I have a 2007 S550 that I purchased a while back from a friend. While going through its options I learned that it came featured with Multicontour/Dynamic Seats with the massaging feature. When I clicked the button on the center console to open that menu to adjust the seats, I was presented with something that looks as the video shown below (not exactly me or my car but the problem and situation is the exact same)





First thing I need to mention is that I am not a professional and all though I may attach some things, a lot of what I may send below may not directly coorelate with the problem I have.

It shows the option "lumbar" with a slider that does nothing (although mine doesn't reset back down to zero).
It is missing all of the other adjustments such as sides, shoulders, etc and is also missing the massage options such as "fast and rigorous", "slow and gentle" and whatnot.
I should say that just like in the video, I believe my car was programmed/modded to include the aux in feature as I have a bluetooth receiver to use it wirelessly with my phone. But as said in the video, it shouldn't affect the seats in any way.
My pneumatic pump works, because the vacuuming on the door still works great, and it is both the drivers and passenger seat that do not have ANY features whatsoever.
The car was in a front-left accident, which was around where the CGW was that I will get into my theory.

My testing:
Using an XTool code reader the scanner has "no communication" with the front left/right mulicontour seat modules
There are no codes for anything to do with this.
Attempting reprogramming of any modules in the car using the XTool code reader (which pulls software from its own database that it gets from the VO (from CGW) of the car) returns me a message in the image shown below


My guess as to what this means is
"We don't have any software in our database for your VO"
Which could be for a couple reasons such as:
We never had any 2007 S550's in our database
or We never had your specific VO in our database (because of the bizarre situation)

My theory is that when this car got in a front left accident (where the CGW is) the module got damaged, and was replaced by another CGW that didn't have the Multicontour/Massage options programmed into it.
This is just a guess and I am not that educated to know for sure but its my idea. Is this theory plausible? If not what is likely going on? And what is the solution?
If my theory is correct I should take to it an electrical shop that I know, and ask for multicontour to be programmed into the CGW and to reprogram the seat modules.

 

Your theory is spot on. A replaced CGW (Central Gateway) without the correct coding for your options is the most likely cause. It's the car's communication hub, and if it doesn't have the seat modules listed in its vehicle order (VO), they will be inactive and invisible to the diagnostic system.

The solution is to have a specialist with Mercedes-specific software (like DAS/Xentry) code the multicontour seat and massage options into the CGW's VO. This should wake up the seat modules and restore all functions. Your local electrical shop will need the right tools to perform this Mercedes-specific coding.

 

Ok thank you,
My electrical shop specializes in Euro cars.
Do I need to get the seat modules reprogrammed too?
Or just ask him to code the multicontour and massage options into the CGW?

 

Just ticking boxes in the CGW and also the Comand Controller ecu coding should suffice.

That said, if the car was wrecked hard enough to destroy the CGW, non functional seats is probably the least of your worries. Also if it was hit that hard, there's every possibility that the seats were swapped out too. In which case they may not have the Dynamic/Massage module in which case your code reader may be correct.

 

I don't think the car was hit that badly but i'll check with my friend to see if he knows. I believe it's highly unlikely the seats were changed but it's a good theory to check.
Let's say the CGW was not replaced? (Are there easy ways to check?)
What could be going on then?
Thanks

 

I'd check chassis decode tools to see if you had massage
then I'd suspect fiddly fingers or replaced comand unit and wrong coding set up
the menus to do lumbar and massage are within the comand unit so any on and off operation to the display is in there

put the vin in here

https://www.lastvin.com/

you are looking for the lower one

401 FRONT SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL - this bring pointless rattling and fans falling off

432 MULTI-CONTOUR, DYNAMICS SEAT FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT - this brings the wear out the pump and irritating late to the party inflation on cornering, and I guess massage as can't see it elsewhere and mine has it

 

its not in the CGW - seems to be a lot of lies about this module....

I guess there could be many iterations - early full spec cars ran SW ending 1027, there was an update to 1327 - then new hardware on later cars with SW ending 1427 this brought new options - but this software version doesn't behave on early cars with certain options

CGW coding options
RED is new options for later cars in SW 1427
YELLOW is older name in SW 1327 or earlier
Black text is the same in SW ending 1027 1327 or 1427
(SA) means its was a possible cost Optional extra at vehicle build

Special vehicle (450/965): taxi power supply
Special vehicle (934): Taxi emergency alarm system
Special vehicle (342): connection for roof signs
Special vehicle (930): Taxi call
Special vehicle (938): Radio connection Taxi
Special vehicle (970/974/975/Z90): Vehicle Electrical
Special vehicle (Y860/Y861): special signal system
Special vehicle (Z22): Bred alarm system (GAS)
Special vehicle (Z07): emergency opening inactive
Special vehicle (941): Pre-Profit for Integration Fun
Special vehicle: conversion for disabled people
Special vehicle (Z11/Z12/Z13/Z14): Automatic ramp-up window lift locked
Collision Mitigation System 2
Intelligent high beam control Plus
889 Keyless Go (SA)
220 Parktronics (SA)
540 rear roller blind (SA)
275 Memory package (SA) 614/618/615/616 Xenon headlights (SA)
600 headlight cleaning system (SA) --- Presafe adjustment window lift (series)
883 aid (SA)
APC (not for W221)
477 Tire pressure warning system (Standard)
229 Park Assistant (SA)
233 Collision Mitigation System CMS (SA)
513 Speed Limit Assistant [name on older SW says --- Speed Limit Assistant (nicht in BR221/216) ]
not(219/233/229) Cruise control with braking (SA)
219 Adaptive cruise control (Distronic) (SA)
610 Nightview (SA)
234 Blind Spot detection (SA)
478 SCAN curve warning (SA)
233 Advanced Distronic (SA)
230 Advanced Parking Guide APG /Adv. Park. Assist APA [name in older SW says 230 Advanced Parking Guide (SA) ]
472K Active Steering (ASC) (SA)
Intelligent light system (IHC)
Driving lane recognition
223/224 El. core backrest adjustment and headrests (SA)
224 El. Rear individual seat and headrests (SA)
881 Rear cover locking (SA)
884 Rear lid heat (SA)
885 Increased anti-theft (SA)
297 Sunscreen roller electric in rear doors
Tyre pressure module (standard) (SA)
Fixed maximum speed
DC-Group
Country code
Series
Special protection class
Modification year version
Change year
Vario steering
Body LHD or RHD variant
PSTS'Avl (Not W221)
CVI 5
423/427 Transmission control (Series)
580/581 Air Conditioner/Automatic Air Conditioning (Series)
550 trailer hitch (SA)
551 Anti-burglary and theft warning system - EDW (SA)
882 Interior protection (SA)
228 Auxiliary heating (SA)
--- Light sensor (series)
--- Rain sensor (series)
not(498/819L/494/491/701L/625) Complete replacement light allowed (SA)
Roof variant (Sunroof 414)
238 Lane assistant
237 Blind Spot Assistant
239 DTR-PlusLgt-Avl
Electric motor variant
B03 Engine Stop/Start Automatic
487 ABC suspension system
867 Comand Dual View Display
Outdoor light package
Outdoor light package with fog light
Power steering style - HPS/EHPS/EPS