Power driver seat and tilt steering won't work!!!
 

Neither my power driver seat or tilt/telescoping steering will work. I have checked the fuses and none of them are blown. They both share a common 30A fuse so I am thinking there is a problem with a relay but I can't find it.

Has anyone else had this problem? I don't want to go to the dealer for this.

I have exactly the same problem. Both my steering and power seat on driver's side won't move. Were you able to figure out how to fix it? My dealer will take my paycheck for this!!

motor must be bad. Test the motor is you fuse is still good

How do I test the fuse?
It just seems strange that both steering wheel and seat have malfunctioned together... do they share the same motor/fuse?

Thanks!

The seats have several motors and the steering wheel has multiple motors. They share the same fuse, I've tried replacing the fuse with no improvement.

Could there be a bad relay somewhere, if so where is it? Could it also be a short in the seat wire harness? Would a short in the wire harness also make the steering wheel inoperable?

I highly doubt that all the motors in the seat and steering wheel went bad all at the same time.

I have a hard time believing that one relay could control all these motors (steering wheel x 2 + seat x 4 or 5). The only common junction is the power feed to the fuse or the fuse.
Sounds strange to me. Check that you have power to the common fuse, and/or that the wires are connectd properly and no oxidazion.
Sorry, that's all I can come up with. Any motor relay should be connected after the fuse, since they will be feeding the motors independantly.
Unfortunately have I not been able to fin a EWS (Electrical Wire Scheme) for the X5 on the net yet, so I'm out of other ideas..
Has anyone got that scheme??

check the plug that connected the seat and the motor . sometime it get losed. if the seat work the stering will work , because there work together,

Hi,

Thanks for the suggestion mrbmwx5. Could you tell me where is this plug located? Is it under the seat?

I had the steering and seat working suddenly one day which I assume happened because the plug is loose. Right now both the driver seat and the steering are dead....

Thanks for your suggestions guys!

yes under the seat'

Get the voltmeter check the plugs connector where it go in the motor and see if you get any power?

sometime the fusle look good , but it can be bad too.

Has anyone found dyi to this problem. The same thing happened to my wives drivers side seat and steering wheel.

JO

Ok i guess no one knows.. Hmm, is it covered under the CPO program?

thanks guys for all the help...i figured i would at least get one smart ass and say look in your manual or take it to the shop.

Same problem with my 05 3.3i.
Can anyone share how this was fixed?
Thanks

Problem Solved!
 

I finally found the problem! It is the power seat control module which also contains the memory for the power steering which is why neither one will work. It is located on the left side of the drivers seat and contains the pwer seat controls as well as the memory buttons. I took mine out of the seat and found the following part number:

61.31-8 245 383

Called the dealer, they wanted $430. Found a used one on the internet for $200.

Good luck!

Thanks and appreciate your quick response.
Luckily mine is still under warranty. I will have the stealer fix it.

faccen1, i started having the same problem yesterday. tilt steering and driver seat stopped working. The part # for your module does not come up in realoem.com, is this module attached to the seat adjustment buttons? my battery died, and after replacing the battery this happened :(

The module is all one piece (including the seat adjustment buttons). Depending on the year of your X5, the model number may be different. I suggest taking the plastic side cover off of your seat and removing the module to get the number. There is one screw that holds the cover on and the rest of the retainers are plastic clips. You could also call the dealer to get the part number.

ok i got it apart, thought it might be the connector being loose, wasn't the case, i swapped the module with the passenger side, and the driver side worked perfect, and passenger still didn't work. So it is the module. But damnnnn, called the stealers, and its $440 for this part, hoping to find a use one somewhere, dunno where though. The pick a parts here usually dont have any x5's.

call this guy for used one 1888 774-6670

i called that number, some lady answered, i asked her if she carries any used bmw parts, i dont think she understood a word i said, she just kept saying "i dont understand" in a super strong accent. You sure thats the right number? and is it reachable from canada?? whats the company name? i can call long distance instead of toll free.

