chuck57

Noticed in your link in the remote lock thread (can't access the link anymore ) that faults in the pneumatic seats are reported to some module and can only be read using with a specific device (sorry I can't remember the exact terms).

Anyway, my contour seat pneumatic bladders inflate normally on motor ignition, but deflate with near flawless timing 2 minutes later. Car still under warranty, but dealer said no codes and convinced me I was silly by showing me it worked (I hadn't noticed the timing of the failure).

Harbor Freight is sending an OBD scanner courtesy of one of your other posts...will it detect any of the contour seat related codes (PSE maybe).

Thanks for all the help you've posted in numerous threads!

MARK CUMMINS

The Basic OBD2 scanner will NOT show codes other than check engine / ABS/SRS

Thats where the SDS aka star WILL help...

Have the shopforeman at the Dealer hook up the star and check for STORED codes ..also one CAN use the star to check operation of the Multicontour seats..FUNCTION TEST..

If the Multicontour bladders bleed down in two min..you have a leak in the system...One can Also use a hand held Vacuum tester to test the bladder s
the connection is under the seat ..Then test the lines and connections to the PSE pump under the rear seat

ohlord

may show a code for the seats,and it will also come in handy when you need to read a cel in the future and the dealer tries to throw a blind fold on you
http://w210.pietrzyk.net/body_91seatssrs.htm
mcs valve must be leaking and you are correct about the reading of the system with the hand held tester (HHT)in mercedes speak.So look for a body code ,will start with B and then 4 numbers,but I think it must be a leak or a hole in the lines going to the affected part of the seat.Get a shop stethoscope from any good auto store and pump up the seat and in a very quiet garage listen for a leak.Or better yet since you paid for the warranty have the dealer do it
ohlord
my hand held shows body codes,B, as well as power train codes,P.
Marks other test with a vac test will prove the leak and the steth will locate it or a paint brush and some dish soap dabbed on the lines and fittings will bubble up and show the leak

chuck57

Using the information you gentlemen provided - I'm sure they aren't anxious to do warranty work on a 5 year old car...but my empathy ends each time I settle deeper into the deflated plush luxury contour seats. Thanks!

ohlord

is an aftermarket warranty so the dealer will get paid from the 3rd party,show them again what is happening and let them fix it,you paid for that service use it.

chuck57

Actually it's a Mercedes new car premium extended care warranty, which comes up on the dealer paperwork as a StarMark warranty - not sure if thier computers have translated it correctly, but still think one of the few things I managed to do right at the dealership when I bought it

chuck57

Well...today the OBD scanner arrived - but the car's been in the shop since thursday - they say "the pump in both the driver and passenger seats is bad", and of course not in stock. So, I'm driving a C230 atm and waiting for monday to hear what the next step will be. Just seems odd to me that the seats would inflate and then deflate if it were the pumps...will keep all imformed of the results

raymond g-

i have the multi-contour seats up front as well. paid dearly for them but
ohmygosh, my back loves them. the driver seat's side bolster does not inflate
so Sunil is sending me a new valve. bottom and back bladders function just fine.

it is possible for one to disassemble and examine the lines. you'd have to remove
the seats and carpeting and check each fitting. it's possible that the leakage
is from the main line just before it splits off to driver/pax seat. if it were the PSE
pump, I wonder if one can conclude this via secondary symptoms e.g. from
other devices which are serviced by the PSE pump, such as door locks, gas
filler cover, etc (just speculating) ¿¿

MARK CUMMINS

There is only ONE PSE pump for the seats..who told you that BOTH Pumps are bad?

MARK CUMMINS

Do a search on WIS re the seats ...its easy to troubleshoot the multicontour bladders...as the PSE is used for several items..central locking and multicontour seats if so fitted.The Pump is located under the rear seat...Just trace the hard plastic lines to each seat..As The Seat control switch and the Bladders or connections will leak

TonyC

does anyone know the original package cost of the multi-contour seats? say.... back in '98/99? just curious cuz the wagon i'm looking at has these...

raymond g-

quick Googling would indicate $700+ for the front seat upgrade alone....but $6k
for Designo. what I can't tell is whether Designo includes multi-contour front
seats. In the case of my E55 front seats (fitted to my E320) it is both Designo
as well as multi-contour design.

chuck57

Latest is that they replaced the pump and say it solved the issue with the passenger seat, but the driver seat has a leaky bladder - estimate is $650 to repair and it's non-warranted

chuck57

got the car back.

The dearler replaced p/n 210-800-27-48 Pneumatic Supply Pump under warranty.

The front lower seat cushion bladder had a "slight" leak and was not covered by warranty - 4.7 hours of labor (120/hr); replaced p/n 210-910-03-75 Seat Adapter ($61.25) & 210-914-02-53 Seat Cushion (1.38); they had to sublet attaching the lumbar bladder to the cushion (guess it required stitching?)

Also fixed missing segments in the AC display by replacing p/n 210-830-32-85 A/C Control under warranty.

All in all it was a bit expensive, but sure is nice to have the support in the seats again! And it always makes me appreciate the aging beast when I drive a C230 loaner for almost 2 weeks!