Jaguar XJ Seat Heater Failure: Fix Guide & Costs

I dealt with a very similar seat heating issue on my 2005 Jaguar XF diesel last winter. With some experience working on automotive repair jobs, I can share what happened in my case. The thermal sensor and seat heating mat were completely dead, showing no response when tested. After initial diagnosis at my regular workshop, they confirmed the entire seat heating element had failed, not just the wiring or connections. The seat cushion had to be removed to access and replace the defective components. The complete repair involved: Removing the seat cover, Replacing the seat heating mat, Installing a new thermal sensor, testing the system thoroughly Total cost was 390€ including parts and labor. The repair took about 3 hours to complete. To provide more specific advice for your case, could you share: Have you noticed any intermittent heating before complete failure? Does the issue affect both driver and passenger seats? Are there any visible damage signs on the seat surface? Which workshop warning lights or error codes are you seeing? This kind of seat warmer failure is fairly common in Jaguars of that era, but knowing these details would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced.

Currently at 145417 KM and coming up on the annual service. The temperature control module was actually tested and showed readings, suggesting the seat heating element itself is likely the culprit. My seat heater went completely dead without any warning signs. The heating repair specialist confirmed the thermal sensors are functioning, but the heating element in the seat cushion is not responding at all. The surface leather shows no visible damage. Worth noting these seat warmer failures seem more common in models from our production year. Based on the responses so far, a complete heating element replacement sounds inevitable. A workshop quote puts the repair at roughly 450€. Has anyone tried any alternative solutions before going for the full replacement?

Thanks for the additional details about your seat heater issue. From my repair experience with the same model year Jaguar, I can confirm that sudden failures of the seat heating element are unfortunately typical, even with working thermal sensors. After dealing with my own repair, I did explore some alternatives before the full replacement, but none proved effective long-term. The seat heater matrix is typically an all-or-nothing fix, when it fails, partial repairs rarely work. Your quoted repair cost of 450€ is actually reasonable, considering current parts prices. The labor cost makes sense too, as proper replacement requires careful disassembly of the seat to avoid damaging the temperature control components and leather. Since your thermal sensors are still functioning, you might save some money compared to my repair which needed both the heating element and sensor replacement. Make sure the workshop uses genuine heating mat components though, I learned the hard way that aftermarket parts can be unreliable for the seat heating system. Given the mileage and age of our models, investing in the repair makes sense if you plan to keep the car. The seat warmer is a comfort feature worth maintaining, especially since other major components should still have good service life remaining.

Based on your detailed feedback about the seat heater system, I think proceeding with the complete heating element replacement is my best option. The 450€ quote seems fair compared to other repair experiences shared here. The seat warmer stopped working suddenly in my case, and now I understand this is a common failure pattern in our model year. Since my temperature control module and thermal sensors are still good, just replacing the heating element in the seat cushion should fix the issue. I appreciate the warning about aftermarket parts. Will definitely ensure the workshop uses genuine components for the seat heating system repair. Given how often I use this feature and my plans to keep the car, the investment makes sense. Just booked the repair for next week during the annual service. Will update this thread afterward to share my experience for others who might face similar seat heater failures in these Jaguars.