BMW X5 Power Seats Dead, Common Fix Inside

Hey there! I had a similar issue with my 2005 BMW X3 last year (I have some experience working on cars, mostly basic maintenance). The power seat system completely died on me, just like yours. Turned out to be a bad wiring connection under the seat, the cables had worn out from constant seat movement. My regular workshop found that the main plug connector was corroded and some wires were frayed. They had to replace the wiring harness and clean up the connection points. Total bill came to 95 Euro, and it's been working perfectly since then. By the way, I also had a 3 Series before this one, and these electrical gremlins can be tricky to diagnose without proper testing. Could you share if you're getting any other electrical issues or strange behavior from other systems? Also, does this happen on both front seats or just one? This info would help narrow down if it's a similar problem to what I experienced.

Thanks for the detailed feedback! Mine has 52102 KM and just had a service last month. I'm having this issue only with the driver's seat. No other electrical problems anywhere else in the car, which is making me hopeful it's just an isolated seat wiring issue like yours. The passenger seat works perfectly fine. Might take it to the shop this week and have them check the wiring harness first. Really appreciate you sharing what fixed your problem!

Hey again! Thanks for the extra info about your X5. You know, that's actually really similar to how mine started, just the driver's seat acting up while everything else was fine. Since yours has relatively low mileage like mine did, I'm even more convinced it's probably the same wiring issue I dealt with. Just wanted to add, when my mechanic dug deeper into my X3's problem, they found that the driver's side gets the most wear and tear on the wiring (makes sense since we're always adjusting that seat more than the passenger side). What really helped speed up the diagnosis was telling them to focus on the connection points under the seat first, rather than checking the entire seat mechanism. The fact that your passenger seat works perfectly is another good sign, it really narrows down the problem area. When you take it to the shop, definitely mention checking the main connector under the driver's seat first. That could save them some diagnostic time. Let us know how it turns out! Always good to share these experiences so other BMW owners can benefit.

Thanks so much for following up with those extra tips! Just wanted to update, I took your advice and got my X5 to the shop this morning. You were spot on about telling them to check the wiring connections first. The mechanic found pretty much exactly what you described, worn wiring harness and a corroded connector under the driver's seat. They're ordering the parts now, and said it should be a pretty straightforward fix. It's really helpful knowing someone else went through the same thing and got it sorted without too much hassle. The quote they gave me was also similar to what you paid, which is a relief. I was worried it might be something more serious with the seat motors or control module. Thanks again for taking the time to share your experience. I'll definitely pass this knowledge along if I see other BMW owners with similar issues!