Heated Steering Wheel Seems to Fade After Several Minutes?

Brutakus

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Looking at the numbers I think it just feels like it tapers off more because it heats to above body temp and then lowers and holds just below body temp. Just a guess
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oadesign

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My heated steering wheel is pretty weak, and cools off fairly quickly even with the button “on”. It seems to work but not very warm. Comparing to my fiancés XC-40 which has 3 heat settings, mine might be about as strong as the Volvo’s weakest setting. I guess I don’t really care and don’t use that often, but it’s hard to tell if it’s working correctly or not.
My wife also has an XC40, and the highest setting can get pretty hot; although it’s the setting I prefer when it’s really cold, as I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which means my hands are often cold.

Your evaluation leads me to believe that due to my hand condition, I probably won’t be satisfied with the temperature of my Mach-E, when I eventually take delivery. I suppose it’s preferable to my Mini, which doesn’t have a heated steering wheel at all!
 

Blue highway

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I have owned 4 cars now with a heated steering wheel. Two Fords, a BMW, and a Toyota. They all start off warm and taper off after a few minutes.
There is a thermostat on heated all steering wheels.
 

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Anyone have thoughts or suggestions on this? Normal operation of a heated steering wheel or worth mentioning to the service department?
There is probably a thermostat to keep it from getting too hot. If your hands are keeping one part of the wheel cold, another part where the thermostat is might still be getting hot... Probably has some sort of cycle loop too as the element may be more binary on/off and not variable, so if you notice it getting cool you could try turning it off and back on. That would probably force the heating element back on sooner for awhile.
 
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Ride_the_lightning

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It works exactly like every heated steering wheel I’ve used, which is like 3. Super hot at first, then thermostat brings it to around body temp so it’s comfortable but not scorching.
 


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My wife also has an XC40, and the highest setting can get pretty hot; although it’s the setting I prefer when it’s really cold, as I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which means my hands are often cold.

Your evaluation leads me to believe that due to my hand condition, I probably won’t be satisfied with the temperature of my Mach-E, when I eventually take delivery. I suppose it’s preferable to my Mini, which doesn’t have a heated steering wheel at all!
It could just be mine that doesn’t get quite as hot as a normal one. I will check with a thermal camera to see if it runs as hot as the temps in the previous posts. The volvo makes me sweat when it’s on full blast though, but would be nice when it’s really cold out. I only tried it once or twice in the volvo and it was still relatively warm when I tried it.
 

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My wife also has an XC40, and the highest setting can get pretty hot; although it’s the setting I prefer when it’s really cold, as I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which means my hands are often cold.

Your evaluation leads me to believe that due to my hand condition, I probably won’t be satisfied with the temperature of my Mach-E, when I eventually take delivery. I suppose it’s preferable to my Mini, which doesn’t have a heated steering wheel at all!
I have Raynaud’s and I find the MME heated steering wheel completely adequate. I know there are varying degrees of Raynaud’s, so YMMV.
 

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I have Raynaud’s and I find the MME heated steering wheel completely adequate. I know there are varying degrees of Raynaud’s, so YMMV.
Thanks, that’s encouraging. You’re right—my (dominant) left hand has it worse than my right.
 

OH2AZ2OH

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My wife also has an XC40, and the highest setting can get pretty hot; although it’s the setting I prefer when it’s really cold, as I have Raynaud’s Syndrome, which means my hands are often cold.

Your evaluation leads me to believe that due to my hand condition, I probably won’t be satisfied with the temperature of my Mach-E, when I eventually take delivery. I suppose it’s preferable to my Mini, which doesn’t have a heated steering wheel at all!
I have Raynaud's as well. This is my first car with a heated steering wheel, and it is a massive improvement over no heated wheel. My hands felt slightly chilly at the end of my coldest drive so far (high teens/low 20s), but I have yet to have any cadaver-grey digits when I got home.

To me, the final temp feels similar to my wife's Acadia, but the initial spike is higher on the MME.
 

oadesign

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I have Raynaud's as well. This is my first car with a heated steering wheel, and it is a massive improvement over no heated wheel. My hands felt slightly chilly at the end of my coldest drive so far (high teens/low 20s), but I have yet to have any cadaver-grey digits when I got home.

To me, the final temp feels similar to my wife's Acadia, but the initial spike is higher on the MME.
I HATE when they go white/gray! ?
 

Maquis

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I HATE when they go white/gray! ?
Mine has actually improved in the last 10 years. It used to be 20 minutes at 20F with three pair of the warmest gloves I could find would result in white digits and horrible pain as they warmed back up. Last week I spent an hour shoveling snow with temps in the teens with only minor discomfort. I credit my bourbon habit. ?
 

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oadesign

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Mine has actually improved in the last 10 years. It used to be 20 minutes at 20F with three pair of the warmest gloves I could find would result in white digits and horrible pain as they warmed back up. Last week I spent an hour shoveling snow with temps in the teens with only minor discomfort. I credit my bourbon habit. ?
Whatever works!

Worst for me was riding my bicycle down a steep hill at 40mph in August, and my Raynaud’s kicked in on my left hand. I yelled, “It’s flippin’ AUGUST!” Now I wear long fingered gloves anytime the temps dip below 65°…
 

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Whatever works!

Worst for me was riding my bicycle down a steep hill at 40mph in August, and my Raynaud’s kicked in on my left hand. I yelled, “It’s flippin’ AUGUST!” Now I wear long fingered gloves anytime the temps dip below 65°…
Vibration will trigger me sometimes. I avoid using a chainsaw any more if I can. I wonder if that contributed to your bicycle incident?
 

oadesign

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Vibration will trigger me sometimes. I avoid using a chainsaw any more if I can. I wonder if that contributed to your bicycle incident?
I don’t think so, as my road bike is very stable and without vibration at high speed. It was just the wind from descending at speed that chilled my hand enough to kick it in.

Even just sitting at my computer with my hand on the mouse will set it off. But I’ve come up with strategies to counter it. After trying a heated pad on my desk, which didn’t work, I now hover the head of a halogen desk lamp about 8” over my mouse hand, and it works!
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