BMW Power Seats Not Working, Memory & Manual Issue

Hey there! I had a pretty similar issue with my 2011 BMW 3 Series diesel. Got me worried too when the seats stopped responding, both manual and memory settings were completely dead. I'm no expert (just some basic experience with car maintenance), but I figured it had to be electrical. Took it to my regular workshop, and turns out it was just a faulty connection in the wiring harness under the seat. They had to replace some cables and a connector that had worn out over time. The whole thing cost me 95 Euro and fixed the problem completely. Before I can offer more specific advice, could you tell me if you're getting any specific error messages on the dashboard? Also, does this happen with both front seats or just one? This info would help me compare it better with what I experienced with my 1 Series (that's my current ride). These electrical gremlins can be tricky, but usually, they're not as bad as they seem at first.

Hey there! Thanks for sharing your experience. Currently at 112374 KM and just had my service last month, but this issue started popping up recently. In my case, it's definitely both front seats, and I'm getting error code E064 on the dashboard. The timing is pretty similar to what you described, everything just stopped working suddenly. Good to hear yours was just a wiring issue! Did your mechanic mention how long the repair took? I'm trying to figure out if I should plan for a quick fix or prepare for the car to be in the shop longer. Also wondering if you had any warning signs before the complete failure? Mine just went from working fine to completely dead without any intermittent issues.

Hey again! Yeah, looking at your error code and symptoms, it sounds exactly like what I dealt with. Mine also went completely dead without any warning, working fine one day, totally dead the next. Super annoying, right? About the repair time, in my case, the mechanic had it done in about 2-3 hours. They actually showed me the worn-out wiring harness afterward, and you could clearly see where it had been rubbing against the seat frame. Pretty common issue in these BMWs, apparently. Since you mentioned your mileage is around 112K, it's right in that sweet spot where these electrical issues tend to pop up. Mine was at about 98K when it happened. The fact that both seats are affected makes me even more confident it's the same wiring harness issue I had. Quick tip, while you're waiting for the repair, try not to force the seat adjustments. I made that mistake and apparently, it can cause more damage to the electrical components. Just leave them as they are until you get it fixed. Given how similar our issues sound, I'd bet you're looking at a similar repair time and cost to what I experienced. Keep us posted on what you find out!

Thanks so much for all the detailed info! That's really helpful, especially knowing it took just 2-3 hours to fix. It's such a relief to hear this might be a straightforward wiring issue rather than something more serious. You're absolutely right about not forcing the seats, I've been leaving them exactly as they are since the problem started. I've actually just booked an appointment with my mechanic for next week. I'll definitely mention the wiring harness issue you experienced, it could save them some diagnostic time. Really appreciate you sharing your experience about the wear and tear at similar mileage too. Makes total sense why it's happening now. Will definitely update once I get it sorted. Thanks again for taking the time to help out, it's made me feel a lot better about the whole situation. These electrical issues can be pretty worrying when you don't know what you're dealing with!