Chevrolet, GMC Phase Out Heated Seats Amid Chip Shortage

Update: GM has announced that they will soon be delivering retrofitted parts to dealers. These parts will be installed for vehicles without the required chips, but they only apply to heated/ventilated seats.

Heated seats are becoming a must-have in modern-day vehicles. They provide warmth in bitter winter weather, cold rainy days; practically any time you want to warm up. Many buyers pay extra just to have this popular option, and automakers slowly continue to mark heated seats as standard each year. However, a report from GM states that you won't be getting a new Chevy or GMC with heated seats anytime soon.

Due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage, many manufacturers are cutting back on extra features, in order to focus on the essential parts that require chips. BMW is temporarily getting rid of touchscreens, Ford and Nissan dropped satellite navigation, and new Mercedes models are lacking LED lighting. GM has already sacrificed tons of conveniences because of the shortage, including HD radio, auto stop/start, wireless charging and, for a little while, Super Cruise. The latest victim hasn't been confirmed by GM, but Automotive News reports that not only heated and ventilated seats, but also heated steering wheels, will no longer be offered in select Chevrolet or GMC models as of November 15th. (Heated steering wheels on the 22nd)

Those select models are what make this situation worse. In fact, most of GM's most popular SUVs and trucks make up the list. This includes Chevrolet's Blazer, Equinox, Traverse, Silverado, and Colorado, as well as GMC's Terrain, Canyon, Acadia, and Sierra. Fortunately, the high-end Denali (GMC) and High Country (Chevrolet) variants of these models will continue to include heated seats and steering wheels, since they are the most luxurious offerings. A GM spokesperson stated, "every effort was made to protect [these features], so that's why only certain trims are impacted." Since the automaker knows that heated seats are so popular with consumers, they are giving buyers of the aforementioned vehicles credits ranging from $150 to $500. GM also says that they are considering retrofitting those cars when enough chips become available. However, with the chip shortage seemly growing worse every day, we doubt that day will come anytime soon.

Images: GMC, Chevrolet