GM Begins First Phase of Retrofit Installation With Heated, Ventilated Seats
The dog days of summer are upon us, and some vehicle owners will soon get a break from the heat in the form of retrofitted ventilated seats — a feature that GM pulled from select models as a result of the microchip shortage. Parts for the missing feature are currently arriving at dealerships, and the installation process for impacted vehicles will begin the week of Aug. 1, according to GM spokesperson Megan Soule. Meanwhile, the lack of heated seats was likely the more significant concern when the automaker first announced the changes in November; those, too, will be available following retrofit installation.
Related: GM Announces Retrofit Solution for Heated Seat Shortage
According to Automotive News, the following GM vehicles were built without heated and ventilated seats: Chevrolet Blazer, Colorado, Equinox, Malibu, Trailblazer, Traverse and Silverado (except High Country); GMC Acadia, Canyon, Sierra (except Denali) and Terrain; Buick Enclave, Encore GX and Envision; and Cadillac XT4, XT5 and XT6. The automaker confirmed all affected models will be eligible for the retrofit at no extra cost for owners.
“For customers, as we committed, the retrofits for heated and ventilated seats are beginning soon,” wrote Soule in an email to Cars.com. “Parts are being made available to dealers [today], and customers will begin receiving letters the week of Aug. 1 to begin scheduling service appointments. Other retrofits will occur in phases over the next several months.”
GM has been wrestling with supply constraints since early 2021. After slowing or halting production due to the microchip shortage, the automaker shifted to building vehicles without chip-dependent features, including ventilated and heated seats, in order to keep production lines moving. Many vehicles across Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac were impacted, but the strategy allowed GM to continue production of popular vehicles. Initially, the automaker offered a $500 credit for the missing features, but after the retrofit solution became available, the potential discount dropped significantly.
In addition to heated and ventilated seats, heated steering wheels and an automatic start-stop system were also nixed for some GM models but will not be available as retrofits, according to the automaker. When asked what additional features are included in the upcoming phases for retrofits, GM did not immediately clarify.
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