Seat controller fix?
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 946
Likes: 1
From: Bay Area
03 C32 gone, 06 CLS55, 16 Tesla X
This is how you continue to stay in this forum with your car happily while some others have to leave cause' they don't know how to and don't want to learn or get their hands a bit dirty.
Sometimes, people just don't think it simple. They always make things complicated!
Good share!
Sometimes, people just don't think it simple. They always make things complicated!
Good share!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
2002 C32, 2011 VW GTI
Yep, you got it. In our cars...the seat controller modules pretty much always fail (well...their "memory" fails and they forget to turn off after 45 seconds of inactivity). What results is a constant draw on your battery. For me - because I travel a lot and my car will sit for over a week at a time at the airport, etc. - this resulted in a dead battery. Twice. And finally killed the battery.
My passenger side went about three months ago - and then my driver's side just went a week and a half ago. They're $700 each.
I just completed this mod and it works PERFECTLY. The only drawback is you can't move your seats when the car is off.
Memory on the seat controllers is still in tact.
Took 15 minutes, $2.33 for the line splices from Radio Shack...saved me $1400 and I can turn the car on whenever I need to move the seats. :-)
AWESOME!
My passenger side went about three months ago - and then my driver's side just went a week and a half ago. They're $700 each.
I just completed this mod and it works PERFECTLY. The only drawback is you can't move your seats when the car is off.
Memory on the seat controllers is still in tact.
Took 15 minutes, $2.33 for the line splices from Radio Shack...saved me $1400 and I can turn the car on whenever I need to move the seats. :-)
AWESOME!
FYI, an alternative is to buy a remanufactured unit from Programa. Got mine for $235 after core refund. My local shop put it in for 35 bucks. So that saved about $500 off the dealer cost. You, of course, saved a lot more than that but I wasn't thrilled about cutting and splicing the car's wiring harness. Call me a wimp but just didn't want to do it
Drawback to this is they only make the driver's side. The passenger side is only available new and costs over $400 even at the lowest end. So that one's still unplugged. I continue to look for a remanufactured passenger side or a used one from a very late W203 (which supposedly doesn't have the power drain issue).
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
2002 C32 AMG
Has anyone popped the cover of the "remanufactured" boxes to see what they actually fix? there should be plenty of evidence left of soldering etc if they are replacing parts. Someone will finally open one and realize that its probably something as simple as soldering a jumper or replacing one SMT part.
BTW both mine died. The passenger one was replaced with a newer A211 part and my drivers side is currently unplugged....ugh.
BTW both mine died. The passenger one was replaced with a newer A211 part and my drivers side is currently unplugged....ugh.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
C32 AMG
Seat Modules Draining the battery
According to MB techs, this is a common problem for the W203. Any ideas on how to fix this issue without going through Mercedes' solution of replacing the modules for $1200 per side?
Super Moderator Alumni
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,539
Likes: 4
From: Southern Cal
a C32 AMG & S-Works Tarmac
Yep, you got it. In our cars...the seat controller modules pretty much always fail (well...their "memory" fails and they forget to turn off after 45 seconds of inactivity). What results is a constant draw on your battery. For me - because I travel a lot and my car will sit for over a week at a time at the airport, etc. - this resulted in a dead battery. Twice. And finally killed the battery.
My passenger side went about three months ago - and then my driver's side just went a week and a half ago. They're $700 each.
I just completed this mod and it works PERFECTLY. The only drawback is you can't move your seats when the car is off.
Memory on the seat controllers is still in tact.
Took 15 minutes, $2.33 for the line splices from Radio Shack...saved me $1400 and I can turn the car on whenever I need to move the seats. :-)
AWESOME!
My passenger side went about three months ago - and then my driver's side just went a week and a half ago. They're $700 each.
I just completed this mod and it works PERFECTLY. The only drawback is you can't move your seats when the car is off.
Memory on the seat controllers is still in tact.
Took 15 minutes, $2.33 for the line splices from Radio Shack...saved me $1400 and I can turn the car on whenever I need to move the seats. :-)
AWESOME!
I just did this fix. I had the splice and tape already, so the fix cost me nothing and I did it in about 5 minutes.
Very easy! Very useful information!
Two thumbs up.
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Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Sydney, Australia
2001 C32 AMG
Bump!
My seats are giving me crazy battery drain..
Bought new alternator (brand new grr not cheap here in oz!) as that was busted then realised I had bad battery drain after a brand new battery was dead in a week.
I worked out I also had another issue of a badly scratched Nav CD still spinning after the car was shut off.
I'm SO not spending more money on seat modules.. so far I have them both unplugged.
I tried this fix to the drivers side but it does not work, what could I be doing wrong?
I wired the wires up in original state and the seat moves so I have not blown a fuse.
Any ideas?
My seats are giving me crazy battery drain..
Bought new alternator (brand new grr not cheap here in oz!) as that was busted then realised I had bad battery drain after a brand new battery was dead in a week.
I worked out I also had another issue of a badly scratched Nav CD still spinning after the car was shut off.
I'm SO not spending more money on seat modules.. so far I have them both unplugged.
I tried this fix to the drivers side but it does not work, what could I be doing wrong?
I wired the wires up in original state and the seat moves so I have not blown a fuse.
Any ideas?
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Sydney, Australia
2001 C32 AMG
So I left my car overnight and woke up to a full drained battery again. Remember this a 1 week old brand new battery..
Car was at 11.8V now at 7V roughly.
Both dirver & passenger seat modules have been unplugged for a few days.
The Nav CD has been removed due to spinning when it was turned off (was scratched)
What else can it be??
Car was at 11.8V now at 7V roughly.
Both dirver & passenger seat modules have been unplugged for a few days.
The Nav CD has been removed due to spinning when it was turned off (was scratched)
What else can it be??
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 587
Likes: 13
From: The Windy City
'02 C32, '10 135i M-Sport, '10 E63, '17 GLE63S
Try this for the seat control units, if you're a bit electrically/mechanically inclined - https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ml#post3068555
Wish I had a better answer for what might be draining the battery, but I can't come up with anything. Any aftermarket stereo installed?
Wish I had a better answer for what might be draining the battery, but I can't come up with anything. Any aftermarket stereo installed?
Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Sydney, Australia
2001 C32 AMG
Try this for the seat control units, if you're a bit electrically/mechanically inclined - https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ml#post3068555
Wish I had a better answer for what might be draining the battery, but I can't come up with anything. Any aftermarket stereo installed?
Wish I had a better answer for what might be draining the battery, but I can't come up with anything. Any aftermarket stereo installed?
I know by removing the scratched nav cd I've taken a lot of current down as the cd kept spinning once the car was off as it was scratched. I'm still quite over a healthy draw though and I think I have found the culprit. The comand fan still is on over 5minutes after I take the keys out, never used to notice this. I know it's a fairly common problem and from what I can read the only solution is a new comand unit (no way! lol) or a bypass switch.. both seem quite tedious for something that really should be quite simple.. bummer.
