BMW X2 Seat Heater Malfunction: No Heat, quick Shutoff

Hey there! I have some experience with car maintenance, and I actually had a similar issue with my 2019 BMW X3. The seat heater problem sounds very familiar, mine had exactly the same symptoms! Took it to my trusted workshop and they diagnosed a faulty heating mat in the driver's seat. The whole repair, including parts and labor, set me back about 390 Euro. They had to replace the entire heating mat element. My mechanic explained that these heating mats can fail due to regular wear and tear or sometimes just from manufacturing defects. The good news is that once replaced, it's been working perfectly for over a year now. Before I can share more specific advice, could you share: Which seat is having the issue (driver/passenger)? Are you getting any specific error messages? Have you noticed if it happens more when the car is cold or after it's been running for a while? I know the X2 and X3 share some components, so I might be able to provide more relevant info once I know these details.

Thanks for sharing your experience! Mine's a 2021 X2 with 35474 KM on the clock, and it's the driver's seat that's acting up. Getting error code P0984 on the diagnostic system. It seems to happen regardless of whether the car is cold or warm, the heater just won't stay on for more than a few seconds when I try to use it. Interesting that your repair cost was 390 Euro, that's helpful to know. I actually just had my regular service done last month, but this issue started right after that. Really hoping it's just the heating mat like in your case and not something more complex with the wiring. Did your workshop have to order the part specially, or did they have it in stock?

Hey again! Thanks for those details. Yeah, looking at your symptoms and error code, it sounds exactly like what I dealt with in my X3. The timing of it starting after a service is probably just coincidental, these heating mats tend to fail without warning. In my case, the workshop had to order the part, which took about 3-4 days to arrive. I remember they mentioned these heating mats aren't typically kept in stock since they're model-specific. The fact that yours is a 2021 model might actually work in your favor, the parts should be readily available through BMW's supply chain. Just for comparison, my issue started exactly the same way, with the heater cutting out after a few seconds. The error code you're getting (P0984) is also related to the heating element circuit, which matches what my mechanic found. Since your car has similar mileage to what mine had when the problem occurred (I was around 40000 KM), I'm pretty confident it's the same issue. One thing I learned during my repair, these heating mats can sometimes fail due to pressure points or small breaks in the heating element. My mechanic showed me the old mat when they replaced it, and you could actually see a small dark spot where it had failed. Let me know how it goes with the repair. I'm curious if the cost will be similar since yours is a newer model.

Thanks for the detailed reply and sharing your X3 experience! It's really reassuring to hear that my symptoms match what you went through. I'll definitely contact my workshop tomorrow and mention the heating mat issue, having this information makes me feel more prepared for the conversation. Interesting point about the pressure points causing failures. I've been pretty careful with the seat, but I guess these things just happen sometimes. Good to know about the parts ordering timeline too, I'll make sure to ask them about that when I book it in. Really appreciate you taking the time to share all this info, especially about the costs and repair process. I'll update this thread once I get it fixed so others can benefit from my experience too. Fingers crossed it's a straightforward fix like yours was!