Buick GL8 Seat Massage Function Dead, Motor or Switch Fix

When my 2004 Buick LeSabre had similar massage seat issues, it turned out to be a loose connection in the wiring harness under the luxury car seat. The seat switch itself was fine, but corrosion had developed at the main connector plug. The repair involved removing the seat to access the wiring harness, cleaning the connection points, and replacing one damaged wire. The seat motor and massage mechanisms were functioning properly once the electrical connection was restored. This type of issue is fairly common in older vehicles where the seat wiring undergoes repeated movement and stress. While not a critical safety concern, leaving it unrepaired can lead to further electrical issues in the seat control system. A diagnostic scan revealed similar error codes to what you described. Since both models share comparable seat electronics architecture, you might be dealing with the same underlying connection problem rather than a complete seat motor failure. Would recommend having a professional inspect the wiring before replacing any major components. Most electrical issues with automotive seats stem from connection problems rather than motor failure in these models.

Thanks for sharing your experience with the seat wiring harness fix. You saved me potentially spending money on unnecessary massage seat parts. Quick follow up, I am noticing the switch failure seems more widespread now, affecting other seat adjustment functions too. The massage setting is still the main concern, but wondering if this points more toward a bigger electrical issue. Do you remember roughly what the repair cost was for fixing just the wiring? Also curious if you had any other electrical gremlins pop up since getting it fixed?

Good to follow up on my earlier post about the Buick seat issue. The massage seat switch problem I experienced was indeed just the wiring, and the repair completely resolved it along with the other seat adjustment quirks that started showing up. Since getting the cable connection fixed at the shop, the electrical system has been working flawlessly with no new problems surfacing. The repair costs were reasonable at 95€ total, which covered diagnosing and fixing the faulty plug connection in the car upholstery wiring. This was much cheaper than replacing the entire seat motor or control module. The expanding electrical issues you are seeing mirror what happened with mine, it started with the massage function and spread to other seat controls, all stemming from that one compromised wiring connection. Having the electrical issue properly diagnosed saved significant money compared to blindly replacing parts. The car has been trouble-free in terms of seat operation since the repair was completed.

I took my Buick to the shop last week after reading the helpful responses here. Turns out everyone was right, it was just a bad wiring connection causing the electrical issue. The mechanic found corrosion in the main wiring harness under the seat, similar to what others described. Total repair cost came to €120 for cleaning the connections and replacing one damaged wire. Much better than the €500+ I was worried about for a new seat motor. The massage seat functions are now working perfectly again, along with all the other seat adjustments that had started acting up. The whole repair took about 2 hours and the luxury car rides like new again. Really glad I checked here first instead of assuming the worst. For anyone else with similar issues, definitely have the wiring checked before replacing expensive parts.