does heated seats use gas or electricity?

[Frase's LS]

using the heat uses gas, i know that. What about the heated seats? I know its a dumb question but hey, when it comes to the specifics on a car, im as dumb as they come.

[shorod]

I'm not sure what you are referring to by "gas." The heat really doesn't use much gas. The heat is taken from the hot coolant that is circulating through the engine. The coolant is routed into the cabin and through the heater core. The heater core is basically a miniature radiator. The blower motor blows air across the fins of the heater core, through the ducts, and into the cabin through the vents. It's really not using much extra gas.

The air conditioning does decrease fuel economy because the engine then needs to run a compressor which compresses the refridgerant to remove the humidity from the air, thus cooling the air. Because the compressor is driven off of the accessory drive belt, it does take a bit of extra fuel when you use the A/C.

As for the heated seats, they are electric heaters. However, the electric heated seats do use a fair amount of electrical current. This added current draw on the electrical system will load the alternator somewhat and may cause a negligible decrease in fuel economy. I'd be surprised if you'd ever notice a drop in economy due to using the seat heaters though.

-Rod

[Frase's LS]

you're the man shorod. is there anything you dont know? hahaha. all these years ive been under the impression that using the heater in your car uses up more gas, causing some cold rides when driving home from school on a low gas tank. haha. btw, im gonna use those tips you gave me on my coils tomorrow. ill let you know if i get rid of that sputtering/ rough idle problem. heres another one man, in the morning, my belt squeels for a little while. as soon as i start to drive it, it goes away and doesnt return until the car sits for long time, like overnight. how can i get rid of that problem? the dealer said that he changed the serpentine belt already.hmmm

[shorod]

Originally Posted by Frase's LS

heres another one man, in the morning, my belt squeels for a little while. as soon as i start to drive it, it goes away and doesnt return until the car sits for long time, like overnight. how can i get rid of that problem? the dealer said that he changed the serpentine belt already.hmmm

Well, it could be partially due to the type of belt the dealer installed (I've had all sorts of problems with Dayco belts) or you may have a pulley alignment issue or belt self tensioner or idler pulley that is going out.

You may try removing the belt and spinning all of the pulleys by hand. Pay close attention for any roughness or noise. If you find one or more that are rough or making noise, you may have a bearing that's about to fail. As the bearing warms up, parts begin to expand and the tolerance may open up enough to cause the noise to quiet, or the lubricant may flow enough to quiet the part down.

One thing you might try is to apply a short squirt of silicone spray lube or brake cleaner to both sides of the belt while the engine is running. Have your safety glasses on in case the "short" squirt isn't short enough. If the noise temporarily subsides, then the problem is likely with the belt itself rather than a bearing/pulley. In case you're curious, I've had good luck with Gates belts and Kelley-Springfield belts.

-Rod