DTS Passenger Seat Motor Failure Fix Guide

My 2012 CTS had a very similar electric seat issue last spring. With some experience working on cars, I initially thought it was the seat motor, but it turned out the root cause was a heavily discharged battery that damaged the seat control module. The electric seat completely stopped responding to any adjustment commands. The workshop diagnosed that the battery discharge affected the seat wiring system, causing the control module to fail. Total repair cost was 290€, which included replacing the battery and resetting the seat control module. For a proper diagnosis of your DTS seat adjustment problem, whether other electrical systems are showing issues, If the problem occurred suddenly or gradually, Whether you can hear any noise when pressing the seat controls, If there are any other error codes showing up The seat wiring harness issues often show different symptoms than control module failures. A proper diagnosis will save time and money in the long run.

Thanks for the detailed reply. My car has 52142 KM and was last serviced 3 months ago. The power seats worked fine until yesterday when they suddenly stopped. No clicking or motor sounds when using the seat switch. The main dashboard and other electrical systems work perfectly normal, it seems isolated to just the passenger seat adjustment system. Will try checking the fuse box first, but good point about the battery potentially affecting the seat control module. Might need to get that tested too.

Thanks for the additional details. Given that it's only affecting the passenger power seat and other electrical systems are working fine, this does sound different from my CTS case. Since your problem appeared suddenly with no warning signs or motor sounds, I suspect it could be either the seat switch or a break in the seat harness wiring. In my case, the battery issue affected multiple systems, but your symptoms point more toward a localized problem with the passenger seat components. A few things to consider: Check both fuses related to the power seats, as sometimes there are separate ones for driver and passenger, Look for any obvious damage to the wiring under the passenger seat, Test if the seat control module responds to diagnostic checks If the fuses are good, the next likely culprits are: 1. Failed seat switch (most common) 2. Broken automotive seat harness connection 3. Faulty seat control module My repair experience suggests checking these in order, as seat switches are both the most common failure point and the least expensive to replace at around 80€ for the part. The passenger seat harness replacement would be significantly more costly at roughly 350€ plus labor. Since your car has relatively low mileage, I would lean toward checking the switch assembly first before exploring more complex electrical issues.

Thanks everyone for the input. After reading through the responses and checking my car, I can confirm it was definitely the right path to check the fuses first. Found a blown fuse for the passenger power seat system. Replaced it and the seat adjustment functions are now working perfectly normal. For anyone else facing similar automotive seat issues, here is what I learned from this experience: Always start with the simplest solution (fuses in this case), When power seats fail suddenly without noise, check electrical connections first, The seat switch and seat wiring problems typically show gradual failure patterns, Battery issues usually affect multiple systems, not just one seat Saved myself a costly repair bill by doing this basic check first. Total cost was just 5€ for a new fuse rather than hundreds for unnecessary repairs. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experience with seat issues.