Buttons to right of drivers seat no longer work
#1
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Buttons to right of drivers seat no longer work
Hi,
I have a 2012 E-350 cabriolet that has a panel w/4 roller type buttons located to the right of my drivers seat.
They are supposed to control air bolsters on the seat in 2 places, and 2 bolsters/lumbar area on the back of the driver’s seat.
They have all stopped working. First the 2 buttons that controlled air to the bolsters on my back stopped working. Over the past 2-3 months the bolsters on the seat that are supposed to support my thighs have also stopped working.
I can live without the thigh bolsters, but recently had a spinal fusion and am so missing my lumbar bolsters.
Any suggestions?
TIA,
Karen
I’ve added a pic of the 4 buttons in case my description wasn’t clear enough.
I have a 2012 E-350 cabriolet that has a panel w/4 roller type buttons located to the right of my drivers seat.
They are supposed to control air bolsters on the seat in 2 places, and 2 bolsters/lumbar area on the back of the driver’s seat.
They have all stopped working. First the 2 buttons that controlled air to the bolsters on my back stopped working. Over the past 2-3 months the bolsters on the seat that are supposed to support my thighs have also stopped working.
I can live without the thigh bolsters, but recently had a spinal fusion and am so missing my lumbar bolsters.
Any suggestions?
TIA,
Karen
I’ve added a pic of the 4 buttons in case my description wasn’t clear enough.
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WRC-LVR (08-08-2024)
#3
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2012 E350 Cabriolet now SOLD to my son
Most of the old A207's suffer fron cracked and broken air lines to the bolsters and seat back. If left unfixed the compressor will fail trying to inflate them resulting in a compressor replace and lines replacement.
Several threads on here showing the cracked broken lines and the resulting repairs.....the compressor is in the trunk area behind everything...of course :-)
Several threads on here showing the cracked broken lines and the resulting repairs.....the compressor is in the trunk area behind everything...of course :-)
#4
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2016 E400 Coupe (C207)
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I just had this system replaced in my car at a cost of about $3,000 (and that was with parts and labor allegedly "discounted" by the dealer). I hope that whoever thought having an air pump inflate balloons inside a seat was a good idea has been fired from Mercedes-Benz; it is a design destined for failure.
There are four potential failure points in the system and it is likely that more than one of those points is your culprit:
The dealer had my car for four months, during which time they replaced all seven of the bladders (four in driver seat and three in passenger seat), the air pump, and the two control pods between the seats and the center console.
There are four potential failure points in the system and it is likely that more than one of those points is your culprit:
- The seat bladders are leaking (they're shockingly flimsy).
- The hoses from the pump in the trunk to the seat cushions are leaking.
- The control pods (the black plastic pods with the thumbwheels) have failed.
- The air pump has failed.
The dealer had my car for four months, during which time they replaced all seven of the bladders (four in driver seat and three in passenger seat), the air pump, and the two control pods between the seats and the center console.
Last edited by Mr. Toad; 08-08-2024 at 08:48 AM.
#5
Member
If the bladders fail or the lines fail, is there a fuse that can be removed to prevent the compressor from running all the time to try to fill them?
#6
Member
If the bladders fail or the lines fail, is there a fuse that can be removed to prevent the compressor from running all the time to try to fill them?
#7
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2012 E350 Cabriolet now SOLD to my son
yes there should be a fuse to the air compressor. Check in the trunk, there is usually a fuse diagram there from the factory. In the tool kit IIRC.
I dont remember if it will throw a code if you pull it or if that fuse also controls other items.
I dont remember if it will throw a code if you pull it or if that fuse also controls other items.
Last edited by WRC-LVR; 08-11-2024 at 05:06 PM.
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#8
I checked my seat controls, they still work. However, I've noticed that my preferred settings is the default, which is completely flat. For me, it doesn't really matter if they work or not, but it would bother me knowing that they don't work...
#9
Member
Hi,
I have a 2012 E-350 cabriolet that has a panel w/4 roller type buttons located to the right of my drivers seat.
They are supposed to control air bolsters on the seat in 2 places, and 2 bolsters/lumbar area on the back of the driver’s seat.
They have all stopped working. First the 2 buttons that controlled air to the bolsters on my back stopped working. Over the past 2-3 months the bolsters on the seat that are supposed to support my thighs have also stopped working.
I can live without the thigh bolsters, but recently had a spinal fusion and am so missing my lumbar bolsters.
Any suggestions?
TIA,
Karen
I’ve added a pic of the 4 buttons in case my description wasn’t clear enough.
I have a 2012 E-350 cabriolet that has a panel w/4 roller type buttons located to the right of my drivers seat.
They are supposed to control air bolsters on the seat in 2 places, and 2 bolsters/lumbar area on the back of the driver’s seat.
They have all stopped working. First the 2 buttons that controlled air to the bolsters on my back stopped working. Over the past 2-3 months the bolsters on the seat that are supposed to support my thighs have also stopped working.
I can live without the thigh bolsters, but recently had a spinal fusion and am so missing my lumbar bolsters.
Any suggestions?
TIA,
Karen
I’ve added a pic of the 4 buttons in case my description wasn’t clear enough.
If the lines or connectors are broken, it's pretty cheap to fix.
#10
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2014 E550 Cab, 2009 CLK550 Cab, 2006 CLK350 Cab
Fuse
The fuse for multicontour seats is #60 in the trunk.
mine have been operating intermittently so i am just syart to dig into them. I am pretty sure for basic multicontour seats the pumps are in the seat backs.
If you have dynamic multicontour seats the pump appears to be in the left side of the trunk.
Karen's picture of the controls look like she has the multicontour contour seats not the dynamic multicontour seats. Mine is the same as he's.
I hope to pull the seat backs off this weekend and confirm the pumps are in the seat backs.
I'll report back when I do.
mine have been operating intermittently so i am just syart to dig into them. I am pretty sure for basic multicontour seats the pumps are in the seat backs.
If you have dynamic multicontour seats the pump appears to be in the left side of the trunk.
Karen's picture of the controls look like she has the multicontour contour seats not the dynamic multicontour seats. Mine is the same as he's.
I hope to pull the seat backs off this weekend and confirm the pumps are in the seat backs.
I'll report back when I do.
#12
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2011 E550 Cabriolet
The combination of front seat climate control (less cushioning) and the air bladders was so uncomfortable I've seldom used them in the two years I've owned my 2011. If they did go out I wouldn't fix them. Instead I found some old school seat cushions.
#13
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2014 E550 Cab, 2009 CLK550 Cab, 2006 CLK350 Cab
Interesting
THANKS for letting me know how yours is set up.
I could use the lumbar support for my back.
If it wasn't for that I wouldn't fool with it.
#14
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2016 E400 Coupe (C207)
I've been going through the info and diagrams in Xentry and seems to be conflicting. But again it may be due to various option codes too.
THANKS for letting me know how yours is set up.
I could use the lumbar support for my back.
If it wasn't for that I wouldn't fool with it.
THANKS for letting me know how yours is set up.
I could use the lumbar support for my back.
If it wasn't for that I wouldn't fool with it.