We purchased a new 2010 CX-9 in late November. It has now been in the shop for the past 22 days. The issue was the battery would drain down completely in the matter of just a few hours. The dealership has tracked it down to a problem with the front seat heaters. They have indicated that Mazda is aware of this problem but they don't really have a fix for it. Seems very odd to me. Direct contact with Mazda has not provided me with answers. Has anyone else had this problem? Someday I'd like to be able to drive our new car again. They are coming up dangerously close to lemon law territory if they don't get this figured out. Again, just curious if anyone else has had this issue.
Seat heaters draining battery
- Thread starter Metalroof
- Start date
Good questions. No, the heaters are off but even with the car and the heaters off, they are still pulling power and that drains the battery in a matter of a few hours. The really funny thing to top it off is that the seat heaters never really got warm even when they were on so somehow they are draining and discharging power before the warming unit even kicks on. According to the dealership, the initial response from mazda has been that they know they have a problem with these seat warmers, they are on back order, but the replacement ones (even when they do come in) may very well do the same thing the original ones did.
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- 2022 CX-5 Turbo
That was a very good suggestion from SportOwner.
Install a current meter attached to the battery, and start to pull fuse (start with the one for seat warmer) one by one to see which one is the culprit.
I am sure your dealer probably has done that and came to that conclusion.
You should call Mazda corporate directly at some point instead of waiting passively.
22 days is too long for such a small issue unless parts are on order or on the ship from Japan (heavy item).
Install a current meter attached to the battery, and start to pull fuse (start with the one for seat warmer) one by one to see which one is the culprit.
I am sure your dealer probably has done that and came to that conclusion.
You should call Mazda corporate directly at some point instead of waiting passively.
22 days is too long for such a small issue unless parts are on order or on the ship from Japan (heavy item).
Thanks all for your input. Sorting out whether Mazda doesn't have a fix or whether the dealership just hasn't tracked down the exact place of the problem seems to be the issue. I will keep pushing and maybe quit being so patient. I do believe there must be a live short someplace. Thanks again.
I also have a 2010 cx-9 we recieved on 12/22/09, it has been to the dealer 2 times with the battery dead, my wife has missed work for this and might loose her job over this. My wife now hates the car. I am being told it is the seat heater and they have been disconnected with no eta on the repair. I also am looking into the lemon law.
Me too! Dead battery
Just got my 2010 CX-9 7 days ago, and today it was completely dead. I called the dealer, who suggested I try Mazda Roadside assistance. They sent the "pop-a-lock" guy to jump start the car, with no luck. I called them back, they sent a tow truck to get it to the dealer, but he was able jump the car (lesson #1...ask them to send a tow truck the first time!). I drove right to the dealer, and when I got out of the car, I noticed my purse that had been laying on the passenger seat was hot, but I didn't have that seat heater on. I mentioned this to the service guy. They checked the computer, and there is a Mazda technical service bulletin out about seat heaters draining the battery. There is no fix at this time, but the TSB recommends disconnecting the seat heaters, which they did. I'm supposed to "wait" for a call from them about the fix. Now I wonder, how long has this TSB been out, and how can they knowingly sell cars that have a big defect like this??? I love this car, but I hope this isn't the start of major issues. I'd love to hear if many others are having this problem, or get a copy of the TSB.
Just got my 2010 CX-9 7 days ago, and today it was completely dead. I called the dealer, who suggested I try Mazda Roadside assistance. They sent the "pop-a-lock" guy to jump start the car, with no luck. I called them back, they sent a tow truck to get it to the dealer, but he was able jump the car (lesson #1...ask them to send a tow truck the first time!). I drove right to the dealer, and when I got out of the car, I noticed my purse that had been laying on the passenger seat was hot, but I didn't have that seat heater on. I mentioned this to the service guy. They checked the computer, and there is a Mazda technical service bulletin out about seat heaters draining the battery. There is no fix at this time, but the TSB recommends disconnecting the seat heaters, which they did. I'm supposed to "wait" for a call from them about the fix. Now I wonder, how long has this TSB been out, and how can they knowingly sell cars that have a big defect like this??? I love this car, but I hope this isn't the start of major issues. I'd love to hear if many others are having this problem, or get a copy of the TSB.
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- 2022 CX-5 Turbo
It seems to me that this is a new issue associated with 2010 only since it has the new 2-setting seat heater. Some new part is causing the problem, and Mazda is trying to find the lowest cost way to fix it. I don't know of any 2007-2009 has similar issue, but I could be wrong.
Like I said in another thread... I don't think my seat warmers work on my 2010. I wonder if someone had disconnected them before we recieved the vehicle, and if so they should have told us. My lights still light up on the dash though, but I wonder where they "pull the plug" from. Can anyone find that TSB so that I can check to see if mine are unhooked from the place it instructs them to? I have not had a battery draining problem yet. To the people who have had the problem... does it matter if you leave the seat warmer on before shutting of the car or could it happen anytime?
