Drivers Seat is always Hot

[Munstar]

Hello

My drivers seat in a 2008 C5 Hdi 6 cylinder Turbo Exclusive is always hot. The aircon is hopeless when the weather is hot because although it sounds like it is blowing up a storm, the air isn't all that cold or breezy and my seat heats up to make me sweat even more.

I would really appreciate the help

[Hell Razor5543]

Well, it sounds like the switch for the heated seat has failed closed (but this is a guess). I would track down the fuse for that seat (I believe each of the heated seats has a fuse dedicated just to it) and pull it for now until you can find exactly what the problem is. I would also suggest getting the aircon re-gassed (as it is known car aircon will micro-leak over time, and can lose half the refrigerant over a couple of years), and a good place will test the system (with a long vacuum test for leaks).

Oh, to the Forum, by the way.

[GiveMeABreak]

Hello

My drivers seat in a 2008 C5 Hdi 6 cylinder Turbo Exclusive is always hot. The aircon is hopeless when the weather is hot because although it sounds like it is blowing up a storm, the air isn't all that cold or breezy and my seat heats up to make me sweat even more.

I would really appreciate the help

Assuming you have the full leather option, the X7 has 3 parts to the heated seats:

• A heated Pad in the Seat Cushion
• A heated Pad in the Seat Back
• A Heated Pad Regulation Unit

There is a temperature sensor incorporated into the seat Cushion. The Heated Pad Regulation Unit controls the heat based on info from the heat sensor and from the rheostat thumb wheel switch selected by the driver / passenger.

As the heat is obviously working, the most likely culprit is the rheostat thumb wheel switch - and is the most common failure in other cars too. You can test this by swapping the passenger switch over. If this switches the heat off on '0' then you know it is the switch. The Citroen part number is 8906 HR and in the UK is £38.15 inc. 20% VAT.

The seat side trim panel can be removed carefully, by using a trim tool. It is held in place by small plastic clips (a). Be careful of the connectors at (b) and (c)

As for the Air Con - I suggest you get an A/C service - ask them to test for a leak - they should be able to determine if there is a leak in the pipes or the condenser, or it may just need a re-gas. If the gas is low, then the A/C compressor will not engage (to protect the unit). If you start the car, switch the A/C off and the car radiator fan should not be running (on a cold engine). Switch the A/C button on or the 'Auto' and check to see if the radiator fan is now turning - if not, the gas is too low in the system.

A/C systems generally lose gas each year gradually, so if it has been getting gradually worse over time then it will need topping up. If it stopped cooling suddenly, then it is a possible leak. The trouble is, the climate control left on Auto setting will be causing the internal heater fan to go flat out to maintain a cool temperature - but without the A/C it will just stay on full all the time. That will put a strain on the other components - so I would get it looked as sooner rather than later.

[Gibbo2286]

Munstar, I've got a lot of family in and around Brisbane, just been talking to my niece there, she was saying how hot it is there, I asked her to send us some, we've got four inches of snow again this morning

Best of luck with the Citroen.