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Yes I tried searching but didn't really find anything useful. Is there some guide to reviving my multi-contour seats? The buttons on the driver's and passenger's seat appear to do nothing at all. I checked what I think is the correct fuse and it seems fine. I just would like some kind of process of things to check, or common issues. I have WIS but it can be hit or miss...and going on a long road trip this summer so I am trying to finally finish sorting the car (had it for about 10 months). 04 E55 134k.
I'll take any advice or links to the obvious threads that I missed. Thanks.
Yes I tried searching but didn't really find anything useful. Is there some guide to reviving my multi-contour seats? The buttons on the driver's and passenger's seat appear to do nothing at all. I checked what I think is the correct fuse and it seems fine. I just would like some kind of process of things to check, or common issues. I have WIS but it can be hit or miss...and going on a long road trip this summer so I am trying to finally finish sorting the car (had it for about 10 months). 04 E55 134k.
I'll take any advice or links to the obvious threads that I missed. Thanks.
WIS has a fair amount of info on the seats including a full function discription. Seems like the place to start.
The bellows are likely blown out due to old age. Replacement involves removing the seats, drilling out and replacing some rivets, partially removing the leather covers and replacing the bellows. There are 4 or 5 of them iirc. This is assuming that MB hasn't discontinued selling them. Your pump could also be faulty.
The bellows are likely blown out due to old age. Replacement involves removing the seats, drilling out and replacing some rivets, partially removing the leather covers and replacing the bellows. There are 4 or 5 of them iirc. This is assuming that MB hasn't discontinued selling them. Your pump could also be faulty.
Easy check for the pump is to check for air into the seat. Do this with the car off: raise the seat to it's highest level, look underneath and you'll see the air hose right there in the front. Pop it off, and disconnect the two parts. Now turn the car on. For about 25-30 seconds, it'll attempt to fill the seat, until it detects that there's a leak, and the pump stops pumping. If you're not getting air, you could have a leak between that hose and the pump, or a dead pump. The pump is pretty easy to find, and also it's not exactly quiet. It's in the driver's side of the trunk just behind the tail light. Have someone start the car while you put your head near there and listen, it's fairly loud.
If you are getting air to the seat, then it's almost definitely a bladder. There's some videos on youtube of a guy repairing on his S class, should be similar I suppose. If you can fish the bladder out, might be repairable by industrial strength hot glue.
Thanks. I am not sure I have ever heard the pumps run but I will try right after startup because it sounds like if it fails that test, it quits for the entire ignition cycle.
Thanks. I am not sure I have ever heard the pumps run but I will try right after startup because it sounds like if it fails that test, it quits for the entire ignition cycle.
I know my seat pump runs because when the car has sat for a while the driver seat does loose some of the pressure in one or more of the bladders. I can feel it pressurizing as soon as I start the car but I can not hear the pump running in the car. So, it may likely require a two person test to confirm the pump is running or not.
Thanks. I am not sure I have ever heard the pumps run but I will try right after startup because it sounds like if it fails that test, it quits for the entire ignition cycle.
I have my trunk trim panels, and rear seat/rear deck removed for an audio install and I can definitely hear mine from the drivers seat, but I don't recall ever hearing it with a full interior.
And you're right, once it thinks it detects a leak, it shuts down for the ignition cycle. Popping off the air line to the seat is the easiest check.
Easy check for the pump is to check for air into the seat. Do this with the car off: raise the seat to it's highest level, look underneath and you'll see the air hose right there in the front. Pop it off, and disconnect the two parts. Now turn the car on. For about 25-30 seconds, it'll attempt to fill the seat, until it detects that there's a leak, and the pump stops pumping. If you're not getting air, you could have a leak between that hose and the pump, or a dead pump. The pump is pretty easy to find, and also it's not exactly quiet. It's in the driver's side of the trunk just behind the tail light. Have someone start the car while you put your head near there and listen, it's fairly loud.
If you are getting air to the seat, then it's almost definitely a bladder. There's some videos on youtube of a guy repairing on his S class, should be similar I suppose. If you can fish the bladder out, might be repairable by industrial strength hot glue.
I did the start test. I started it, jumped out, and put my head basically in the trunk on the inside of the tail light on the driver's side. I even opened the rear SAM cover to let a little more noise out and I heard nothing at all. Dead pump? Is that common?
Attaching a pic of mine for reference. The foam insulation is the only thing that has a part number on it (211 800 01 35), interestingly, the Bosch pump inside doesn't have a part number anywhere on it.
Thanks. I finally experienced the dreaded trunk harness wire breakage so I now had three reasons to dig into the left side trunk area (that, this and TPMS). Anyway mine did have a P/N on the pump as did the used one I bought on eBay ($38.52, also apparently a central locking pump). I figure I will slap this in and hopefully it runs. Then I'll be closer to figuring out why my seats don't work. Is this just a vacuum pump (to decrease bladder pressure when required) and the actual seat pump is in each seat back? I am starting to think that's the case for the mutli-contour.
