Seat memory trouble

[BW55]

MB E400 Cabrio AMG LINE, registered May 2018, Uk spec

Hoping someone here can help me as the printed and onscreen manuals for my car are so irrelevant they might as well be for a different vehicle.

My driver’s seat memory has stopped working. The memory controls still adjust the steering wheel, and the various motion controls still control the seat. It’s simply the memory (and forward/backward movement when back of seat is tilted forward to allow passengers) which have stopped working.

I’ve read quite a bit of stuff on these forums about various fixes, most of which refer to options that my multimedia system doesn’t even display. I suspect it needs a straightforward reset and I’d prefer not to pay a dealership an exorbitant fee for something which I can’t then repeat myself if necessary.

In other equally befuddling news, the auto engine stop function which has been almost completely dormant for two years decided to activate last week. How long for is anybody’s guess.

It’s a nice car - apart from it’s voracious and costly consumption of both runflat and alloy wheels - but the sheer scope and complexity of the driver aids and the near total complexity/irrelevance of the manuals - mean there is a lot to go wrong and not be able to reset/fix.

Thanks for any responses - and please keep them simple

 

[Srdl]

In other equally befuddling news, the auto engine stop function which has been almost completely dormant for two years decided to activate last week. How long for is anybody’s guess.

That's just down to the state of the battery. On my 2018 (with original battery) it hasn't worked for the winter and, like yours, has decided to operate a couple of times recently. Fairly common "issue" even though, to me, the battery seems fine and dandy.

 

[BW55]

Ok thanks for the reply to the side point. Confirms my view.

Anybody got an answer to the main point about the seats?

Anybody?

Thanks…

 

[Wearsafoxhat]

Could it be as simple as one of the connectors under the seat has pulled out…

 

[Srdl]

If you can still control the seat and the memory works in the steering wheel, I wonder whether there has problem in the seat back? Either a sensor/switch or the seat back is not fully pushed back into position? Perhaps a good shove back into position!

 

[peterws1957]

Ok thanks for the reply to the side point. Confirms my view.

Anybody got an answer to the main point about the seats?

Anybody?

Thanks…

I've found sometimes that the seat memory gets erased when the battery is low or has been replaced. Have you checked the battery. Memory was restored on mine by moving the seat back and forward to it's full extent a few times. If you have an "easy entry/exit" feature on the media try switching this off and on again. MB elecktricky defies all logic to me.

 

[SL63 Mark]

The other thing that happens, if these are anything like the SL seats, is that the flexing of the cables caused by the constant forward and backwards movement of the seat eventually shorts the wires. Not sure if these run on vacuum, but in the R230SL, the vacuum pipes used to break for a similar reason.

 

[Pitsmoor Col]

Try a new Battery ! or a known good one, sounds daft but don't knock it till you try it.

 

[BW55]

Could it be as simple as one of the connectors under the seat has pulled out…

Thanks. Can’t feel anything loose but don't really know where to look. Any tips?

 

[BW55]

If you can still control the seat and the memory works in the steering wheel, I wonder whether there has problem in the seat back? Either a sensor/switch or the seat back is not fully pushed back into position? Perhaps a good shove back into position!

Thanks, your understanding of the issue is quite correct. Tried that but no luck. Anything else?

 

[BW55]

Try a new Battery ! or a known good one, sounds daft but don't knock it till you try it.

Checked battery - it’s in tip-top condition but don't have another to substitute.

 

[BW55]

Could it be as simple as one of the connectors under the seat has pulled out…

Thanks, had a feel around, couldn’t find anything but then I’m not sure where I’m looking.

And in any case, a shorted or disconnected lead would mean the control don‘t work either, but they do. This is specifically a memory recall of driver seat positions issue only. Steering wheel position recall works fine.

My money is on software if I only knew how to reset it…

 

[BW55]

So one week or so in and nobody here seems to know how to reset the seat position memory function!?!

Perhaps the car battery should be disconnected to stimulate a reset?

Nope, done that too. Just set the alarm off. Took a while to find, no thanks to online manuals which have it in the rear luggage space (it's under the bonnet, uk driver’s side). But they’re better than the 500 page printed manual which doesn’t even mention position/accessing/disconnecting/removing/changing. Duh.

So, to recap - driver’s seat position memory not functioning. Steering wheel memory working, manual electric controls working, passenger side all good.

Keep ‘em coming, please. Thanks.

 

[Srdl]

Came across this on a US forum:

“For some reason the seat seems to forget it’s range of motion. You need to help it relearn it’s range. When the memory buttons don’t move the driver seat…but you can manually adjust them…you have to move your seat (every possible way) from one end to the other. So the seat all the way forward then all the way back. Do this for the seat back, the seat height, everything.

while you’re doing this you’ll notice the seat will only move slightly then stop. You will have to keep pressing until you reach the end of each direction. Once you do this you will see that the movement will no longer stop and go uninterrupted until the end of the track. Once you get all the functions moving freely without stopping the memory buttons should once again move the driver seat.”

and this:

“Had some time to spend investigating yesterday.

Put both front seats through their entire range of movement and held the buttons for about 10 seconds each.

The drivers seat now works as it should, moving forward when the seat back is tilted, allowing better access to the rear seats.

The passenger seat will still not co-operate, it sound as though it tries to move, but then fails.”

 

[BW55]

Came across this on a US forum:

“For some reason the seat seems to forget it’s range of motion. You need to help it relearn it’s range. When the memory buttons don’t move the driver seat…but you can manually adjust them…you have to move your seat (every possible way) from one end to the other. So the seat all the way forward then all the way back. Do this for the seat back, the seat height, everything.

while you’re doing this you’ll notice the seat will only move slightly then stop. You will have to keep pressing until you reach the end of each direction. Once you do this you will see that the movement will no longer stop and go uninterrupted until the end of the track. Once you get all the functions moving freely without stopping the memory buttons should once again move the driver seat.”

and this:

“Had some time to spend investigating yesterday.

Put both front seats through their entire range of movement and held the buttons for about 10 seconds each.

The drivers seat now works as it should, moving forward when the seat back is tilted, allowing better access to the rear seats.

The passenger seat will still not co-operate, it sound as though it tries to move, but then fails.”

Thanks, will try again.

 

[BW55]

So while I continue to try to restore memory recall of driver seat positions, I have now lost control of consumption settings (EC, comfort, sport) which I was only using on a drive earlier today, and Park assist / Parktronic has switched itself off and cannot be switched back on.

This car has so many helpful features that are no help when they fail. I’m certain it’s all electronic.

Neither the oncreen nor printed manuals have many relevant instructions, and none that correspond with the options in my vehicle’s control system. They might as well be for somebody else’s washing machine!

Does anybody here know how to reset a 2019 E400 Cabrio’s settings?

 

[peterws1957]

So while I continue to try to restore memory recall of driver seat positions, I have now lost control of consumption settings (EC, comfort, sport) which I was only using on a drive earlier today, and Park assist / Parktronic has switched itself off and cannot be switched back on.

This car has so many helpful features that are no help when they fail. I’m certain it’s all electronic.

Neither the oncreen nor printed manuals have many relevant instructions, and none that correspond with the options in my vehicle’s control system. They might as well be for somebody else’s washing machine!

Does anybody here know how to reset a 2019 E400 Cabrio’s settings?

I would be taking the car to a local MB indie to get a STAR diagnosis. Chasing electrical problems can be long, frustrating and parts darts expensive, without a proper diagnosis.