I’ve owned two cars with ventilated seats. In both, I never used the function more than twice because the primary result was less “oh, how refreshing” and more “did I wet myself?!”
On a hot day I once turned it on for a passenger without saying anything (it had been a few years of owning the car and I forgot the side effect). He had never been in my car before and didn’t know about the function. (I promise I wasn’t trying to prank him, I just forgot). Within a few minutes he asked me to pull over because he was worried he’d had an accident.
That’s because at the beginning the seat is hot and that needs to cool too, ventilated seats are amazing, especially if you are like me and have swamp butt/like to sweat on your back
Well, as an adult I’ve never wet myself, but - especially while wearing jeans - them feeling cool and stiff, such as the AC made them feel, is exactly how I imagine it would feel if they were flooded with warm liquid that then cooled.
That’s wild! I’ve had it in two cars and in the summer after getting sweaty outside it’s pretty great. Though I get used to it pretty quickly so I have to turn it off and on again semi frequently. Both cars also ventilated the lower and mid back which was nice.
Ah, mine never did anything but right below the butt, so perhaps that’s why I feel differently. The main car in question was also a 2014, so perhaps the technology hadn’t been fully developed by then. It was also “air conditioned” rather than “ventilated,” but I’m not sure if there’s a difference other than the name.
Though I’m sorry I can’t share the joy, it’s great that you benefitted!
Both of these just let in outside air so maybe that’s the difference. Could also be I’m in a dry climate. I imagine in the south with dew points over 70f it feels different than here with dew points below 0f.
What do you mean let in outside air? It’s the same air going out of your vents. If you put it on recirculate your seat AC will be recirculated air too. The outside air is passing over the AC evaporator coils before going out of vents/seats so it’s already dehumidified.
Not in my 2014 Corvette or my 2009 370Z. It just lets in outside air from another path as far as I know. Both communities agreed that’s the path and in my own testing I found it to be true. That said I’ve never looked up a technical document on it.
Moisture never really contributed. As I said elsewhere in this thread, I’ve never peed myself as an adult. However, I’ve primarily traveled in jeans and the feeling granted by the air conditioning seat feels exactly how I think it would feel if I wet myself, then let it dry in my jeans. I haven’t tested that though.
No joke that’s why I don’t like heated seats except on the very lowest setting (which is till sometimes too high). Feels like sitting in a puddle of warm piss.
I just want vented seats for those days where the seat material gets so hot, because to get any decent features in most new cars you HAVE to get the “leather” instead of fabric.
That’s also a sign of cheap heated seats vs proper heated seats. Cheap heated seats only heat the bottom pad, making you feel like you pissed yourself. Proper heated seats also heat your back, which makes the whole thing much more effective and enjoyable
Edit: I’d imagine the same holds for ventilated seats
Alot more expensive, heated seats ate insulation and heating coils, pretty simple, ventilated seats are more expensive, and because they are more expensive and more requested they are a premium
Ventilated seats may do this but better.
Even just talking about arms, it’s amazing how much more they can get cooled when the air is perfectly aimed to go down my sleeves…
I’ve owned two cars with ventilated seats. In both, I never used the function more than twice because the primary result was less “oh, how refreshing” and more “did I wet myself?!”
On a hot day I once turned it on for a passenger without saying anything (it had been a few years of owning the car and I forgot the side effect). He had never been in my car before and didn’t know about the function. (I promise I wasn’t trying to prank him, I just forgot). Within a few minutes he asked me to pull over because he was worried he’d had an accident.
In short, I don’t recommend ventilated seats.
That’s a bizarre reaction, I use them every day
That’s because at the beginning the seat is hot and that needs to cool too, ventilated seats are amazing, especially if you are like me and have swamp butt/like to sweat on your back
Walk me through this. What’s the sensation that made you think that?
Well, as an adult I’ve never wet myself, but - especially while wearing jeans - them feeling cool and stiff, such as the AC made them feel, is exactly how I imagine it would feel if they were flooded with warm liquid that then cooled.
That’s wild! I’ve had it in two cars and in the summer after getting sweaty outside it’s pretty great. Though I get used to it pretty quickly so I have to turn it off and on again semi frequently. Both cars also ventilated the lower and mid back which was nice.
Ah, mine never did anything but right below the butt, so perhaps that’s why I feel differently. The main car in question was also a 2014, so perhaps the technology hadn’t been fully developed by then. It was also “air conditioned” rather than “ventilated,” but I’m not sure if there’s a difference other than the name.
Though I’m sorry I can’t share the joy, it’s great that you benefitted!
Both of these just let in outside air so maybe that’s the difference. Could also be I’m in a dry climate. I imagine in the south with dew points over 70f it feels different than here with dew points below 0f.
What do you mean let in outside air? It’s the same air going out of your vents. If you put it on recirculate your seat AC will be recirculated air too. The outside air is passing over the AC evaporator coils before going out of vents/seats so it’s already dehumidified.
Not in my 2014 Corvette or my 2009 370Z. It just lets in outside air from another path as far as I know. Both communities agreed that’s the path and in my own testing I found it to be true. That said I’ve never looked up a technical document on it.
So you don’t actually get heated or cooled seats, just outside air seats?
It does heated or ambient.
Could be - I’ve never lived anywhere but humid.
I mean I’m just hazarding a guess here but… Might it be possible that you seat coolers for some reason are actually outputting humid air?
I just say because I’ve been in a few cars with this and I’ve never felt “wet”
Moisture never really contributed. As I said elsewhere in this thread, I’ve never peed myself as an adult. However, I’ve primarily traveled in jeans and the feeling granted by the air conditioning seat feels exactly how I think it would feel if I wet myself, then let it dry in my jeans. I haven’t tested that though.
What? It’s the best thing ever.
Are you the original?
I once accidentally turned on my seat warmer and halfway to work I thought I shit my pants
No joke that’s why I don’t like heated seats except on the very lowest setting (which is till sometimes too high). Feels like sitting in a puddle of warm piss.
I just want vented seats for those days where the seat material gets so hot, because to get any decent features in most new cars you HAVE to get the “leather” instead of fabric.
That’s also a sign of cheap heated seats vs proper heated seats. Cheap heated seats only heat the bottom pad, making you feel like you pissed yourself. Proper heated seats also heat your back, which makes the whole thing much more effective and enjoyable
Edit: I’d imagine the same holds for ventilated seats
They do…but they’re a hell of a lot harder to find than an old hose. Idk how vented seats aren’t more common. Much more useful than heated.
Depends on the climate
No ventilated seats are objectively more useful.
Your seat will passively heat up from your own body heat over time. That is not the case when you need the cooler air from ventilated seats.
Come hang out in -35c and then talk to me.
Alot more expensive, heated seats ate insulation and heating coils, pretty simple, ventilated seats are more expensive, and because they are more expensive and more requested they are a premium
Most manufacturers offer them now, at least in the US. The problem is you usually have to pay for the most expensive trim level to get them.
We got em in our Kia and they’re amazing this time of year.
Yea but they have an excuse to charge disproportionately more for that.
Most of the upcharge go away when buying used in my experience