BMW 3 Hybrid Power Seat Malfunction, Control Fix Needed

I had a similar issue with my 2018 BMW 5 Series Hybrid last winter. The symptoms were identical, seat controls acting up and memory settings being sluggish. After taking it to the garage, they diagnosed a heavily discharged battery that wasn't holding proper charge anymore. It wasn't just affecting the seats, other electrical components started acting weird soon after. The tech said hybrid vehicles are particularly sensitive to battery health since theyage multiple electrical systems. In my case, they had to replace both the 12V battery and recalibrate the electrical system. It was a serious repair that took a full day to complete. Since the fix, all electrical functions have been working perfectly. My advice is to get it checked soon, as a failing battery can potentially damage other electrical components if left unaddressed.

Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really helpful info about the battery being the culprit. I'm curious, do you remember roughly how much you ended up paying for the battery replacement and recalibration? Also, have you had any other electrical gremlins pop up since getting it fixed? My seats are still acting up and I'm trying to figure out if I should brace myself for a big bill.

Hey there! Glad I could help with my previous response. Just wanted to update you, I had the work done and it cost me 290 € for the battery replacement and system recalibration. They diagnosed it as a heavily discharged battery that wasn't holding charge anymore, just like I suspected from my earlier experience. The good news is that the passenger seat electrical system is now working perfectly! All the memory settings and adjustments are responding instantly, just like they should. It's such a relief not having to wait for the engine to start just to adjust the seat. Haven't had a single electrical gremlin since the fix, everything's running smooth as silk. The techs did a great job, and honestly, considering how complex these hybrid systems are, I think the price was pretty reasonable. These cars have so many interconnected electrical systems that when the battery starts failing, it can cause all sorts of weird issues. Trust me, it's worth getting it sorted sooner rather than later. A failing battery can really mess with other electrical components if you leave it too long. I learned that lesson the hard way with my previous car!

Thanks for all that detail! Really appreciate you following up about the cost and results. Just got back from the mechanic myself and you were spot on, it was definitely the battery. Mine came in at a similar price point, and they did the full system recalibration too. Funny enough, the mechanic mentioned they're seeing this issue more frequently with hybrid models. Had to wait a couple hours while they did the work, but watching everything spring back to life was worth it. The seat controls are now responding instantly, and all my saved positions work perfectly again. Such a relief not having to mess around with manual adjustments every time I start the car! Best part is they did a full electrical system check and everything else looks good. Definitely feel better about catching this early before it could cause more problems. Thanks again for helping me avoid another mechanic horror story!