I feel like I'm on a subscription to heated seat controls

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SnowDrifter

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Ok so.... The seat / pedal controls on the door? I don't seem to get along with.

Works fine for a year or 2, then roll into winter and it just goes stupid and stays stupid.

I've tracked it down to moisture and humidity. Seems like rain, humidity, cold weather causes the thing to start activating and triggering key presses on the heated seat (in much the same way rain would interact with the touch screen on your smart phone).

I've had the door apart, checked that no water is dripping onto it or the connectors, checked that weather stripping is good, and re-did the plastic weather shield. All of that checks out. It's the button box itself. I can breathe through the thing and moist it up to cause the thing to act up and replicate behavior.


I have a new one ready to go in. But in the interest of not doing the same thing again and expecting different results.... Howm'st does one water proof the things? Normally I'd go around the clamshell and seal things up with a mix of butyl and dielectric grease. But being that this has physical buttons on it, I can't think of any good ways to properly seal the things and still allow for key press. Conformal coating on the pcb and maybe an anaerobic sealant between the button diaphragm and pcb? Attach a heating strip to it so it self-dries?

Any y'all have a known good fix.... Or, and I acknowledge I'm just getting the cheap switches from doorman.... A known good switch that's less fussy about environmental conditions and can tolerate getting wet (windows down, rain... Wet...)
 

Fless

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FWIW Dorman switches should be lifetime warranty.
 

dps01

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@SnowDrifter

Had random heated seat activation on my 03 Z71. Heated seat gremlin would manifest itself after a rain.

Finally tracked it to the front frame ground on the drivers side.

Removed, cleaned, greased and tightened. No further issues.

Might be something worth checking…
to rule it out.
IMG_2411.jpegIMG_2414.jpeg

IMG_2418.jpeg
 
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justirv

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As a former electronic tech, I was impressed of your suggestions re: conformal coating, etc., , as these were going to be my responses. I think @dps01 is on to something, as I find most of my gremlins were associated with grounds, until I went Big 3.
 

homesick

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I have to agree. Wonky grounds cause lots of weird issues.

joe
 
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SnowDrifter

SnowDrifter

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@SnowDrifter

Had random heated seat activation on my 03 Z71. Heated seat gremlin would manifest itself after a rain.

Finally tracked it to the front frame ground on the drivers side.

Removed, cleaned, greased and tightened. No further issues.

Might be something worth checking…
to rule it out.
View attachment 471157View attachment 471158

View attachment 471156
No kidding?

That's wild. I'll definitely check that! Once uhh.... It's not absolutely pouring rain. Ack!
 

S33k3r

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As a former electronic tech, I was impressed of your suggestions re: conformal coating, etc., , as these were going to be my responses. I think @dps01 is on to something, as I find most of my gremlins were associated with grounds, until I went Big 3.
Another thing I have experienced is that dust will get on the door circuit board. Then when you have water or humidity, you get the same results. Might try cleaning the board. I've hear of people putting a coating on it, but I don't know anything about coating them.
 

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