Chevy Seat Heat Dead: DIY Fix vs Shop Repair Guide

Had the exact same issue on my 2009 Holden Rodeo diesel last winter. The seat heater completely died on the driver's side. Turned out the heating mat under the seat cushion had failed, not just a loose connection or sensor like I'd hoped. The repair actually involved replacing the entire seat heating element assembly. The thermal sensor was fine, but the heating mat itself had developed a break in the wiring mesh. Pretty common failure point once these trucks get over 100k. Not a quick fix, the entire seat cover had to come off to access the heating elements. Required special tools and knowledge of the airbag system since the seat had to be partially disassembled. Definitely not a DIY job due to the safety systems involved. It's a serious repair that needs a proper shop since they have to calibrate the seat sensors after reassembly. Would recommend having a certified shop diagnose it properly, they can run tests to confirm if it's the heating mat or just a wiring/sensor issue.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the Rodeo seat warmer problem. I had similar heating element issues in my Colorado last year. Makes me curious, what did the repair end up costing you? The shop charged me quite a bit because they had to remove the whole seat cushion to access the broken heating mat. Also wondering if you've had any other heating repair issues since then? My passenger side started acting up recently with intermittent thermal sensor warnings, hoping I won't need both sides fixed.

Got the Colorado seat heater sorted a couple weeks ago and it's working perfectly now. The temperature control is spot-on again, such a relief with cold weather coming. The shop confirmed it was the heating mat that failed, just like I suspected from my previous experience. Total repair cost came to 390 for replacing the heating mat assembly. Bit steep, but they had to fully dismantle the seat to swap out the defective component, so I get why. Labor was most of that since they needed to carefully work around the airbag system. Haven't had a single issue since the fix, no more thermal sensor warnings or heating failures. The passenger side is still working fine too, no signs of problems there. The repair shop did a thorough check of both seat heaters while they had it in, and said the passenger side looks good. Worth mentioning that proper repairs on these seat warmers really need professional work because of all the safety systems involved. But at least when it's done right, it seems to last.

Thanks everyone for the helpful input. Finally got my seat heater fixed last week. Like most of you mentioned, it turned out to be a failed heating element that needed complete replacement. The automotive repair shop had to take the whole seat apart, which explained the labor costs. Went to a certified shop based on the advice here, paid around 450 for the full repair. They found a break in the heating mat wiring during testing. Got to watch them work on it, pretty complex job with all the seat sensors and safety systems they had to deal with. The seat warmer's working perfectly now, heats up evenly and the thermal sensor readings are normal. Glad I didn't try DIY fixes that could've messed with the airbag system. The mechanic showed me the old heating element, definitely wasn't something I could've fixed myself. Having a properly working heater again is worth every penny spent on the repair. No more error codes or cold spots. Hope this helps others facing similar issues.