VW Golf Power Seat Failure, Wiring Malfunction Alert

As a car repair enthusiast with some hands-on experience, I faced a similar issue with my 2018 VW Passat Hybrid electric seat system. The power seats suddenly stopped working, showing error codes like yours. The main problem turned out to be a heavily discharged or defective battery in the seat control module. After diagnosis, the workshop found that the passenger seat wiring harness was drawing excessive power even when the car was off, which drained the battery. The repair involved: 1. Complete system diagnostic check 2. Testing the seat wiring connections 3. Replacing the faulty control module 4. Recalibrating the power seat system Total repair cost was 290€ including parts and labor. The fix took about 3 hours at the workshop. To better assist with your specific case, could you share: Any specific error codes displayed? Does this happen only when the car is running or also when parked? Are there any unusual sounds when trying to adjust the seat? Have you noticed any other electrical issues in the car? This information would help determine if your issue matches what I experienced or if it might be something different with your car seats.

Last service was at 112000km and everything worked fine then. Really appreciate the detailed response. The error code shown is B138742. The passenger seat issues occur both while parked and driving. No strange sounds from the seat motor, just complete silence when pressing the controls. No other electrical problems noticed in the car. The power seats on the driver side work perfectly fine. Will get it checked at the workshop since it sounds similar to your experience with the control module.

Based on the error code B138742 and symptoms you described, this definitely matches the seat control module issue I encountered. The silence when pressing controls is a telltale sign of a complete module failure rather than just a mechanical problem with the seat motor. Since your driver seat functions normally, this further confirms the passenger seat harness or control unit is the likely culprit. In my case, the workshop also initially tried resetting the control module, but ultimately the complete replacement was necessary. Quick tip from my experience: Have them check the seat wiring connector under the seat while they are at it. My repair invoice shows they found some corrosion there too, which they cleaned as a preventive measure while replacing the module. The repair should be straightforward for the workshop since the automotive seat layout is identical between our models. When they replaced my control module, they also updated the seat system firmware, which helped prevent future issues. Given your higher mileage, you might want to have them inspect the seat motor as well while the system is apart, though in my case it was perfectly fine and just the control module needed replacement.

Thanks everyone for the help. Got my car booked in for next week at the repair shop. Will make sure they check both the seat harness connections and control module based on your experiences. The total silence when using the seat switch definitely sounds like the same control module issue you had. Really hoping it will be a straightforward fix like in your case and not require a complete seat wiring overhaul. The seat adjustment features are something you don't appreciate until they stop working! Will update once I get the diagnosis and repair completed.