[Cadillac_STS]

Does anyone know how the climate control system works?

Specifically the cooling seats? Does it have it's own cooling exchange core to cool the air? or the fans just take the cold air that is found under the seat and push it through the seat vents?

Also, when I remote start the car, I have the option to turn on the Seat Temperature control, however sometimes I find them on, and sometimes off?! Does it depends on the difference in temperature between the outside and the set temperature in the climate control to activate? Shouldn't they activate all the time?

 

[ECha3]

Technically speaking STS seats aren't cooled. Option KB6 - HEATED/VENTILATED FRONT SEATS.

When using remote start there is an agressive theromstatic control on the seats.

 

[ddalder]

Some GM seats are cooled but these work entirely differently that the ventilated seats in the STS. STS seats are not "cooled" but are probably a much better design. Seats that are truly "cooled" have a special device that cools the air which is then drawn through tubing routed throughout the seat surfaces. The complaint many people had with this system is they could feel the rigid tubing in the seat. This would tend to be uncomfortable after a while.

The seats in our cars have a fan assembly that draws air in through all the perforations in the seat surfaces. This is essentially opposite to what you originally posted. Any time you have air flow (either warmer or cooler) through/around a surface you will notice a change in surface temperature of that object. Basically, the cool air from the A/C system drawn through the seat surfaces will help to keep them cool(er).

The heating portion works only by means of the heating elements.

As EChas3 states, whether the seat heat/vent control is activated depends on ambient temperature.

 

[Cadillac_STS]

I ran my vin on compnine.com and got this for KB6:

KB6 HEATER SEAT, COOLING, FRT COOLING FRT ST HTR(KB6)

I don't know if it is just me, but I do feel cold air coming in from the seat vents, even though the A/C Climate Control System is off.

 

[ddalder]

I ran my vin on compnine.com and got this for KB6:

KB6 HEATER SEAT, COOLING, FRT COOLING FRT ST HTR(KB6)

I don't know if it is just me, but I do feel cold air coming in from the seat vents, even though the A/C Climate Control System is off.

It will feel cool, yes. This is your perception. I've reviewed the technical information and schematics and the description I posted is accurate, not to mention that I've had one of my seats apart. The following is a direct excerpt from the GM factory service manual:

"When the ventilation seat system is active, it is designed to draw cabin air around and away from the occupant through small holes in the seat cushion and seat back covers, through channels in the foam pad, and then through the blower motor exhausting the waste air under the seat cushion."

There is more to the description, but this captures the essence of how it works.

KB6 is an RPO used on a number of different vehicles. It isn't specific to the STS and is therefore "misleading" for our purposes.

 

[Cadillac_STS]

Thank you very much.