Hey all, figured I'd do a forum post on how to install heated seats in your aveo. You'll learn to hate bull rings and love zip ties. I will be updating this as I go through the process.
You'll need:
An amazon heated seat kit Tech Era Carbon Fiber Seat Heater Kit Hi/Lo Setting, 2 Seats
A 12mm socket or wrench
A pair of trusty side cutters
A nail clipper (very important for clipping zipties)
Zipties
Phillips head screw driver
Needle nose pliers or strong long tweezers
A nice open place to work on a chair (living room floor works well)
Step 1: Unbolt your seat with a 12mm tool of choice. If this seems scary, stop now.
Step 2: Bring your seat somewhere wide open enough to slide it around and have it folded flat. I chose my living room floor.
Step 3: Start by unclipping your seat back cover from behind the seat. Very easy if the seat is folded all the way forward.
Step 4: Unscrew seat trim. Three phillips head screws on one side, two on the other. (this applies to the passenger seat).
Step 5: Start with the seat back, it's easier. Push the clips and extra fabric up through the seat crack with the seat still leaned forward. Then lay the seat flat and pull the fabric up. Now you're ready to start pulling up. You will notice the nice little crease about 2/3 of the way up the seat. This is a metal bar in the seat cover that is attached by three bull rings to a metal bar in the seat foam.
Step 6: While pulling up slowly, press the foam from the bolsters down and work the cover up. The first obstacle you'll hit is these two Velcro strips that hold the seat cover tight in the small of your back. Push down on the Velcro and slowly pull the cover outward. If you aren't careful you will rip the velcro strips off.
Step 7: at this point your seat cover should be pulled up high enough to start clipping the bull rings. Do that. Pull the cover up a little higher, but do not try to remove it.
Now you're ready to continue to placing your heating pad for the backrest. With the Amazon kit I purchased, I found that the first row of wire mesh terminates at about the perfect location to cut some holes to route your zipties through. More on that in the next post.