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KIA Sportage Stuffy Seat problem
Kia Sportage, this model is tall and solid-looking, but its seats are a stuffy problem that plagues the driver on a hot summer day. In search of improvement, the owner tried various methods and even paid more than 130 dollars on a seat cushion. But the result is not satisfactory. Not only did it fail to effectively relieve the stuffy heat, but the cushion was too thick, raising the seating position and compromising driving comfort.
Studies have shown that in hot summer weather, car seat temperatures can reach 47℃ when exposed to the sun for a long time, making passengers feel uncomfortable sitting on it. Equipped with seat ventilation, the temperature can quickly drop to 28.0℃ where the human body feels comfortable.
Experience and decision-making at the tuning shop
Exactly in the tuning shop, they displayed a modified car seat and invited me to try it out. The seats felt very comfortable after I tried them, so without asking too many questions, I decided to go ahead with the modification, specifically opting for the heated seats. Next, everything was handed over to the professionals and the modification work quickly unfolded.
Detailed steps of the seat modification
Preliminary preparation and inspection
Before starting the modification, the original car seats first needed to be carefully inspected to make sure there are no potential problems. Next, the power supply and wiring of the seats were carefully disconnected to ensure safety during the modification process. Finally, the seats were completely removed from the car, making everything ready for the work ahead.
Drilling and Noise Reduction
Once the seat is removed, the next step is to drill holes in the appropriate spots for installing the fans. Once the drilling is complete, sound-deadening cotton needs to be applied to the relevant area to reduce noise. This not only ensures the smooth progress of the modification, but also provides a more comfortable driving environment for the driver.
Install fans and ventilation layer
Next, install the fans and the ventilation guide layer. Install a layer of moderately thick pre-perforated ventilated cotton for the purpose of enhancing seat comfort.
Selection and installation of heating pads
When installing a heating pad, if the original car already had the heating function, there is no need to add an additional heating pad. As for the original seat upholstery, if the original car came with heating from the factory, then its upholstery itself was already designed with heating capability. In this case, no additional heating pad would be required, as the original seat upholstery can already meet the heating needs.
Stepless Shift Switches and Cost Considerations
If the original car did not have a heating function, but the owner still wants to enjoy heated car seats, an aftermarket heating pad could be installed. Heating pads can provide an additional source of warmth to meet the owner’s needs.
Install a stepless variable speed switch, which rotates freely and makes subsequent adjustments to the heating pad very convenient. Since the car was initially not equipped with a heating pad, the modification process was relatively straightforward, saving quite a bit of time and cost. The entire modification took only two and a half hours, and the expenses mainly came from several ball-bearing fans and labor costs. In the end, the total cost is only dozens of dollars. The tuning shop also mentioned that additional cooling fins can be added to enable active cooling if the budget permits, and the air ducts of the rear A/C outlets can also be rerouted to provide ventilation for the seats, but that depends on the model. However, this particular modification package may only apply to specific models, and at a lower cost, the cooling effect may be limited. If a stronger cooling effect is desired, active cooling can be performed by using cooling chips, but accordingly, retrofit time and cost will go up.
