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Let's get the forum buzzing again... (March 25, 2022)x
Hi everyone, new member here (from Oldham), so thought I'd introduce myself. 40 years old and I own a 2010 Astra Elite and owned it since new. I found this website after visiting another forum after asking for advice over a heated seat problem (my car is yet again at the dealership with the recurring problem and still yet to be fixed).
I have fitted a GPS tracker to my car, for under £30 (all brand new) and wondered if anyone would be interested if I run through the installation in the 'how to' section and include some photos if I can suss out how to do upload them and stuff ? I installed it a couple of weeks ago on my wife's Kia but have now fitted onto my car, hidden discreetly. Let me know what you think and when I get my car back I'll put it on the forum.
Thanks for reading, Graham
Welcome, What's the issue with your seat? I used to have an elite and that had the heating pad replaced it was fine afterwards. But the current car has started playing up on the drivers seat
John, this is pretty much the story so far......Heated seat pads replaced a year ago, then again two weeks ago and the drivers heated seat shuts off intermittently. Sometimes on a motorway journey of an hour, up to 15 times or so. Vauxhall 'technician', and I use this term loosely said this was how it is designed....DOH! No, it isn't. The lights on the button should remain lit while regulating the temperature but they just switch off on their own. The dealer has been in touch with Vauxhall technical who suggests they send them a file of the car, whatever this is (?) to see if there is a software fault. Each time it switches off, it logs the fault code B2425 I think it was and they seem fixated that its the heated seat pads themselves. They have also replaced the module box under the drivers seat and it still makes a click noise, and one second later the heated seat goes off. They are proper scratching their heads with this one and good, because they have never really accepted it was faulty as it never faulted while they had the car in their workshop.
At least with the tracker I fitted, its nice to see they're looking after my car by not abusing the speed/engine as the car texts me when it has gone over a designated speed you set the tracker for. In this case, I set it for about 32mph so each time they take it out on a test run, it texts me its current speed and location which is viewable on Google maps
This particular tracker gives no reduction with your insurance at all as I've already looked into it. The insurance company may actually increase your premiums as its classed as a 'mod' if you're not careful.
Don't be daunted by the installation. You do however need a smart phone capable of handling Google maps for when the car texts you back with the latitude and longitude as it also texts you a link which will show you within 10 meters on Google maps where your car is. There are other features of the tracker for example you can wire it to the fuel pump so you can text the car to shut off the fuel supply, bringing your car to a halt. I haven't wired this up because to be honest do I really trust a small box from China capable of shutting the car down. Nice thought, but if it went faulty at 70mph, the consequences don't bear worth thinking about.
You can also wire it to the electrics of the doors so it will text you if the car door has been opened among other things. Basically, mine is wired up to a permanent 12v supply from the boot area (fusebox in panel at left hand side), and connected to the ground in the same location. You then connect the two supplied aerials, one for the mobile phone (GSM aerial) and the small GPS aerial and set it up via text messages supplied in the instruction booklet. I have found some features to be complicated but basically you put in a sim card with credit, ring it from your own mobile phone and it does three rings. It will then text you back its location using the Google map link and latitude/longitude.
Anybody wants to come and see mine working in Oldham, you're more than welcome to pop for a demo. I'm unable to post a link to the Amazon page where I bought it from but just type GPS tracker in Amazon and they're about £26-£27. You'll also may need a small amount of automotive cable and a spade connector and a ring connector to make the permanent 12v and ground connections.
As to the seats I have an elite and find that the seats will just turn off for no reason (from what I could tell), anyhow I paid attention on a few trips, and made sure my skin was touching the seat.
Once it got hot (burning hot) it shut off (I never noticed this with a t-shirt or jumper on).
A way around it is to have the seat on 3 for 5 mins then drop it to number 2 for 20-30 mins then drop it down to 1 if you need to.
the seats are a common fault i have the same problem
as said above have the seats on numbers 3 for 10 mins if it lasts that long with out cutting out
knock it down two number 2 and it should stay on
even when people have had the pads changed this problem seems to come back
i know if the battery is in high discharge it will cut out the heated seats off
very annoyed with this my self and as i retro fitted the seat my self there is nothing i can do about it
i know use the above way and only have the seat on number 3 for a short time
and they will stay on much longer on number 2 or 1
GPS how to is a must please
And also welcome hope you like the forum.
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