Thanks to the fact that the development and production of Saab cars were located in the cold northern parts of World (Trollhattan, Sweden), Saab engineers contributed to the automotive world with numerous innovations, and thanks to the “Swedish winters” we had heated seats for the first time. Saab did it first!
Table of Contents
Heated Seats – Saab’s Innovation That Has Globally Increased Driver Comfort in Winter Conditions
Further in 1972, in Saab 99 models, the company introduced two innovations, one of which was electrically heated driver’s seats (and self-repairing bumpers).
According to advertising materials from Saab at the time, electrically heated seats were designed as a precautionary measure for the driver’s back pain, ensuring better driving pleasure and ultimately greater safety. The focus was again on the safety of both the driver and indirectly other road users.
The electrically heated driver ‘s seat, standard on the Saab 99 and 95 and 96, is another exclusive Saab feature on the 1972 models. After that, this innovation was accepted by other world car manufacturers, primarily from the premium segment, and they offer this option even today.
Here’s what Saab’s 1972 press release for the 99 said about them:
The electrically heated driver’s seat, standard in both the Saab 99 and 95 and 96 models, is another exclusive Saab feature for 1972 . Built into the seat pad and backrest of the seat, the system heats up automatically and quickly when the ignition is turned on and the interior temperature is below 58 F. A thermostat turns off the heat when the seat temperature reaches 82 F. The heating system is completely safe from electric shock and is not affected by dampness or water that might come in contact with it.
Ventilated Seats – Another of Saab’s Innovations
Comfort in winter (heated seats) and comfort in summer (ventilated seats – another innovation from Saab) imply the same set of provided circumstances, but in some segments they require the application of different technical solutions in order to achieve that.
Speaking of ventilated seats, we have to mention that this is another of Saab’s innovations: ventilated front seats. In 1997, Saab integrated ventilated seats in some passenger cars for the first time. Back then, it was in the new Saab 9-5 model, which was offered with this feature.
What You Need to Know About Heated Seats
One of the important systems that contributes to the joy of passengers and drivers during the icy winter mornings, is certainly the one that is in charge of heating the seats. It is especially valuable to us in the first moments of driving, while the car is still unable to provide warm air to heat the cabin due to the “cold engine” (unless you have an integrated independent heating system on your Saab – or aka “parking heater”).
Nowadays, it is really difficult to find a new car, especially a premium class, which does not have heated seats on the list of equipment. However, a system has not yet been invented that would be able to provide warm seats at the same second as the driver wishes, freeing passengers from the required patience to overcome the first minutes of morning freezing in the vehicle.
However, there is one simple and easy tactic that is guaranteed to be successful and can help the “gluteus of the passenger” to more easily endure those “critical moments of cold”.
What determines the speed at which the seat heats up?
Of course, this primarily depends on the outside air temperature, then on the design characteristics of a particular seat, as well as on the actual thermal power of the thermocouples installed in the seat. It is clear that our hands are completely tied when we consider the impact on the first two moments.
The actual heating effect depends on the strength and voltage of the current in the car’s electrical network. There are usually two sources of electricity in a vehicle. These are the battery and the alternator. After starting the engine, the battery usually needs to be recharged, especially if it is an older battery.
Thus, it itself becomes a consumer of electricity in the first minutes, even tens of minutes (depending on the degree of discharge), and we can hardly rely on it in terms of electricity supply to other systems in the vehicle.
Thus, the only remaining source is the alternator. And his powers, after all, like no other technical device in a vehicle, are not unlimited. Usually, as soon as we start the engine, we turn on the seat heating. But in addition to heating the seats, there are several other important electrical consumers, such as in some vehicles the heating of the steering wheel, and most of us also have rear windshield heaters.
As a result of such circumstances, it turns out that our alternator is forced to meet the requirements not only of the thermocouples in the seat, but also to service the requirements of other systems in the vehicle.
Above all, it is usually the burden of the alternator while we are still standing still, and the engine is idle, which implies that the power of the alternator is reduced to a minimum, while on the other hand there is a lot of “thirsty” power consumers.
How to help seat heaters?
So what to do? It is first necessary to determine priorities, as we said, and everything that is not really so important to us, it is necessary to exclude, at least until we feel that “some strange heat” covers our buttocks and loins. It is perfectly understandable to estimate that heated rear window is critical, and that this system remains active with heated seats.
In that case, we can help the alternator by raising the crankshaft speed from idle to possibly 2,000 to 2,500 rpm. However, this is also controversial advice because it is not wise to force the engine to run in place (for environmental reasons), and especially not with increased engine speed until the operating temperature is reached. In addition, the system does not allow discharging the battery below a certain extent, so it will hold a larger idle engine speeds if necessary.
The essence of all the above is that you always have completely correct and functional batteries and alternator, and that the battery is in good condition. Also, turning off other unnecessary electrical consumers will speed up and facilitate heated seats during the winter months.
Advice … never kneel on the heated seats since that’s an easy way to break one or more of somewhat fragile heating wires (from one who has learned by doiung).