BMW Z4 Massage Seat Malfunction, Switch Troubleshooting

Hey there! I've got some experience working on BMWs (some experience with maintenance and repairs). I actually had a similar issue with my 2006 BMW 5-series. The massage function was acting weird just like yours, and ended up being a loose connection in the wiring harness going to the seat control module. Took it to my regular workshop last month, and they found that one of the plugs had come partially loose over time. The fix wasn't too complicated, they had to remove the seat cover, reconnect and secure the cable properly, and clear the error code. Cost me about 95 Euro for the whole job, including diagnostic. Can you share what error code you're getting? Also, does the rest of the seat functions (adjustment, heating) work normally? This info would help figure out if you're dealing with the same problem I had.

Thanks for sharing your experience! I'm at 27077 KM and just had my last service about a month ago. The other seat functions are working fine, heating, adjustment, everything except the massage. My error code is different from what you had though, mine shows E4531. Wondering if this means I'm looking at a more serious issue. Good to know your fix wasn't too expensive! Did your mechanic mention if these issues are common in older BMWs?

Hey again! Thanks for the additional details about your Z4. Actually, when I had my issue fixed, my mechanic did mention these massage function problems are pretty common in BMWs once they hit the 7-10 year mark. But your error code (E4531) is different from what I had (mine was E4528), which might point to a different root cause. Since you mentioned all other seat functions are working fine, and this started after your recent service, I'm wondering if something got knocked loose during the maintenance work. In my case, even though it ended up being just a wiring issue, the symptoms started differently, my massage function would sometimes work intermittently before failing completely. One thing I learned from my experience, if you're planning to get it checked, make sure they do a full diagnostic of the seat control module. When I first tried fixing it myself (bad idea, by the way), I just assumed it was the switch like you did, but the actual problem was deeper in the wiring. Did your massage function stop working suddenly, or did it gradually get worse? This might help narrow down whether you're dealing with a similar wiring issue or something else.

Thanks for the detailed follow-up! That's really interesting about these problems being common in older BMWs. To answer your question, mine actually stopped working quite suddenly. I used it fine one evening, and the next morning it just wouldn't respond at all. Definitely didn't have any intermittent issues like you mentioned. You've got me thinking maybe I should take it back to where I had the service done. If something did get knocked loose during maintenance, they should at least take a look at it. Really appreciate the tip about getting a full diagnostic on the seat control module rather than just assuming it's the switch. Sounds like I could've gone down the same path you did trying to fix it myself! I'll get it checked out and let you know what they find. Really helpful to know what to expect and what questions to ask. Thanks again for sharing your experience, saved me from potentially making some expensive mistakes!