Auto start drivers seat heating

[wheelnut]

I am intrigued. In the Climate menu on Sensus, there is the option for "Auto start drivers seat heating". The help text says "activation when starting in cold weather". I have had this ticked on and it doesn't seem to do anything.
Not sure how much use it would be (unless it can warm the seat up before I get up) or perhaps it just hasn't got cold enough yet!

[St Evelyn]

I have that ticked on mine, same as the auto rear de-frost.

I'm not sure of the precise threshold, but both definitely come on first thing in the morning when I start the car and it is below around 7 or 8 degrees. Mind you, my car sits on the driveway overnight, might be that keeping in a garage or sheltered location causes the car to read a higher temp when the engine is started than it truly is outside (external temp sensor is housed in driver's side door mirror).

[LikesToFly]

I believe it automatically activates heated seats (and steering wheel if fitted) at 5 deg C.

[H20 VOLVO]

Not got the auto feature on mine. MY 12. Unless it's on a Sensus upgrade?

[wheelnut]

Mine is MY12 and it was on the last Sensus update. It hasn't been cold enough yet to test it out!

[Westyman]

Certainly works on my XC60 much to SWMBO's annoyance - she has to turn her seat on manually!!

[Philip Fisher]

Can i ask, where in the menu system is this option?

[wheelnut]

Mine now seem to be working. Car was in for service yesterday and the software was obviously upgraded. When I set all the settings back to my preferences, and set the Auto Drivers Seat setting to on, car seat now comes on full blast when I start the car. Temp was 6 above freezing at the time.

Would love to see some sort of software update log to see what else is changed in the upgrade.

[St Evelyn]

I spoke to MRG about this just this week as my seat seems to now turn on at all manner of temperatures.

I was on a road test with Jim (the master tech) where I turned the heating off before turning the car off. When we re-started the engine the seat came back on again at high temp despite the outside temperature showing 8 degrees; we did this because the seat came on when the car was reading 12 the other day!

Lunchtime today was the first time in months that it hasn't come on by itself - but then the sun had been on the mirror all morning and the car was reading 18 degrees before getting moving and dropping back to 12.

Anyway, Jim checked the service spec and there's no confirmation of what temperature it should activate at - it simply states 'when cold', same as the Sensus menu does.
It would be helpful if this sort of detail was confirmed in the service bulletins, that way we have a better chance of identifying if there is a fault.

[clivea]

Originally Posted by St Evelyn

I spoke to MRG about this just this week as my seat seems to now turn on at all manner of temperatures.

I was on a road test with Jim (the master tech) where I turned the heating off before turning the car off. When we re-started the engine the seat came back on again at high temp despite the outside temperature showing 8 degrees; we did this because the seat came on when the car was reading 12 the other day!

Lunchtime today was the first time in months that it hasn't come on by itself - but then the sun had been on the mirror all morning and the car was reading 18 degrees before getting moving and dropping back to 12.

Anyway, Jim checked the service spec and there's no confirmation of what temperature it should activate at - it simply states 'when cold', same as the Sensus menu does.
It would be helpful if this sort of detail was confirmed in the service bulletins, that way we have a better chance of identifying if there is a fault.

I would agree with you about the software updates not being detailed. Last year mine went in for service and the when the light switch is in the daytime running position (left) a flash of the lights will latch the main beams on full just like the night running position (right hand position). So in effect both positions are identical now. MRG took it up with Volvo but nothing came back. So it will be interesting what happens on my next service will be interesting. Oh for a naturally aspirated non-turbo, petrol, manual car with chain cam engine, conventional handbrake and just a few well located switches.