Heated Seat Problem with New Leather Cover

[wgr2112]

I replaced the damaged leather seat bottom in my 98 Tahoe last weekend with a new cover purchased from eBay.

Everything went well, the cover looks great! The color and texture are a little different, but that's better than my old one!

While pulling the old cover off the foam, I tore some wires that looked like they were woven into the cover. I figured these were the butt sensors for the heated seats.

Sure enough, when all was back together and the seat re-installed, I have no heated seats. I wasn't really surprised.

So was this the sensor? Is there a way to bypass it? If I bypass it, will the seats heat while the ignition is off? I don't want a fire here!

Or is the heating element in the cover itself and I'm screwed?

All help is appreciated!

[99-2door]

Not sure about the front seats, but I took the covers off the back of a 99 Denali and the heater was attached to the cover. Really thin wires, I don't think they would have came off without tearing.

[wgr2112]

I though the heating element was set into the foam or something. It is really imbedded in the leather?

I know there is a sensor that won't heat the seats unless someone is sitting there. I was hoping this is what thoes wires were.