A6Louie

Hi all,

I think the lower part of my seat back heat is stuck on. Seat heat was off but the lower part of the back was super hot. I tried turning the seat heat on then off again hoping that would reset it but no luck.

Anybody have this happen or know of a way to reset it? Is there something I can maybe unplug / plug back in to try to get it to stay off unless I turn it on?

TIA

Corgiman

ConservativeConsumer

I believe heating element is a part of sewn-in assembly of the leather seat cushion/covers. Which means if your issue is not related to a control/programming module problem, it might require seat cushion replacement. In any case bringing this issue to your dealer for resolution might be your only option.

A6Louie

Apparently (according to my dealer) there isn't one.

But there are a bunch of plugs under the seat. I'm assuming I should be able to unplug one of them to disconnect power from the heaters. I just don't know which one. Does anybody in the know think I could screw up something permanently if I just unplug each one and see what doesn't work anymore, then plug back in the power seat adjustment and ventilation fan?

Corgiman

A6Louie

Already scheduled, but it's really hot...can't get into the dealer for a week (with a needed loaner) and really don't want to drive around with it as-is if I can cut the power.

A6Louie

As a follow-up, under the driver's seat, on the floor next to the seat rail closest to the door, there's a black plastic panel. You pop that up (it comes off very easily) and there are four plugs underneath. Unplugging the green one cuts power to the seat heater.

If you find yourself in the same predicament, make sure you don't unplug the yellow one, as that's for the airbag

RickObe

If you want to do a test, plug it back in and in the MMI, change the seat heat to butt-only. That might tell you if it's a computer problem or otherwise.

And BTW, there certainly is a fuse, but it takes some other stuff with it:

farmerjones

Wow. Your dealer says there is not a fuse for the seat heater?!?!? That would scare me enough to never take it there for service. If they don't even know the simple basics of the car like how to remove a fuse to a system, I'd have to have them do something complicated, like change oil, LOL.

Seriously, it's appalling we can spend this much money on cars and have this low level of service provided. I'd be sure to tell the service manager you would appreciate more accurate information before a service advisor spews "service advise" he clearly knows nothing about.

Glad you got it taken care of yourself!

A6Louie

I'm assuming they meant that there wasn't a fuse JUST for the seat heater. I would not have wanted to take the fuse out and lose the other functionality on that same fuse when it was easy enough just to unplug the green connector under the seat.

Anyway, apparently I'm not the only one with this problem and from what I was told today, the heating element in question is part of the seat leather so they've ordered a new one. This should be interesting.

I'm having a hard time with this, logically. If the controller (in the head unit) is off, how is one part of the seat still hot and how would replacing that part of the seat fix the issue, I wonder. Seems like the setting isn't being relayed to the heating element in that part of the seat, which seems more like a controller issue. Then again, I don't pretend to understand how the system works.