VW Arteon Massage Seat Failure: Fix and Cost Guide

Had a similar issue on my 2018 VW Passat with the massage seat functionality. As someone with some hands-on experience maintaining my own vehicles, I first thought it was the seat motor acting up. After taking it to my regular workshop, they diagnosed the automotive seats electrical issue within an hour. Turned out the cable connection to the massage seat control module was loose and partially damaged. The repair involved replacing the connector and securing the wiring properly. Total cost was 95€ including diagnostic time. The fix was pretty straightforward once they identified the exact issue. The seat massage function has worked flawlessly since then, and the error code hasnt returned. Before offering more specific advice about your case, could you share: Have you noticed any other electrical issues with the seat functions? Does the regular seat adjustment still work normally? What error code is showing up in your system? Did the massage function stop suddenly or gradually decline? This information would help determine if youre dealing with a similar connector issue or if its something else in the massage seat system.

Thanks for sharing your experience. My issue started gradually over a few weeks before complete switch failure. Regular seat adjustments still work fine, including the lumbar support. Error code P0786 appears when scanned. The massage setting completely stopped working two weeks ago. Last service was at 80000km where they did a full electrical system check, but this issue developed after that. Since then, Ive noticed the massage chair control panel occasionally flickers before failing to respond. Will have to book it in for diagnosis, but its helpful knowing your repair was straightforward and reasonably priced. Hopefully mine turns out to be a similar connector issue rather than a complete module replacement.

Good to hear back about your Arteon massage seat issue. Based on the flickering control panel and gradual failure you described, it does sound different from my connector problem. The error code P0786 typically relates to the shift control circuit, but in luxury car massage seats, it can also indicate a failing control module. Since your regular seat adjustments and lumbar support still work, the issue is likely isolated to the massage system components. The flickering control panel before complete failure points toward either: 1. A failing massage seat control module 2. Power supply issues to the massage components 3. Internal short in the control panel itself My Passat had clear signs of physical damage to the connector, which made diagnosis straightforward. In your case, the gradual decline and flickering suggest an electronic component failure rather than a simple wiring issue. The repair might be more involved and could cost between 250-400€ depending on which parts need replacement. Make sure to ask the workshop to thoroughly check the power supply to the massage chair components before replacing any modules. Sometimes voltage issues can cause similar symptoms and are cheaper to fix than a full module replacement.

Thanks for that detailed feedback. Your Passat massage seat repair experience gives me hope, though my situation does seem more complex. The flickering control panel thats been happening with my Arteon is concerning, especially since the complete switch failure followed that symptom. The fact that other seat functions still work normally at least narrows down the problem area. Ill schedule the diagnostic check soon and specifically mention the gradual decline, flickering issues, and error code P0786. Given the possibility of either a control module problem or power supply issue, Im mentally preparing for a repair cost closer to the 400€ mark rather than the simpler fix you experienced. Really appreciate the guidance on what to discuss with the workshop. Ill make sure they check the power supply to the massage setting components before jumping straight to module replacement. Will update once I know more about whats causing this electrical issue with the massage chair system.