General Motors Can Retrofit Heated Seats In 2022
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Late last week, it was reported that General Motors would cut several popular comfort features from crossover and pickup truck models across its lineup, including heated seats and ventilated seats. Now, however, GM has indicated that it will be able to retrofit these two features on affected models as soon as next year.
According to a recent report from Automotive News, General Motors has confirmed that all U.S. vehicles previously affected by the deletion of both heated seats and ventilated seats will be eligible for a retrofit to have those features installed later. What’s more, GM says it will cover the cost of the retrofit for each affected vehicle.
Previously, it was announced that affected vehicles would receive a credit of $150 to $500. Now, however, with the availability of a free retrofit next year, affected vehicles will instead receive a credit of $50, per the Automotive News report, citing a memo sent to dealers. Unfortunately, the memo also states that vehicles missing heated steering wheels, another feature affected by the recent feature deletion, cannot have that feature retrofitted after the fact. As such, vehicles missing a heated steering wheel will include a credit of $150.
As reported previously, the feature reduction will affect well over a dozen nameplates from all four of GM’s U.S. brands, including GMC, Chevy, Cadillac, and Buick. Just a few of the models affected include the Chevy Colorado, Chevy Silverado, Chevy Trailblazer, GMC Canyon, GMC Sierra, GMC Terrain, Cadillac XT4, Cadillac XT5, Cadillac XT6, Buick Enclave, and Buick Envision. Check out GM Authority’s previous coverage for a complete list of which models are affected from each brand (GMC, Chevy, Cadillac, Buick).
The news that General Motors will be able to retrofit heated seats and ventilated seats as early as next year no doubt comes as a relief to both dealers and customers alike. In a recent report from market research firm AutoPacific, heated seats are the number-one most sought-after feature among car buyers.
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You can retro fit anything but it will not be at the cost of the credit you were given.
??? There will be no cost to the purchaser for the retrofit of the heated seats and they will still receive the $50 credit for the inconvenience of having to wait and take the vehicle back later to have the heated seat activated.
They can put the heated steering wheels in also and add chips in later to activate doing with the seats that require heating grids just install the required steering wheel
Living in Canada 🇨🇦 and not having those features is a deal breaker gets mighty cold here in winter month brrr I feel the chill now !!! Then wait for retro fit and can be delayed for month on end with no set date to install !! Gm dropped the ball on this one I’m sure it will bite them where it counts in the consumer confidence where customers start looking at other manufacturers!
I’m from NS Canada and heated seats and steering wheel are a must! GM everyone knows about this chip shortage. Just make the chips yourself lol. Anyway I would Install the heated seats and wheel minus the “chip” then when they are available issue a recall notice to get the chip installed. Yea there will be dumb people out there complaining about “if I can’t use it I’m not paying for it” but I would rather have everything in a vehicle and require a dealership visit to activate it then driving around in a brand new Escalade with out heated seats and steering wheel. That stuff is standard on literally every vehicle. It would be the same as saying you can’t install air conditioning. Have a plan for the stupid people who will make a fuss about it like a couple months of free oil changes or something. Just make sure the equipment is factory installed like always.
How will the chips be installed? Will they have to tear my new truck apart to install them? where are these chips located on my truck?
I ordered a 2022 Silverado 2500 LTZ , Z71in December of 2021, I just this week went and picked it up, (it took 6 months from start to finish). She sure is a beauty. Anyway I am wondering when they will get the chips and how and where they will be located?
Anyone have any idea?
This is good news, good call GM! Alright, now please let s push out those diesel LTD High Countrys which are stuck in your system.
I guess GM is definitely listening to comments here about a number of people saying they will cancel their orders if GM doesn’t give them what they originally ordered.
Good for you GM !!
Am I missing something here? The shortage is the chips, not the heated seats and heated steering wheels themselves, correct? So wouldn’t the scenario be to install the physical components as normal, so that they are already present in the vehicles, and then simply install the chips when they become available?
The chips are usually integrated into the part, i.e., heated steering wheel, so they would have to receive a “heated steering wheel” from the supplier without the controls in it, then replace the wheel with proper one from the supplier, when available.
Thanks Eric. Now it makes sense. So what they really mean, and what they should be saying is, the parts, such as the seats and steering wheels aren’t available, because of the chip shortage, for those of us who don’t work in the automobile industry and aren’t aware that each component contains its own chip, vs the chips being installed in a compartment the like a fuse box.
