1996 Park Avenue

[90 convertible]

My 96 Park Ave Ultra has decided not to allow the driver seat to be heated anymore. It was a cold winter last year here in Jersey, and my butt was not happy. What's the diagnosis?? Do I have to replace the whole seat, or is it fixable? Also, only some of the lights on the radio and climate control are lighting, are there multiple bulbs here or should I just replace them both? While we're at it, on the above console, the lights are lit for my brake and tail lights, I have stood behind that car with my wife stepping on the brake with the lights on, the only bulb I see that I have to replace is the side marker in the rear. Will this trigger the warning lights on the console??

Thanx

Jack

[GMPARTSMAN]

It could be several different things that have caused your heated seats to fail.

First suggestion is to get a factory service manual and follow the diagnostic

chart to find the failed component. If you contact me with your VIN, I can see if the needed component is still available, as if it is a heater element, it may or may not still be available from GM. On the climate control unit, this is only

serviced as a complete unit, the bulbs are a non-serviceable item, I ran into the same problem with a 92 Regal that I owned. The radio is repairable, but the parts are not available through a dealership or the aftermarket,only a Delco Radio authorized service center. They also have the training and equipment to do it, and while there are many competent non authorized shops, this is one that I would leave to the authorized shop.

[NTX5467]

There are several different electrical items that make the heated seats work, other than just the switch and the heating element. That makes diagnosis a necessary situation instead of just throwing parts at it until it's fixed.

In times past, the heated seat covers were just serviced as units only. Send GMPARTSMAN your VIN and he can track those parts to see what the availability for them is.

IF, by chance, they are discontinued, there is a service bulletin for the heated seats in later model Cadillac Cateras which gives part numbers and procedures to change just the heating elements in the existing covers. There might also be a similar bulletin for newer DeVilles, too, seems like. The Catera elements might not be quite the same size as the ones in the Park Avenue, but at least some heat is better than no heat.

Of course, the preferable way would be to replace the cover itself as it's quicker and easier to do than adding in the labor operations to carefully extract and replace the elements - and NOT damage the cover seating surface in the process. Hopefully, the problem will be in the electrical control components instead of in the seat heating element(s).

Just some thoughts . . .

NTX5467