as much of a charge but it does charge to full quicker. Regeneration kicks in at graduated levels depending on the temperature below 50 degrees. At least this was the way the Fit EV was programmed, I don't have enough experience yet with the Clarity Electric to know at what points regen kicks in. As you drive the battery will heat up and regen will return to normal.
Long story short, in the colder months don't worry too much about the 12 volt accessories you use, it's the temperature outside and how much you use the heater. I spent three cold years using only the seat heater and a heavy parka in the winter to get to work and back. Then my company installed charging stations and I have driven warm during the winter since...
John
P.S. The formal word from the Owner's Manual (p. 191):
" Avoid using seat heaters when the 12-volt battery charge is low. The vehicle may be difficult to start.
After a certain period of time, the strength setting for the seat heaters will automatically be reduced by one level at a time until the seat heaters shuts off. The elapsed time varies according to the interior environment.
When the ECON mode is active, the driver’s side seat heater functions according to the status of the climate control system. If you want to use only the climate control system, press the seat heater button to OFF."
" Avoid using seat heaters when the 12-volt battery charge is low. The vehicle may be difficult to start.
After a certain period of time, the strength setting for the seat heaters will automatically be reduced by one level at a time until the seat heaters shuts off. The elapsed time varies according to the interior environment.
When the ECON mode is active, the driver’s side seat heater functions according to the status of the climate control system. If you want to use only the climate control system, press the seat heater button to OFF."
Heino
Active Member
vicw
Active Member
Seems there is rarely a day when I don't learn something new about the Clarity from this forum that I didn't know before, but I'm quite surprised to learn that the seat heaters will come on automatically. A couple of cold nights ago, I turned on my wife's heater to make her comfortable, and then noticed that mine was on, too. I thought I must have inadvertently hit that button, and accidentally turned it on, but apparently it was automatically started.
I"m not too happy that this will happen again - repeatedly. I don't much care if Climate Control uses more battery, I want the cabin to be comfortable, and I really would prefer that the seat heater operation would be directly under my control.
I"m not too happy that this will happen again - repeatedly. I don't much care if Climate Control uses more battery, I want the cabin to be comfortable, and I really would prefer that the seat heater operation would be directly under my control.
I agree would be better to have control, but If you don’t mind not being in ECON mode, I believe the “auto-on” only happens in ECON.
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vicw
Active Member
Agreed, but my problem is remembering to make the SWITCHOVER each time. I'm old, and forgetful.
I also don't know what else is affected by switching Econ OFF.
The Climate Control system will heat the car more quickly in NORMAL or SPORT Mode than in ECON Mode--that's one of the economies ECON Mode implements.
vicw
Active Member
Thanks, insightman. I'm for that. By Normal Mode, I assume that equates to ECON Mode turned OFF.
You say it is one of the economies of ECON Mode. I wonder what, if anything else, it affects.
Well apparently the seat heater is also more economical which is why thats the default when in econ mode.
Page 388 from the manual:
manual said:
http://techinfo.honda.com/rjanisis/pubs/OM/AH/ATRW1818OM/enu/ATRW1818OM.PDF
Yes, NORMAL Mode is the non-selection of either ECON or SPORT Modes.
Other than the activation of the seat heater and the mapping of the accelerator pedal, this is what the Owners Manual says on page 195 (note that it doesn't mention anything about HEATING performance):
While ECON mode is active, the climate control
system may have reduced cooling performance.
Other than the activation of the seat heater and the mapping of the accelerator pedal, this is what the Owners Manual says on page 195 (note that it doesn't mention anything about HEATING performance):
While ECON mode is active, the climate control
system may have reduced cooling performance.
vicw
Active Member
Thanks dnb & insightman and for your clarifications regarding Econ Mode OFF effects.
I don't know if Honda intentionally made that selection as vague as possible, but if they did, they were successful, at least for me.
Pressing the Econ button to turn Econ Off, with the only visible immediate change being the loss of the leaf icon on the screen, and/or the driver seat heater turning on, (if it's really cold outside) is pretty obscure, and the manual comment regarding cooling performance is equally vague, I think.
Bottom line to me is that it doesn't seem likely that there are any other effects of turning Econ OFF than the seat heater vs Climate Control, Cooling performance and the Accelerator behavior.
I don't know if Honda intentionally made that selection as vague as possible, but if they did, they were successful, at least for me.
Pressing the Econ button to turn Econ Off, with the only visible immediate change being the loss of the leaf icon on the screen, and/or the driver seat heater turning on, (if it's really cold outside) is pretty obscure, and the manual comment regarding cooling performance is equally vague, I think.
Bottom line to me is that it doesn't seem likely that there are any other effects of turning Econ OFF than the seat heater vs Climate Control, Cooling performance and the Accelerator behavior.