Are any Silverados being built now have heated seats and steering wheel with chips included and working, if not what is the expected wait for the retrofit?
I just received word that if you put in an order early enough (eg. aug- sept) you might be ok as there are no deleted components showing on build order. ?
This all depends on what the stock level of microchips are at the time your vehicle goes into production. Let’s be happy enough in knowing that even if we don’t get these features at the time of delivery, we can rest assured that we will eventually get them at no cost other than the inconvenience of having to take them in for a day of service. I haven’t heard anything yet from the other auto manufacturers if they will do the same so let’s be grateful GM is stepping up and recognizing that these are important features to us and valuable for resale down the road.
What other auto makers have stopped making heated / cooled seats available?
Fantastic!
It is nice to know that GM is listening to some customers and not to others , like the 8speed transmissions that GM won’t fix under warranty. No pats on the back just yet until GM comes good on everything.
It makes no sense to deny . Customers the heated steering wheel and seats. Simply build the car ready to accept the chips at a later date.
I’m hoping my 3500 DRW won’t be impacted but I’m guessing it will since by build week is next Monday.
Of course they should do this!! The last number I heard was 10K “partial builds” sitting in TX. That was months ago. I can only imagine how many are sitting there now! Mary wants her money for them now. So, I would imagine that’s why we’re hearing about retrofits now.
This is all so damn unnecessary! Why are we not building multiple microchip/microprocessor plants all over the country?? Why do we let China, Japan, Korea or wherever else we import them from bring us to our knees??
Come on Elon & Jeff put you money where it’s desperately needed!!
Can’t you just put in a toggle switch – like the old days – to control the heated seats? Want it on in the morning – leave the toggle switch in the “on” position when you get out the evening before. That’s the way we did it in the “olden’ days” !!
They can’t do that… it makes too much sense.
What about the horrible 8speed transmissions that are still under warranty that GM won’t fix .
We have a Trailblazer RS on order scheduled for production next week. My wife will not be happy about the lack of heated steering wheel.
Would not mind deletion of the Stop/Start function – no price adjustment would be needed on that. In fact, would have paid extra for that to be deleted.
At the closest stoplight, I am noticing less vehicles are making it through on a green light (it is a left turn onto a state road). As more vehicles with that function are being put in use, there is more lag time in vehicles moving forward. So, if your car does not have the function you are actually burning twice as much gas by having to sit through another cycle. If your car does have the function, you are having two draws on the battery and starter if you have to sit through another cycle.
That’s not the problem of the tech, that’s just poor driving. Let off the brake pedal a moment sooner to start the vehicle. It’s really that simple.
Thank God …I have been waiting 8 months so far for my Sierra AT4 to be built . Wasn’t looking forward to ending up with just 4 wheels and seat….this wait is agonizing….
I hope they do the same with JL1 trailer brake controller. I’ve held off on my order because I do not want aftermarket
Please write info on the 2021-2022 Tahoe in regards to production schedule etc. I don’t see much news on the Tahoe. I put an order in for a High Country on September and am wondering what production scheduling looks likes. Curious about a delivery time frame. Thank you
Still unacceptable. When I buy a car, the whole car should come. I’m not going to accept a broken future where I buy a car at full price and the components take weeks or months to arrive. This is not software. This is a vehicle.
Sure hope GM will be Paying the techs a fair time to retrofit the vehicle.
This is great news!!
What about the trucks that have had the rear heated seats removed are they eligible for this a a well?
Unacceptable. $50 off for not having use of a feature that you paid for? That’s insulting and makes me mad that they even consider that a fair offer. Gee, they going to be extra generous and maybe throw in a $1 cheeseburger coupon from a fast food restaurant too?
Just received my 2022 GMC Acadia came with heated steering wheel but no heated and ventilated seats dealer says chips should arrive September put on cloth seat covers for my wife helps to keep warm or cool as needed hope GM is able to get the chips before next winter looks like another shortage manufacturers are eliminating certain features again
Trying to decide between a Ford and Chevy, no DFM is good, no heated steering wheel is a deal breaker.
Day late and many dollars too short. Canceled my order and will not order again until they can build a “TOTAL CAR”