Heated seat not working on E36 / '96 318IC

Thank you much!

Randolph,
First, check to see if one of the elements is still heating. There are two
heating elements in the seat, bottom and back. If one of them is still
heating, then the switch is not the problem.
If both elements are not heating, swap the switches first to determine if
the switch is faulty. If you have a bad switch, the fix is easy. You can
find the switches fairly often on eBay for 1/4 of what they cost from the
dealer.
If the switch is good (driver's side heats with either switch) you'll need
to determine which element is bad; the seat bottom or the seat back.
First of all, disconnect the battery before you remove the seat. If you
don't, you are likely to set a code in the SRS (airbag) system which will
require a dealer/mechanic or specialized tool (130 bucks) to reset. I made
the mistake of leaving the battery connected and was lucky to find a
mechanic who reset it for free. The dealer wanted 1/2 hour labor. (probably
fair.. but still money)

Once the seat is removed, use a multimeter (VOM) or a continuity tester to
determine which element is bad. (bottom or back)

I successfully replaced the bottom element in my 328 following the
instructions at:
http://www.geocities.com/itsmefilip/heat...

This is a very well written MS-Word complete with graphics, and may take a
while to download.

I ordered the element itself from Bavarian Autoworks, but you'll have to
call them and tell them what you need, because the elements aren't listed
online.

The fix is tedious and requires some dexterity with a pair of needlenose
pliers, but is well worth it. Total time for remaval/replacement/reinstall
was about 2 hours fro mine.

Good luck!!

Jimmie Jazz

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Randolph,

If you are concern with switch, you can always swap the part with the driver
side to trouble the switch. You can also take a test light to check if any
of the wire may be broken.

I took mine apart and re-sew in the heater element. Not something I want to
do it again!

Jonathan

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