Ventilated Seat Intake

[rmnoonan]

I've searched around but can't find an answer. Does anyone know where the air intake is for the ventilated seats? I'm really just trying to figure out if I can clean up the fans as I'm getting a musty smell when they turn on.

[hugo_nz]

The are direct intake fans in that they suck in the air directly around them. Seat base from below the seat and seat back from the cavity between the seat trom and backrest. It's a more cost effective solution that used by, say, Mercedes Benz where the fans are ducted and the intake sits in the backrest.

[rmnoonan]

So no way to clean them or service the fans? You just replace the entire seat? dang!

Originally Posted by hugo_nz

The are direct intake fans in that they suck in the air directly around them. Seat base from below the seat and seat back from the cavity between the seat trom and backrest. It's a more cost effective solution that used by, say, Mercedes Benz where the fans are ducted and the intake sits in the backrest.

[Opie55]

Originally Posted by rmnoonan

So no way to clean them or service the fans? You just replace the entire seat? dang!

I suppose it depends on how ambitious you are. You can remove the upholstery to get to the fans. That's what happens if the seat heater elements need to be replaced. Those fans move so little air I can't picture them stinking up the car. I always forget they exist because, like my MB before this car, they are nearly useless.

[Luftpost]

Have you checked to see if there are any old french fries under the seat or perhaps something that needs cleaning under the seat?

L

[Qsilver7]

There are sooooo many jokes that can be made in regards to the aroma coming from seats when turning on your ventilated seats (like gaseous smells?).

But as stated above, the fans circulate air through a “permeable” layer in the seats and aren’t really “ducted”. Their design uses thermal dynamic principles (evaporation of perspiration/sweat by way of wicking it away from the surfaces your body contacts the seat) to keep passengers cool versus blowing air on them.

[rmnoonan]

Always learning something new! Thanks everyone.

Originally Posted by Qsilver7

There are sooooo many jokes that can be made in regards to the aroma coming from seats when turning on your ventilated seats (like gaseous smells?).

But as stated above, the fans circulate air through a “permeable” layer in the seats and aren’t really “ducted”. Their design uses thermal dynamic principles (evaporation of perspiration/sweat by way of wicking it away from the surfaces your body contacts the seat) to keep passengers cool versus blowing air on them.

[JBF650]

I rather like my ventilated seats and mine work very well. I live in Sydney Australia we never really get bone chilling cold so rarely if ever do I feel the need to use heated seats in any of my cars.
The 'cooled' seats though are actually nice, on warm sticky days I find not only do they cool the seats down the air being blown through stops that unpleasant clothes sticking to you that normally happens with leather seats in summer.
As for yours 'smelling musty' .... I would suggest perhaps shampooing the carpets or check for water leaking into the cabin or dampness in the seat itself. Are you able to leave the windows down to air the car for a few days?
The fans draw air from the cabin as described above so the source of the 'mustiness' is perhaps dampness already in the cars carpets or seats.....