Mine gets really hot at the start then fizzles down and maintains a constant medium heat. It might cycle as well I'm not sure I just got my car a few weeks ago. Your experience sounds similar to mine though

 

It’s normal. When the heated steering wheel button is pressed, it will heat up for a period of time, and cool off for a period of time, then repeat the cycle. When its in the “cool off” phase, it doesn’t get cold since the heat dissipates away slowly until it its time for the heat phase again. If you pay attention, you’ll find the heated seats do the same… most noticeable on the high setting.

It does that so it doesn’t get too hot. Its just a simple heating element that heats up when it receives electricity, and cools off when current is greatly reduced/cut off, so when the switch is on it runs and loops this cycle.

 

There is a big difference in temperature after the initial 2-3 minutes warm up, mine goes for a while to a luke-warm temperature after the initial warm up. I can't measure the temperature but I will try to get a temperature gun and do it so I can provide some numbers as well. Any automated temperature system it will cycle on and off to maintain the temperature in the desired range. On mine there are noticeable differences in temperatures and it is not based on the on-off cycle that you are referring to. I work in the automation industry and I don't have the full details of the set up for this heated steering wheel but what you normally do is set up a temperature threshold at which the heater gets turned off and then you wait for the temperature to drop off a specified number of degrees (I would expect 3-4 in this case) and turn it on again until you get to the threshold temperature again. I barely feel any heat coming up from my steering wheel when is misbehaving. I live in Ontario, Canada, it gets colder in the winter here...

 

I’m also in Ontario so yeah, I use it often so I get it. I do feel the cool down too, but it still warm. And when it restarts the cycle I feel it get hotter too, just like the heated seats.

Personally, I think it’s time-based and programmed into the controller and not a temp-based thermostat trying to maintain a temp — on for x minutes, off for y minutes, repeat — simpler and cheaper. If you run it in summer you’ll see it still runs and follows that cycle.

I don’t have details on how the cycles are programmed, but I don’t think it’s misbehaving. I say its normal, but if you don’t feel like it is, the only recourse is go to the dealer.