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Can heated steering wheel be added to USA 2019+ Forte?

4K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  Brad.aubrey 
#1 ·
While USA Fortes do not even have the option of a heated steering wheel, it appears that Canadian Kia models have heated steering wheels as standard equipment. And there is a blank switch plate on the USA EX models where the heated steering wheel button would be.

So I'm wondering if the heated steering wheel could be retrofitted with minimal effort?

For example:

1) Is the wiring harness for the heated steering wheel already in place on a USA spec Forte?
2) Does the leather steering wheel on a USA spec EX already include the heating element, or is another part number required?
3) If one sources the switch for the heated steering wheel, and 1 & 2 are a non-issue, would the heating function work or is there some reprogramming required?

I've done some cursory searching of part numbers for steering wheels and console wiring harness, and none seem to differentiate between heated or non-heated, but my search may not have been exhaustive. But if correct, that might suggest that the wiring is in place and the USA wheel may have the heating element in place but simply not enabled.

It certainly would be great if just obtaining the switch, or worst case installing a different wheel as well, would enable the heated wheel function.

Does anyone have any idea?

Thanks
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Not the same model, but this may provide some guidance where a Stinger owner installed the heated steering wheel option with plug-and-play factory parts:



It would be great to compile a similar part list for the 2019+ Forte, which I suspect is a similar set.

Interestingly the parts listing for the Forte wheel doesn't seem to make a distinction or note a heated or non-heated steering wheel. So I wonder if all Forte wheels have the heating element? In addition, it doesn't appear that the Forte wheel is sold in components, but instead as an entire wheel so the internal wiring may all be the same.

For example, here is the parts listing for the Forte steering wheels which do not have a heated and non-heated version listed:



Here is the parts listing for the Stinger, which have heated and non-heated wheel options:



Similar results are found when comparing the clock spring between the Forte and Stinger. The Stinger has heated and non-heated clock springs, but the Forte does not make that dinstinction.

So I'm wondering if it may be as easy as installing the heated steering wheel console switch? Now I just need to find the part number for the left hand console switch that includes the heated/cooled seat, heated steering wheel, and drive mode switches.
 
#3 ·
Does anyone have a friend at a Kia parts dealership, especially perhaps in Canada, that can check if the leather steering wheel on a USA Kia Forte EX is the same part number as the steering wheel on a Canadian Kia Forte EX that has a heated steering wheel? From what I understand, the heated steering wheel is part of the base configuration on the Forte in Canada.

Similarly can that person check if the clock spring part number is the same between the USA and Canadian car?

Looking at various Kia parts vendors, they do list about five part numbers for the steering wheel, but no distinction is made whether the wheel is heated or not. The only distinctions are whether it is leather or vinyl, and some of the remote functions supported on the wheel. So I'm wondering if the USA EX wheel may have the heating element already embedded.

And for the clock spring, only two part numbers are listed, but again don't mention heated or non-heated as a differentiator. So again I'm wondering if the USA and Canadian clock spring are identical whether they have the heated steering wheel as a feature or not.

And finally, can that Canadian parts staff look up the drivers side console combo 3 button(heated/cooled seat, heated steering wheel/drive mode) part number? I can't find that part on the Kia parts sites I've been researching.

This is for a 2019+ Forte

If yes on either or both the wheel and clock spring, like the Stinger link above, it may be that just the button is required.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Resurrecting my older post, now that in one month I'll have two years of ownership, and thus only one year left on the electronics warranty... so it won't then bother me to start disassembling and adding things as much.

Has anyone looked into adding, or hopefully simply enabling, the heated steering wheel on the US 2019+ Forte since I last asked?


Moderators, can we move this thread to the 2019+ sedan sub-forum? I submitted this post before the 2019+ sub-forums were created. Thanks!
 
#6 · (Edited)
Thanks for moving the thread! I think moving it from the 2014 sub-forum to the more appropriate 2019+ section will help get it some better visibility.

The US models do not have heated steering wheels available, and the button on the console is just a blank.

At a minimum the new switch module for the console is required, and then there is the question if the harness already includes the necessary wiring, fuse block, relays... if the clock spring in the steering wheel supports the function, and if the steering wheel already contains the heating elements or not. Adding the heated steering wheel function could get expensive if some of those parts are needed, or very difficult if the wiring isn't there.

I've already done a little research a year or so ago, and the switch module is certainly available. If one were really lucky, perhaps just replacing the module would be enough, but somehow I doubt it. But it might be worth trying if risking a "$100 part" (I forget the actual cost of the switch) purchase is not a worry.

That being said, and while not definitive or exhaustive, the following link appears to list all 9 US 2019 Kia Forte steering wheel part numbers, and all say "W/Heated" which suggests all the steering wheels already include the heating element. If so, that would be one positive bit of news.



In Canada the heated steering wheel is standard on the Forte, I believe on the EX and up. So I had some thoughts about calling a Canadian dealership to see if we could cross reference the US and Canadian part numbers for the EX steering wheel, clock spring, and anything else to see what might actually be needed.

I did post in another thread about a Canadian contact, and was kindly given one to try. Unfortunately COVID just pushed this all to a much lower priority, and I didn't follow up. So I'm just now starting to give it some thought again, especially since I now only have 1 year left on the electronics warranty.
 
#7 ·
Two threads on the same topic:

 
#8 · (Edited)
Some interesting, but not confirmed related part numbers that are worth investigating. Like the steering wheels noted above, the descriptions seem to indicate they may already support a heated wheel.


Console extension harness: 84624E

All of the part numbers under the console parts link below seem to include "W/Heated" which is what one sees on the steering wheel descriptions. Does this mean that all the console extension harnesses include the heated steering wheel wiring to the button? Perhaps, and one could hope, but needs to be confirmed.

Console heated seat, steering wheel, drive mode button?: 93310H

A year or two ago I believe this was more clear, but perhaps the parts listing has been updated. Regardless, the location seems to indicate this part number is the switch module that can contain the heated steering wheel button version of the switch, but the descriptions are unclear.


Unfortunately the descriptions are so generic, and can vary from site to site, it is hard to tell for certain if these are even the correct parts. For example, on some sites 93310H is identified as the shift indicator.


I think we'll need to still ask a Canadian dealer to look up the console switch part number at the very least that includes the three buttons: heated/ventilated seats 3 modes, heated steering wheel, and drive mode.


 
#9 ·
My heated seats draw a lot of power as well as the rear defroster, which also defrosts the mirrors; wondering how much current would be drawn from a heated steering wheel…sure would be nice to have a heated steering wheel on those-40C mornings. I’m a firm believer in not letting my ride warm up for the 20-30 minutes, 7-10 minutes is tops for me…I do plug the car in overnight.
 
#10 ·
I have a 2019 Forte Ex and was hoping to add a heated steering wheel as that is the one feature my partner keeps bringing up when mentioning he misses his last car. I wouldn't mind asking my local Kia dealers, but all of them in my city are a nightmare to deal with, so I'd be looking around to the dealer I bought the car from (Chevy Dealer but also owns a Kia lot too) and see if they can offer advice. I just wanted to hopefully revive this thread and see if anyone had any updates or extra insight.
 
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