There is a TSB out for this problem. The TSB is brand new,as in we got the info last week thursday.
It directs the dealer to disconnect the seat heater connector under the seat for the time being as there is no fix for it right now....
It directs the dealer to disconnect the seat heater connector under the seat for the time being as there is no fix for it right now....
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Bosy70... my problem occurred with both seat heater switches in off position. After getting a jump and driving to the dealer, the passenger seat heated up (unoccupied) with the seat heater switch OFF. The dealer disconnected the seat heaters (I'm not sure what they did exactly), but my seat heater lights still come on if I turn them on.
I hope they find a fix soon, so I can enjoy this feature I just paid for!! And I hope this isn't the beginning of other electrical bugs!
I hope they find a fix soon, so I can enjoy this feature I just paid for!! And I hope this isn't the beginning of other electrical bugs!
I do not think it makes any difference whether the heaters are on or off when you shut the car off.
When I was looking at these cars at the dealership, they tried to start a left over 2009 they had and it was dead. The service guy said that happens all the time.
Like I said, my seat heaters never really seemed to do much ... I wonder now if they could have been disconnected and the problem was still happening.
My dealershop tells me parts are coming from Mazda but no date has been given.
I have not seen the TSB.
When I was looking at these cars at the dealership, they tried to start a left over 2009 they had and it was dead. The service guy said that happens all the time.
Like I said, my seat heaters never really seemed to do much ... I wonder now if they could have been disconnected and the problem was still happening.
My dealershop tells me parts are coming from Mazda but no date has been given.
I have not seen the TSB.
I was thinking to get a 2010 CX-9 Sport with power seat. It seems that I may have to wait for the problem to be solved, or just get a CX-9 without any options.
PS: It seems that this is a more universal problem. see the message at Edmunds:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f113201.f1131db/2335#MSG2335
brand new CX-9, heated seat got unplugged
PS: It seems that this is a more universal problem. see the message at Edmunds:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f113201.f1131db/2335#MSG2335
brand new CX-9, heated seat got unplugged
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buyer101 at Edmunds provided additional information for the heated seats problem. And some one there also reported that the CX-9 inventory in northeast region is low, which could be the verification of dealer's words.
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f113201.f1131db/2346#MSG2346
#2347 of 2347
Re: 2010 GT CX-9 Ramsey Mazda [aviboy97] by buyer101
Jan 12, 2010 (6:13 am)
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Replying to: aviboy97 (Jan 11, 2010 10:05 am)
I got my 2010 CX9 in last week of November. Have used the seat heaters a couple of times and not had the battery problem. Called my dealership yesterday to clarify if they had "disconnected" the seat heater without my knowledge before delivering it to me. They said they did no such thing and added that the problem of the seat heaters started on the batch of CX9's that Mazda delivered in December.
They also said that Mazda is holding onto inventory at Port Newark and nothing is being released to dealers, so pretty much no one in NJ has any stock of 2010 CX9's.
I don't know how much of this is the truth and how much is educated guesswork or pure baloney on the part of my dealer, but just wanted to put it out on the forum
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f113201.f1131db/2346#MSG2346
#2347 of 2347
Re: 2010 GT CX-9 Ramsey Mazda [aviboy97] by buyer101
Jan 12, 2010 (6:13 am)
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Replying to: aviboy97 (Jan 11, 2010 10:05 am)
I got my 2010 CX9 in last week of November. Have used the seat heaters a couple of times and not had the battery problem. Called my dealership yesterday to clarify if they had "disconnected" the seat heater without my knowledge before delivering it to me. They said they did no such thing and added that the problem of the seat heaters started on the batch of CX9's that Mazda delivered in December.
They also said that Mazda is holding onto inventory at Port Newark and nothing is being released to dealers, so pretty much no one in NJ has any stock of 2010 CX9's.
I don't know how much of this is the truth and how much is educated guesswork or pure baloney on the part of my dealer, but just wanted to put it out on the forum
I also experienced the drained battery problem with my 2010 CX9 purchased in late December. The dealer informed me they were just made aware of that the passenger seat heat warmer is draining power even in the off position. They actually had engineers from Japan come on site in the last week to further investigate. For now, the work around is to have them disconnect the passenger seat warmer (not exactly sure how). A more permanent fix is supposedly coming.
Should I be concerned with this issue causing any longer term damage to the battery, alternator, or other components?
Should I be concerned with this issue causing any longer term damage to the battery, alternator, or other components?
Anyone else have a 2010 model and not had a dead battery? I haven't had this problem, but I rarely have anyone in the passenger seat to use the heater. Does this only happen if the heated seat is left in the on position when the car is turned off? I don't think I've ever done this.
Dropped the car off at the dealer today and asked the service rep about it. He said not to worry about it if I haven't experienced it yet and that they would not have disconnected the heaters themselves.
Dropped the car off at the dealer today and asked the service rep about it. He said not to worry about it if I haven't experienced it yet and that they would not have disconnected the heaters themselves.
