Driver seat moves by itself when radio is cranked up - Help!

[rafikki1]

98 740i - driver seat moves as if trying to move into a memory position when the radio is turned up loud enough for the bass to "thump". Factory stereo system and driver seat. Really weird problem.

Anyone have any ideas? Thanks!

[Qsilver7]

Ooooo...sounds like a classic ignition switch symptom. Do a search for "ignition switch" and see if it fits what you're going thru.

There's a weird little test that sometimes will spotlight that the actual problem is the ignition switch...if you turn the car on, turn the radio, headlights on as well...then pull down the passenger and sdriver's sunvisor...THEN OPEN THE MIRROR COVER...if you start getting weird electrical gremlins (steering wheel moves, seat moves, radio turns off/on, etc)...then the igntion switch is definitely the problem.

BUT...don't just go out and buy a switch...you need to verify/check first. The problme might also be a bad driver's seat switch. Is the cover around the seat broken or pulled away from the seat? If so, check the large rectangular switch to see if the electrical connector to it is broken, cracked or bent...it may even be starting to disconnect...thus creating electrical gremlins as you drive around town as the connection moves.

Good luck...time to do some investigative digging.

[das borgen]

interestingly, I had this same problem as OP and replaced my ignition switch and it still happens.
specifically, my seat and both side mirrors would revert to a memory position.....my memory buttons don't work nor do they light up (how to check if they actually work????)


thanks for any help

could it be a memory module or whatever?

i figure it better to search and revive a tread than to make a new one

[tac711]

I had a similar problem when I first bought my car but after searching alot I found that the previous owner had actually took the drivers door panel off and when reassembling he connected the tweeter plug into the memory. It's crazy that they would even have the same plugs but it's worth checking..

[hmmurdock]

I had a similar problem when I first bought my car but after searching alot I found that the previous owner had actually took the drivers door panel off and when reassembling he connected the tweeter plug into the memory. It's crazy that they would even have the same plugs but it's worth checking..

I would never have thought of that, but it would totally explain what's going on.

[das borgen]

I had a similar problem when I first bought my car but after searching alot I found that the previous owner had actually took the drivers door panel off and when reassembling he connected the tweeter plug into the memory. It's crazy that they would even have the same plugs but it's worth checking..

hmmm.....you know, that is entirely possible....I do hear one of my driver front door speakers making white noise when the car is turned off (it is the main one that is ~5" diameter speaker grille level with the bottom of the steering wheel)....it s not even enough to kill the battery after 4 days of not using the car though (been driving and riding my other vehicles before winter hits)


i will check this....it certainly explains well why my memory unit does not function........both plugs are in the door?

i'll slap in some new door panel clips...I have a ton extra from when I was fixing the delaminating door panel inserts on my E36 ........common problem because of the crappy "green and environmentally friendly" glue BMW used for the door panels that would fall apart in 10 years and make the headliner and door panel inserts delaminate from their substrates


thanks for the suggestion and awesome insight

[tac711]

Yup both plugs are in the door. And if your getting the white noise that I had it is definitely the plugs are switched..if I remember correctly the one coming from the tweeter(that should be plugged into the little black box for sound) was plug straight into the memory button and the plug for the memory into the black box causing that white noise in the speaker.

Happy to help.
Let me know the out come.

[rdorman]

It is a safety feature to get you to turn down the stereo and protect you from hearing loss. US spec cars only.









Plugging speaker into memory module...... who would have thought!

[das borgen]

I told Emma to have you smell her finger for gratitude

[cranberries740]

Wow. Incredible! The last owner did exactly that! He removed the driver door panel and switched the plugs. Lol I tried to figure out the noise from the speaker and voila! Thank you all.

[Mayorchuck]

Wow. Incredible! The last owner did exactly that! He removed the driver door panel and switched the plugs. Lol I tried to figure out the noise from the speaker and voila! Thank you all.

Good work. More often than not, new members come in asking a question before researching the issue for themselves. The original poster never posted again. Hope you will stick around.

[das borgen]

For the record, this was also my problem. Memory and speakers all function normally since that mixup was corrected

[mboor]

i made that mistake the first 2 times i had my door panel off to replace the indestructible window regulators. lol

[noahabel]

Wait, your factory speakers actually thump enough to feel? 😜

[Gentleman Jack]

Hello all,

I realize this is an aging thread, but MANY THANKS to the folks here who solved this. Because of you, I fixed my new to me 1999 740i with "Ghost Seat" in 5 minutes for $0.00. The previous owner must have swapped wires while fixing the window regulator!

GJ

[SpecEric30]

Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for this fix!!!!