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Driver side climate control seat stopped working?

Tiny
TIMLAW
  • MEMBER
  • 2015 INFINITI QX60
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 65,000 MILES
Abruptly, the driver's side climate control seat in my vehicle listed above Hybrid stopped functioning. When turning the dial to cool or heat, the light doesn't turn on.

Checked the fuse and it looked fine, even swapped with the passenger seat fuse and no change.

I have seen answers about the light coming on and shutting off quickly suggesting a bad module, and the car has a service bulleting from Infiniti for replacing the module and harness, but before a $1,500.00 repair, I am wondering if there is a simpler answer.
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Monday, November 21st, 2022 AT 3:21 PM

13 Replies

Tiny
KEN L
  • MASTER CERTIFIED MECHANIC
  • 47,512 POSTS
So, there are three fuses that run the system that need to be checked for power, fuse# 29 in the lower side of the dash fuse panel and fuses# 71 and #72 in the fuse panel in the left rear of the engine compartment. This guide will help, and I have included the fuse locations as well. If the fuses are good, there is a climate control seat relay that is on the right side of the dash I would swap out. I have included the climate-controlled seat wiring diagrams so you can see how the system works as well.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-check-a-car-fuse

Check out the images (below). Let us know what happens and please upload pictures or videos of the problem.

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Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022 AT 11:35 AM
Tiny
TIMLAW
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Hi Ken L,

Thanks for the reply. I tested all 3 of those fuses and confirmed that they are in good working order with resistance both in and out of the fuse boxes in the car.

Here is a video of the power being turned to cool and heat on both seats, with the light not turning on for the driver's side.

Is that relay that you are referring to one that requires removing the glove box to get to? Also does it control only the driver's side?

Thanks again.
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Friday, November 25th, 2022 AT 1:35 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yes, the relay controls both seats and you need to remove the glove box to service the relay.
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Saturday, November 26th, 2022 AT 11:29 AM
Tiny
TIMLAW
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Hi Ken,

I was finally able to get into the car and take the glove box out to test a new relay. The new one did not change the behavior of the climate control seats.

Next I tries opening up the center console to see if I could switch the wiring on the switches for the drivers and passengers sides, but the plugs were different so I wasn't able to try that.
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Sunday, December 4th, 2022 AT 1:20 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Okay, this leaves the system ground, the controller or the heating element in the seat is shorted out. Please unplug the seat to see if the lights come back on to the switch. Please let me know.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 11:28 AM
Tiny
TIMLAW
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Sounds good. I'll try unplugging the seat tonight and let you know.

As background, a couple months ago, the main ground on the engine harness had been chewed through by a rodent and the whole wiring harness was replaced. The seat climate control did work for a few weeks after, but then stopped.
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Tuesday, December 6th, 2022 AT 11:33 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yep, those little buggers can cause all kinds of problems. There is a ground on the right side of the dash they may have chewed through as well so I would check that as well.
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Wednesday, December 7th, 2022 AT 9:51 AM
Tiny
TIMLAW
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I unplugged the seat and verified the switch for the seat climate control behavior didn’t change. Still didn’t power on at all, the light on the switch stayed off.
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Saturday, December 10th, 2022 AT 4:55 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Okay, if the grounds are good and the climate control module of the seats is getting power this leaves the controller itself as being bad. Here is the location so you can change it out. Check out the images (below). Please let us know what happens.
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Monday, December 12th, 2022 AT 12:27 PM
Tiny
TIMLAW
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Took a while to get time to get the module and pull the seat, but this looks like it is likely the issue, there is definitely damage to the module.

Unfortunately, the wiring harness is damaged as well, and looks like it needs to be spliced in, so I am ordering a new harness. Hopefully, this will solve the issue.

Thanks again
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Monday, December 26th, 2022 AT 2:08 PM
Tiny
KEN L
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Yep, you have found the problem. I would get the new pigtail and splice it in this should fix the problem. It must have been a bad connection which caused the circuit to overheat, producing the damage you see here. Nice work.
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Tuesday, December 27th, 2022 AT 12:05 PM
Tiny
TIMLAW
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Finally got a break in the weather to splice in the new wiring harness and we now have a functional climate control seat.
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Saturday, January 7th, 2023 AT 11:59 AM
Tiny
KEN L
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Nice work! Glad you could get it fixed, thanks for letting us know. Please use 2CarPros anytime we are here to help.
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Sunday, January 8th, 2023 AT 5:48 PM

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