VW Sharan Seat Massage System Failure Fix Guide

I had a nearly identical issue with my 2017 VW Tiguan. Having some experience with electrical issues in cars, I first suspected the seat switch connections. The massage seat stopped working suddenly, showing the same error message. After a quick check at my regular workshop, they found the electrical issue was due to a loose cable connection near the massage chair control unit. The wire harness had worked itself loose over time, causing intermittent connection problems before failing completely. The fix was straightforward. The workshop reconnected and secured the cables properly, plus they cleaned the connectors to ensure good contact. Total cost was 95€ and took about an hour to complete. The massage function has worked perfectly since then. Before suggesting specific solutions for your case, could you share: Does the regular seat adjustment still work normally? Did the massage function stop suddenly or gradually? Can you hear any noise when trying to activate it? Have you had any recent work done on the seats? Knowing these details would help determine if your issue is similar to what I experienced with the cable connection or if it might be something else.

Thanks for the detailed response. My mileage is 66753km and last service was done 2 months ago. The regular seat adjustments work fine, but the massage setting stopped working abruptly during a drive. No unusual sounds when pressing the controls. The car upholstery and seat itself appear normal, with no visible damage. I checked the switch several times but noticed no physical issues with the controls. The electrical issue seems isolated to just the massage function. Good to know about your cable connection fix, that gives me hope it might be something similarly straightforward rather than a complete seat motor replacement.

Thanks for providing those details. Since my own repair on the Tiguan, I have learned that these luxury car massage systems often have similar failure patterns. Given that your regular seat adjustments work fine and the massage function failed suddenly, this really does sound like the same electrical issue I encountered. The switch failure symptoms match exactly, no sound, sudden stop, and isolated to just the massage function. In my case, the loose connection was actually behind the seat trim panel, not in the switch itself. While the massage seat switch appeared fine externally, the wiring leading to the control module was the culprit. The service report showed that vibration over time had caused the connector to work loose. Based on your mileage and the sudden failure pattern, I strongly suspect you are dealing with the same type of electrical issue rather than a mechanical problem. Given how recently you had service work done, it might be worth checking if any work was done near the seat wiring that could have disturbed the connections. When I got mine fixed, the workshop also updated the seat control module software as a precautionary measure. Total repair time was about an hour, and given current rates, you should expect to pay 90-120€ for a similar fix.

The diagnosis sounds very much aligned with my situation. Having this clear understanding of the likely cause being an electrical issue rather than a mechanical failure is quite reassuring. The price range of 90-120€ for the repair seems reasonable too. I will contact the service center that did the last maintenance since they are already familiar with the car. Will make sure to mention checking the wiring connections behind the seat trim panel and the massage chair control unit specifically. Good point about the possible connection to recent service work, I will ask if they worked on anything near the seat area during the last visit. I appreciate the detailed explanation about the cable connection issue. Having the regular seat functions working normally while only the massage setting is affected does match the symptoms you described. Will book the car in next week and hopefully get the massage function back without needing major parts replacement.