try this guy.vinesauto.com 205 426-2697or 1800 214 4839

called, they didn't have any used seat controls left... however he could get me a new one for about $325.. thats way better then the $440 here, but im thinking after shipping and duty/custom, might come out to be around the same.. any other places you guys know that might have used in stock??

i think i saw 1 on ebay. try ebay and type in bmw seat module.

thanx man, but no e53 modules on ebay. Been checking there everyday.. Im gonna try bavarian auto recyclers, hopefully they got it... man, its making me insane!! heh.

call this guy he have 3 x5 1800 973 5506

damn, that number is not available from canada, you know the full long distance number instead of toll free?

i reset the computer again by disconnecting the battery, everything is now working again.

Ok, i am still having this problem jOnblayz. I noticed this problem as soon as I hooked up my sub/amp to the battery. I am going to try this today. Hopefully it works!

I disconnected the negative.. couldnt get to the positive because i lost my 10mm socket. Unfortunately i had no luck. Jonblayz did u disconnect both?

Adding some more info on this topic:

Symptoms: First, I noticed the driver's seat and steering stopped moving back/up when I shut off the car. All seat memory and mirror memory ceased working. Seat movement still worked via the seat controls. All fuses were good.

A few weeks later I noticed I could no longer move the steering wheel more than a millimeter for each press of the tilt/tele switch. That means it would take about 10 minutes to move it all the way up or down, 1 millimeter at a time. Thought this could be the motor in the column which is a known failure point, but didn't chase that down due to the other seat/mirror symptoms on that same circuit.

Another week goes by and the driver's seat stops moving completely, except for a millimeter movement for every 2 or 3 pushes of the seat controls. A day later, there was no movement at all.

Pulled the module shown below. The part number on mine was "61.31-4 318 615" which has been replaced by part number "61.31-7 119 867". This is for the "ACTUATION UNIT LEFT" a.k.a., the power seat memory module.

This part used to be over $500. My local dealer had 1 in stock for $369. Bav Auto could order me one for about 10% less. However, the best price by far was from Morristown BMW which was about 30% less than Bav. Email Morristown for an exact quote.

Reinstalled the module in 2 minutes and now all seat memory is back, steering movement is normal, and mirror memory works again. Expensive part but easy to fix.

nice =] I think mine may be on it's way out..

does this part also cause the mirrors to move on their own?

What about the steering wheel tilt and telescopic?

A bad seat memory module can cause the tilt/tele to act weird or stop working completely. The tilt/tele motor itself is another possible problem area. Several people here have had to replace that motor, even on low-mileage X's. Check your fuses too.

How the HELL do you get the shroud off of the seat..the part that houses the seat control module. I unscrewed the one spot in the back but I can't figure how the clips work...do you just tug or is there something I am missing?

Also, the main harness that goes into the rear facing end of the module..how do you remove that? I can slide part of the clip but it just seems to be stuck on there...Does anyone have any pointers?

There is only one screw, the whole thing is held on by snap fits. The only advice I can give you is to be patient and take your time trying to pry it off. I broke a couple of the clips when taking mine off which is no big deal.

As for the wire harness, until you get the control module removed from the seat, you do not need to undo the harness. There are 2 or 3 wire harness connections behind the control module that need to be disconnected when replacing.

I am experiencing the same exact problem with my 2002 3.0i X5 now. Would the 61.31-7 119 867 part work in it or is it a different part?

Thanks

I suggest removing the seat control module from the seat and then getting the part number off of it. This way you are guaranteed to get the right part. That is what I did I and I had no problems. You are going to have to remove it any way to replace it so you might as well do it now.

Funny, i was looking up this info in the Bentlly work shop manual last night. I had the X at the dealer for the oil sep upgrade and i told then to check out this issue:
If i use my memory key and it will move the seats, steering wheel and side mirrors to my setting then i lock the doors. Next if my wife going to use the memory key to unlock the doors it will move to her setting but the side mirrors will (some time the passenger side and some time the drivers side) get stuck in the lowest position but then if we press the memory button on the seat it will move back (this happens if my wifes locks the doors then i unlock them). Funny part is we have the same settings for the side mirror but they move due to the error.