Anyway, hopefully this is my only issue and since the vacuum pump doesn't run on the ignition cycle it won't inflate, either. Or....this is not just a vacuum pump. I guess I need to read WIS some more.
Turns out my used pump was DOA. Actually I heard it run a few revolutions and then it stopped. Feeling frustrated, I plugged my old pump back in and beat it against the trunk a few times and that appears to have revived it. Hilarious. So I'll return the other one.
Anyway it seems to work now. I think the seat back bolster bladder is leaking because it doesn't seem to hold pressure. But everything else seems to work properly. I didn't sit in the pass seat but the controls worked so this is exciting. I guess if it stops working again I just need to find a good pump somewhere. I'm not sure I will bother to fix the seat back bolster, unless it's a leaking line. If it's the bladder, it's probably going to stay broken...
That didn't last long. Old pump stopped working again. I can either keep trying used pumps or spring for a new one....unless there is some aftermarket option.
I think you're wasting a lot of time. The pump will stop working once it detects a leak. Again, as I posted before, your seat bladders are cracked and leaking from age. They will all require replacement.
Ultimately yes for proper operation I'm sure that's true. However, my pump was not running at all and the used one I bought was DOA. It was only after I smacked mine during that first 20 seconds of ignition cycle (where I am told it will try to run) that it began running. And it worked consistently that evening until I stopped messing with it. This morning, I had nothing on a fresh ignition cycle. It disables once per ignition cycle for leaks, yes? So I believe I still have a pump problem, even if I have one or more leaky bladders (and I'm sure I do).
Again, I don't think it stops running forever if there is a leak. Just for the remainder of the ignition cycle. When I was playing with the seats, granted I didn't drive anywhere, but it never stopped working. This morning after all night I assume the pump seized again. Hence my diagnosis. You don't agree?
If you pump up the side bladders to max. Does the system have some kind of valve which release air when the car sits or does the system hold air until new inputs are made on the air control?
My seat pumps up fine but I suspect it's releasing air over time. Wonder if it's normal or I have a leak?
I still need to read WIS but from what I gather the system tracks pressure for each individual bladder and will aim to hold the pressure (like a memory feature), including any needed replenishment on a new ignition cycle (and while driving). So it's not like Airmatic where it should theoretically hold itself up for months if everything is 100%. Obviously a big tear on a bladder is unsat but I think they did design the system with the understanding that some pressure is lost over time.
So on a torn bladder, as long as the "memory pressure" isn't higher than the bladder can hold, it should be satisfied. Seems like all I'd need to do is release the air from a suspect bladder and the system will not try to inflate it, which means it won't timeout and shut the pump off. This is my plan if I could just find a pump that works. OE is like $440 list price or $329 at an online MB dealer. That ain't happening. It's a cheap part used across many models and years (including central locking). That price is insanity for what it is. It's not like it's some special 03-06 W211 part.
So I'll probably roll the dice on more used pumps. As long as the return policy is solid I should be fine. Initiating the eBay return was super easy and the seller even paid return shipping. The original shipping was also free. So it only cost a little time to try it.
This guy's video is pretty good on the topic. If I'm ever feeling adventurous enough I might attempt this. Though it's an S class, I'd imagine it's fairly similar to our seats.
Does the memory seat function affect air pressure for you guys? Say if you choose memory 1 with inflated seats and you have deflated seats, do your seat fill when you push memory seat 1?
Got my next used pump from eBay. This time around $42. This one worked right out of the box unlike the other one that was DOA. I just did accessory mode and was immediately able to inflate seat bladders. I can confirm again that both seat back side bolsters appear to be leaking. They don't hold much pressure. That's a real shame because those are probably about the only bolsters that I would have wanted control over (more pressure for spirited driving). I can still use lower lumbar and the thigh support as those seem to hold.
But everything works as far as the system. So the question is, does it work next time I use the car, or the next day, etc. If so, then this was a success and I can decide later if I want to replace any leaky bladders or even investigate.
I just tried this morning. Still works! So I definitely had a pump issue. Hopefully everything will remain working and I can use the functions that still hold air.
My Dynamic/Messaging seats don't work either. Neither does the power lumbar.
What are your guys suggestions in terms of diagnosing/fixing it? An ordered list of things to try first, second, third etc would be appreciated.
Thanks!
All I can tell you is what I did. Granted I have multi-contour only. But none of my buttons worked on either seat, suggesting a more systemic issue. First step was to locate the pump and determine if it runs during a brief period after the ignition is turned on (I don't think you need to start the car as my seats now work in what I call accessory mode or I guess position 1/one press of KG).
Anyway mine did not run. So, my step 1 was to get a pump that did run and go from there. After one DOA eBay pump I found one that works and is still working. I simply swapped in the used pump and my buttons all work now. Except I determined that I have leaky back bolster bladders on, I think, both seats, but the thigh and lumbar seem to hold air. That's probably as far as I'll go unless I feel like I have a broken line under a seat somewhere (pretty easy fix vs fishing the bladder out).
04-19-2021, 08:13 AM
