BMW X4 Seat Heaters Dying: Quick Fixes and Repair Costs

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28i last winter. The symptoms were exactly like yours, barely any heat and unusual shutoffs. Initially thought it was just a fuse, but turned out the heating mat in the seat was defective. My trusted mechanic found that the heating elements in the seat cushion had developed several dead spots and breaks in the wiring. It was actually a fairly common issue. Required replacing the entire heating mat assembly. The repair itself wasn't super complex, but it did need the seat to be partially disassembled to access the heating elements. Took about half a day to fix. I'd say it was a medium-severity issue, not something that affects safety, but definitely impacts comfort, especially during cold weather. Just make sure whoever does the repair has experience with BMW seat heating systems. The wiring can be a bit tricky to work with. Hope this helps with your decision.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful, as it sounds exactly like what I'm dealing with. Mind if I ask how much you ended up paying for the whole repair? Also, has everything been working properly since then, or have you noticed any other issues pop up? I want to make sure I budget correctly and know what to expect long-term with this fix.

Hey again! Happy to give you an update! After getting it fixed, my seat heater has been working perfectly fine, no more problems at all. The repair cost me 390 € for the whole job, including the new heating mat and labor. Definitely worth every penny, especially since I've had zero issues since the repair. Just had my morning commute today with the seat heater on full blast, and it's still working like new after almost a year. The warmth is consistent now, no more of those annoying shutoffs or cold spots that used to drive me crazy. My advice? If your symptoms match what I described, just go for the repair. It's not the cheapest fix, but it's a permanent solution, and it's so nice having properly working seat heaters again. Trust me, you'll forget about the cost once you have working heated seats again! Let me know if you need any other info about the repair. Always happy to help a fellow BMW owner!

Thanks so much for all the details! Finally got my car back from the mechanic yesterday. Turns out you were spot on, it was the heating mat. Went to a different mechanic this time who specializes in BMW repairs. Cost me a bit more than yours at 450 €, but they did a thorough job. Just drove to work this morning and wow, what a difference! The seat heater works perfectly now, stays on consistently and actually gets properly warm. Such a relief to have this fixed before it gets colder. The mechanic also showed me the old heating mat, it was pretty worn out with several dead spots, just like you mentioned. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It helped me make the right decision instead of wasting time trying cheaper fixes that probably wouldn't have worked. Definitely money well spent! Take care!