Heated Steering Wheel Behavior Change?

[lionsfan54]

I searched and didn't find a ton... sorry if I missed a thread. 2013 SV, bought it used in April. Early on the heated wheel would come on and stay nice and warm for an extended period. But now that winter is really here and I'm using the heated wheel more and more it comes on with great fury (very hot), then it fades to nothing after about 2 min. The only way to get it hot again is to manually turn it off and wait a few min.

I have about 2 weeks left on my bumper to bumper warranty so I plan to take it in soon, but wanted some ammo in case the dealer pulls the "working as designed" crap on me since I swear it wasn't doing this back in April.

thanks in advance

 

[jjeff]

They all act that way
Hot then cold, we really need a LOW setting but it's one of those things that Nissan never cares to change. People have been complaining of the same thing since '11 and Nissan does nothing.....
Some people manually turn off the heat once it starts getting hot, then turn it back on a while later once it starts to cool. Note you don't have to turn it off then on to start it heating again, just wait and it will come back on by itself, albeit when the steering wheel feels like it's getting cold.
This "quirk" and the fact that the door unlock buttons are NOT illuminated are IMO 2 "quirks" that basically everyone dislikes about the Leaf but for whatever reason falls on deaf ears :?

 

[lionsfan54]

Ok, thanks. I have some interior door trim wearing away so I'm taking it in for that and the CarWings update anyway, so I'll at least mention the wheel thing.

It just seems odd that it wasn't doing this before.

 

[HornsKeith]

It just seems odd that it wasn't doing this before.

I've had times where ours will get pleasantly warm and stay at a more or less consistent temperature. Other times it will get roaringly hot and then cool down to barely above ambient. Go figure.

Keith

 

[RonDawg]

Jeff is correct; the behavior seen with the steering wheel heaters is perfectly normal. It's been talked about before in this forum.

 

[LeftieBiker]

I think that the wheel heater is cycling as usual, but that in really cold weather you feel the "off" cycles much more than in milder weather. The band-aid "solution" is to turn the heater off manually as soon as the wheel is toasty warm, and back on and off as needed. You can keep it warmer overall if it isn't allowed to cycle off, because the thermostat is always in the "on" position when it's activated.

 

[lionsfan54]

thanks everyone

 

[Darryl]

I think that the wheel heater is cycling as usual, but that in really cold weather you feel the "off" cycles much more then in milder weather. The band-aid "solution" is to turn the heater off manually as soon as the wheel is toasty warm, and back on and off as needed. You can keep it warmer overall if it isn't allowed to cycle off, because the thermostat is always in the "on" position when it's activated.

I think this theory is probably correct. Here in the South. I didn't think my wheel heater ever turned off. It seems to work perfectly fine.

 

[RonDawg]

I think that the wheel heater is cycling as usual, but that in really cold weather you feel the "off" cycles much more then in milder weather.

I think this theory is probably correct. Here in the South. I didn't think my wheel heater ever turned off. It seems to work perfectly fine.

Here in SoCal I could feel the steering wheel heater on my 2012 Leaf cycle on and off, and our winters are nothing like those in the northeast.