01 XC70 Driver Seat Heater Too Hot!

[Philvolv]

Seat heater for my driver's seat has recently be getting way too hot. At first I thought I was imagining things but it consistently is too hot under my left thigh. Had the car in for something else to be repaired today and asked my mechanic to do a cursory look;he suspects it is some component in the ECC.He could only find the part whatever it is at the local Volvo dealer and was quoted a price of $900.He agreed with the Volvo guy it's a ridiculous price.
Mechanic's wife works at the shop and she also drives a 01 XC70 and she told me her seat heater has never worked.

I have a feeling this is going to be something that is just too big a pain to fix. From the little bit of research I've done on this I surmise it's a major Volvo problem.I am astounded as I never had such a problem with our 87DL which our son now drives with about 250000 miles on it.(though years ago did have new heater grids installed when had new supports replaced in the front seats).
Can't believe cars built for Sweden have such an issue.
What exactly is this part my mechanic suspects? any other insight is appreciated.
thanks

[Steve F]

Funny you posted this, I noticed tonight for the first time my seat seemed much warmer than usual, almost to the point of being uncomfortable. We've been experiencing extreme cold the past couple days, I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I'll be following this, I may need the same repair before long.

[jkochis]

It's adjustable since I asked my dealer to make it hotter when we first purchased the XC. But this sounds like it could be the heater malfunctioning.

[Philvolv]

It's adjustable since I asked my dealer to make it hotter when we first purchased the XC. But this sounds like it could be the heater malfunctioning.

Do you know what part of it might be malfunctioning? Have any idea what are the components of the seat heater system?

[ssicarman]

If the seat is getting real hot in just one spot I would lean to a problem in the actual heating grid in the seat. Likely the resistor heating grid has shorted where it is getting to hot. I would not use the seat heater until you resolve the problem. When I worked in a dealer here that did Saabs I saw a few seat heaters go bad and used long enough to burn through the leather seat covering.

[Philvolv]

If the seat is getting real hot in just one spot I would lean to a problem in the actual heating grid in the seat. Likely the resistor heating grid has shorted where it is getting to hot. I would not use the seat heater until you resolve the problem. When I worked in a dealer here that did Saabs I saw a few seat heaters go bad and used long enough to burn through the leather seat covering.

Makes sense .Any directions available anywhere on what's involved in replacing the grid,removing the seat and SRS precautions to take with this job?
I definitely am not using it;fortunately it has not burned through the leather yet.

thanks

[Philvolv]

Makes sense .Any directions available anywhere on what's involved in replacing the grid,removing the seat and SRS precautions to take with this job?
I definitely am not using it;fortunately it has not burned through the leather yet.

thanks
Have more info. While this seat is too hot the passenger's seat heater does not come on at all which makes me think it's somewhere else in the system.Any ideas?