The master tech told me it was the seat memory module need to be replaced and will cost $700 w/ labor! I told him to hold off and i will look into it. I am glad that i do not have to take the door panel off!!!

My steering wheel, seat movement, and mirror all work only that the mirror gets stuck down in the lowest postion. I will get a new memory seat module soon so we do not burn out the mirror motors.

If you have the Bently work shop manual they have a diagram who the memory key works and controls the drivers seat, mirrors, and steering wheel. SO they are all linked together.

back from the dead ;) i still haven't fixed the steering issue. I gave the x5 to my wife and got me a e39 and my wife didn't care she couldn't adjust the steering wheel. However i swapped out the sport steering wheel with my e39 heated steering wheel and now she needs to adjust the wheel since the heated is little bit different angle. Anyways i called bavarian auto recycling and guess what!! they had the actuation unit in stock and only for $150 + $35 to ship to canada. If you guys need one, call bavarian auto recycling.

My steering tilt went out also...couple days later it worked, like nothing happened :dunno:

I can get the new BMW actuation module from the local stealer with my BMWCCA discount for $309 plus tax, do yo guys think I'm better off buying the new or a used piece?

Wouldn't I want to get the updated part that they corrected instead of the same part number? Assuming one of the posters was correct that there is indeed a newer part number.

That's up to you I guess. If you want to buy the part new from the dealer it will cost you over $400, I got one used for $200 and its been working fine for over a year now.

I installed a brand new one today and I still have the same problem :(

I can adjust the steering wheel down but I have to let up and adjust numerous times to get it to the position I want...

It also doesn't go to the correct setting when I get in the car. The wheel ALSO has a tendancy to move all the way to the top position without me hitting anything, it does this when I am driving. Really not good. I just wasted $330 on a unit that didn't fix the problem.

One thing I didn't do is reset the battery, could this be the issue?

This sucks!! I just bought the piece and now I don't feel confident putting in the car... I don't know if I can return it...

Try resetting the battery for sure, unplug negative battery for about 15-20min, and see if that helps. I think you are the first person to still have this issue after replacing the unit.

I hope that works for him, please keep us posted; thanks.

I'm going to do it today..

The weird part is that that had something to do with the probleml, because it did get better.

My steering wheel, when it does correctly work, pulls up AND in, so clearly my car isn't one of the ones that has been reprogrammed to just go up.

THe steering wheel just gets hung up both directions, it rarely completely retracts and it also rarely completely comes to the correct position without me holding down the "1" memory button...

I will let you guys know what happens.

Ok, I just finished replacing the part... It WORKS perfectly again. I did brake two clips like it happened to another member. I put it back together with the remaining clips and the torx screw in the back and it's tight for now. I would replace the plastic piece with a new one so I have all the clips (that's just me) but since I'm selling the car I'm going to leave alone.

It is important to note that the new replacement part has a different part number and also states very clearly it's MADE IN GERMANY unlike the broken/old part. I wonder if the old part was made in the U.S. or Mexico and perhaps contributed to the short live... My other X5 with nearly double the miles and 1 year older still has the factory part.

Thank you to NCX for sharing his story and helping us save some time and money.

GXL

Did you have to reset the battery?

I'm not sure if I had to but I did.

Anytime I work on my X, I disconnect the battery and then reconnect when I am finished.

Was your original problem both with the seat and the steering wheel? After you replaced the seat module the seat started working but the steering wheel didn't?

The seat never had an issue.

Sometimes my mirrors would be off in their own world when I would come back to the car.

Also, the steering wheel would move up on its own sometimes while I was driving. I could only make small movements at a time.

I hope I didn't mess this one up by not disconnecting the battery in the first place...

