SMM Memory seat functions are back to front

[inc13]

Car is 94/02 750il highline with memory seat/mirrors/steeringwheel

Everything works as reverted

As i press seat forward button,it goes backwards.. same with steering column and mirrors

That applies only to drivers seat,passenger seat and rears are all ok

[DV8OR]

has it always been that way? or did it suddenly change?
If it has always been that way then I am wondering are some plugs a reversed, which seems unlikely since all the connectors are keyed to only plug in one way. I dont know if the body computer may have something to do with this.

[inc13]

As i bought this car second hand,i dont know what has been done before me.It was like that when i got it.

[DV8OR]

Shogun may have some better insight to this but seeing how it is reversed I am thinkn some sort of connetor is backwards somewhere.

[inc13]

Seat module has 3 connectors,but you cant mix them up...they dont fit wrong way

[shogun]

check the seat and mirror module under the drive seat for blank wires on the plugs going into the module. Mixing up all the plgs is impossible, as they only fit one counterpart because of the triangle shape pin in each plug, which shows in different directions. Also it is different colours. But usually blank wires are the problem.
There are 6 plugs connected to the SMM module, black, white, blue, yellow, green brown

[E32FAN]

Is the switch possibly installed upside-down?

[shogun]

difficult upside down https://web.archive.org/web/20080706...eatswitch.html but maybe left side on right side?

[inc13]

Its not only on drivers seat,same thing is with mirrors and steering column.All those things are operated by same control unit.Seat switches are installed right way

[E32FAN]

Might the memory controller be from a right-hand drive country like GB?

[inc13]

I have checked that as well,they have same part number ...(lhd and rhd unit)

[shogun]

check you VIN.
there are 6 plugs at the seat and memory module and each one has a different color. and the memory module has colors too. and when you look careful at the memory module plugs, there are triangle pins and each one shows in different direction, so the matching plug can only fit to the correct counterpart.
Unless someone drilled up the triangle pins to holes and mixed up the plugs. Also these 6 plugs are not all available anymore, so one has to buy a black or white plug and drill these triangle shape holes to round holes, so that they always fit in all 6 connectors. Check the connectors as I mentioned before, often the wires are broken or the plugs broken.

[inc13]

Ill take drivers seat out and check all that out.As a backrest is shot,i have to do that anyway.There is a unit under drivers seat ,but it doesnt look like unit on your pics.

[shogun]

as you have a Highline, there are 2 modules under driver seat, the normal one for seat and memory, and the other one is the special one for the Highline functions. That one is under the carpet under driver seat.
Probably you have not yet seen the smm module from all sides, download pics from the net. And also find a pic of the special climate control unit for the 2nd aircon for rear passengers for the Highline, that is under the carpet driver side

[E32FAN]

If the connectors were mixed up, then the wrong motor would run.

But here, the correct motor runs, only in the wrong direction. As if the motor wires had been swapped in the connector.

I am guessing that the seat controller learns whether it is in a right- or left-drive car and reverses the motor sense using software.

In a similar way, the GM learns whether the car has a sunroof installed, for example.

[shogun]

did you meanwhile solve the problem?

[inc13]

Nope, i havent got the time at the moment.I have changed front springs instead and so on

[shogun]

last weekend we fixed the driver sports seat on an E32 Alpina B12 750, seat with memory function.
Strange behavior of the seat, memory worked sometimes and sometimes not, sometimes wrong. We found the fault, defective teeth in the gearboxes of the potentiometers, here some info
http://e32b12.blogspot.jp/2012/09/st...tric-seat.html

[shogun]

there are more and more reports in the recent years that the SMM module suddenly plays crazy and all goes in reverse. The problem is not wrong wiring, must be electronic parts inside the SMM module.
I hope someone on the forum will soon try to find out the problem and how to fix it.
Apparently also Programa Inc noticed that demand for repairs, they now offer repairs,
BMW Seat Control Unit, Seat and Mirror Memory Module, OE Part Number 61311388561, ProgRama Part Number 561B, Interchange Part Numbers 3137211012
BMW Seat Control Unit, Seat and Mirror Memory Module, OE Part Number 61311378662, ProgRama Part Number 662B, Interchange Part Numbers 3137211006

