Audi Power Seat Failure: Switch Control Diagnosis

Had a similar issue with my 2013 Audi S3 last winter. Have some experience working on automotive seats and basic electrical systems. The passenger seat stopped responding completely, despite the seat motor getting power. After initial troubleshooting, the root cause turned out to be a heavily discharged battery that damaged some electrical components. The low voltage had affected the seat wiring and seat switch functionality. The repair involved: Complete diagnostic scan, Battery replacement, Reset of the seat control module, Testing the seat motor and switch connections Total repair cost was 290 Euro at my regular workshop. They completed everything in about 3 hours. For more specific guidance on your S1, could you share: Current battery voltage readings if you have them, Whether other electrical systems show any issues, If the seat switch feels different when pressing it, Whether this started suddenly or gradually, Any error codes showing on the dash The passenger seat systems are pretty similar between our models, so additional details would help determine if youre facing the same issue.

My car has 110400 KM on the clock. Really appreciate the detailed response regarding the power seats issue. Just checked my battery and its showing 12.3V which seems normal. The car seat adjustment problem started gradually over about a week. At first, the forward/back motion would stick occasionally, then the height adjustment stopped, and finally the entire electric seat system on the passenger side quit working. No other electrical problems detected and no dash warnings apart from the seat error. The seat switch movement feels normal when pressing, just completely unresponsive. This makes me think its probably not a battery-related problem in my case, but possibly something in the seat harness or control module itself. Going to schedule a workshop visit to get it properly diagnosed since its a safety feature. Good to know the repair timeframe is reasonable based on your experience.

Its interesting that your power seats failed gradually rather than suddenly like mine did, which does point to a different underlying cause. Since you have good battery voltage and no other electrical issues, Id lean toward either a failing seat control module or a wiring problem in the seat harness. Given the progressive nature of your passenger seat failure, starting with intermittent forward/back movement, then losing height adjustment before complete failure, it matches the pattern of a degrading control module rather than a simple switch or motor issue. For reference, when my control module was replaced due to the battery damage, it cost about 380 Euro plus labor. If you end up needing just the seat switch assembly, that usually runs around 150 Euro. The electric seat harness can be a bit more if thats the culprit, typically 200-250 Euro for the part. One quick check you could do before the workshop visit: try disconnecting the battery for about 15 minutes. This sometimes resets the seat control module and can temporarily restore function if its a software issue. Would be interested to hear what the actual diagnosis turns out to be since these passenger seat problems can be tricky to pinpoint.

Thanks for the input on the electric seat issue. I did try the battery disconnect reset you suggested and unfortunately it didnt help at all. Got it into the workshop today and their diagnostic confirmed its a faulty seat control module. The problem was caused by water damage from a small leak in the sunroof seal that dripped onto the control unit under the passenger seat during heavy rain. The repair quote came in at 520 Euro including parts and labor, which is a bit more than expected but makes sense given they need to replace both the control module and some corroded seat wiring. At least the automotive seat mechanism itself wasnt damaged. They said the gradual failure pattern is typical when water affects these control modules, functions drop out one by one as corrosion spreads through the circuits. Good to know for future reference that a slowly failing passenger seat adjustment system could indicate water intrusion somewhere. The parts are already ordered and they can fix everything tomorrow. Really glad to have a proper diagnosis and solution sorted out. Will make sure to get that sunroof seal replaced too to prevent any more water damage to the seat harness or other electronics.