This is a slightly different problem than what I was experiencing. My issue was that neither the seat or steering wheel would work at all (completley dead). I never had an issue with the mirrors.

Did you try using a different key? I have an issue with one of my keys right now where the radio will sometimes not turn on, my hazard lights turn on and the doors will not lock .... very strange. I do not have any of these problems when I use the other key.

If you haven't tried this already it may be worth a shot. It seems like a faulty key can cause some strange problems.

My issue was a dead steering wheel and seat, no problem with the mirror. I did not disconect any of the battery terminals, I just took the old/broken piece out and replaced it with the new one - it worked right away.

Maybe there's an easy fix on the old part, has anyone ever try to fix the old unit?

I disconnected the battery for an hour last night, hooked it up, and same thing happens.

Steering wheel does not move to the right position when I put the key in the ignition, and it can almost always only make small adjustments at a time...I have to let up on the "1" memory button about 3 times before it gets to the right position.

I also tried reprogramming both keys using the on/off 5 times method, got them both to work but it had no effect on the performance of the steering wheel.

I'm at the point where I don't want to spend more money on this now...Can I just disconnect the damn steering wheel fuse, or will some warning light be haunting me every time I drive?

I believe it is a common 30A fuse for the seat, steering wheel and mirrors so if you pull the fuse neither of them will work.

What is really getting me is that it doesn't seem to be a problem with the motor, and I don't even know where else to look. Could there be a plug that needs cleaning or something for the steering wheel or is there another control module that might effect this??? What a PITA.

Try this: while pressing the buttons on the actuation unit, wiggle the wiring hardness to see if something changes... You could have faulty wiring for moving the seat up and down over the years (an isolated case, most others seat problems seem to be the module, maybe not yours)

Try that and let us know.

I found the problem.

It is either in the control joystick itself or the wiring for the control, before it hits the module.

I unplugged the smallest clip in the control module, which is the one that allows for the manual function of the stearing wheel control. After disconnecting this, I still have the 3 memory settings and that is the only way to move the wheel (really not a big deal, as I am not moving my steering wheel around too often).

The steering wheel hasn't studdered or not retracted/returned to the proper posittion since.

At this point I am willing to just leave it how it is. If I want to move the steering wheel, I just adjust it using 1 of the 3 memory settings that I positioned the wheels at different levels...

Weird, but I am happy I dont have to get in the car and press and repress the memory button every time.

There was known problem with steering wheel movement on builds prior to June 2002 where the steering column motor wiring harnesses were getting damaged. There is an SIB on it I believe.

i'm having the same problem, i will check under the seat for the plugs, question most i remove the seat in order to get to the plugs...

by disconnecting the battery, will that really fix the problem.

thanks x5 wold i pick up seat switch for 200 plus 45 shipping from Bavarian Auto Recycling, They have many parts for BMW's

Hi
Read my thread placed today under electric memory seats, this should answer your question,
Dave.:thumbup:

problems with memory seats/ steering/ mirrors
 

Hi All,
Please read my thread posted today regarding this problem, i have listed it under;
Electric Memory Seats,
Regards,
Dave. :thumbup:

same problem, and now fixed as I bought a control module from dealer cost me $529 with GST. installed by myself.

++++with two year warrenty

HIu42 are from Canada

Anyone ever attempt to open it up and dissect it?

Here are some pictures of the X5 seat module and the insides.
BMW X5 Seat Control Module 61.31-4 318 615 61314318615

I just opened up the new used part. The 4 pin connector as mentioned is responsible for the steering wheel moving. This particular used part is missing the 4 pins on the circuit board. Seeing as I got this used part for $129. Should I just try getting 4 pins, inserting in board and away we go? Opinion?

It is common to depopulate a board if a feature is not required, but, engineers are usually careful to depopulate all the components they can because saving $0.50 on an assembly that they need a couple hundred thousand of adds up to real money. I suspect that they depopulated more than just the four pins you noticed.

Yup, didn't work. I did think of that being a possibility. All well, now I know for sure.