TL;DR: Heated seats draw between 140 and 170 Watts each, while the steering wheel heater draws 113 to 170 Watts.
NTLDR:
I wanted to know how much power the heated seats consume and couldn’t find concrete answers. Using some basic electrical principles, I calculated it:
Automotive circuits typically run at 13.7–14.7 V (though my car measured at 15.1 V).
The seats share a 30 A fuse, and the steering wheel has a 15 A fuse.
Assuming circuits peak at 75% of the fuse rating:
Seats: ~22.5 A max → 140–170 W per seat
Steering wheel: ~11.25 A max → 113–170 W
This means running both the steering wheel and driver’s seat at max would reduce range by 1–2 miles per hour. In contrast, the cabin heater costs about 25 miles of range per hour when maxed out.
This power draw is small, but I love having precise numbers!
Han said:
Thanks for breaking this down! I’m not a fan of heated seats, but my partner loves them. Heated steering wheels, though? Absolutely worth it!
I wish I could heat my lower back to the max and just warm the seat bottom. Free physical therapy!