In my 11/88 based on ETK p/n is 61351388561 up to production March 1993, Seat, electrically adjustable, front + Memory, 61351388561, Production Dec '89 - , Exchangeable retrospectively vs Old part number 61351378662
Used in E34 , E32 and E31 850 till March 1993, after March 1993 the smaller unit was used 61358356510 , Non exchangeable retrospectively vs Old part number 61351388561

[m60power]

Agreed shogun, one of my E32s has been reversing the functions of some of the driver's seat controls. Forward is Backward, Up is Down, etc. I suspect it's something failing in the seat memory module. I can 'fool' the controls into working again by playing with the memory functions, and when recalling a setting the seat will initially move the wrong direction then reverse itself to move towards the correct memory setting. From that point onward the direct seat controls work properly until I turn the car off, after which they are reversed again. It's all very strange. At some point I plan on swapping the SMM from my other E32 into this car to see if that fixes it. If it does I'll tear apart the faulty SMM module and attempt to find a root cause. I doubt I will be successful because my electrical skills are very limited haha.

[shogun]

read here, repaired https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...840-SMM-repair but that must be the newer, smaller SMM module on that E31.
Apparently the new, smaller unit is the problem mainly

[shogun]

anyone already sent a SMM module to ProGrama Inc for repair? https://www.programainc.com/item_det...idproduct=2464
What was the repair cost? Or are there meanwhile any other repair shops which do this service for the SMM modules?

[m60power]

No, but that's something that I eventually want to do but just haven't got around to contacting them about it. I'm still having the same reverse movement issue I described in my prior post.

[shogun]

just found an old thread someone contacted Programa in 2015 and they said, they do not, see here, also some good large pics of opened SMM module which is good for our electr experts https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ght=SMM+repair . But maybe they have changed their mind after almost 10 years? Or we have to find someone here on the forum which can do and make a DIY repair instruction.

[shogun]

While I was searching international forums for SMM fault like this as example: I'm currently fighting my memory seat like many e32 owners, the car was almost undrivable and the seat would move on about 30-45second intervals then I did a diy "fix" and threw it in the ground and soaked it in contact cleaner making the seat move on about 10 minute intervals, i purchased a used seat unit and it's about in-between by before and after "fixing" with it's random movement intervals. programa has one for 800$ and that's quite a lot for a gimmick has anyone ever un-memoryd their seats before? could I install a switch on the power wire for the memory module so it will only have power when I say? anyone converted to late model memory module so it actually works?

I found this on the German E34 forum already > 10 years ago, besides the broken plugs the problem is the wire loom: translated from German to English from this thread
https://forum.e34.de/thread.php?thre...ght=sitzmemory

Ground problems in the control unit could be a possibility (ground lug under the rear seat bench). However, I suspect a defect in the adjustment switch on the seat, so unplug the switch and try it out. If something has come loose there and makes contact in left-hand bends or when braking, it could have this effect. Defect in the seat wiring harness can be ruled out, the supply lines to the servomotors do not have any additional live cables that could trigger the movement in the event of a short circuit. Due to the necessary polarity reversal, the motors are controlled via an H-bridge (semiconductor or relay). Possibly check the piece of wiring harness between the adjustment switch and the control unit, as a short circuit to ground could cause similar effects there.
The servomotors do not simply receive power (not even in the event of a cable break), a relay in the control unit must switch. For a relay in the control unit to switch, a seat adjustment button must be pressed. A button usually only makes one contact between two wires, so a cable break can certainly lead to malfunctions. This also explains why your switch can no longer be operated. You are not the first and will not be the last person to have a cable break due to moving the seat so much that it suddenly starts to move on its own. Move the seat to the desired position, if possible, then either remove the fuse or disconnect the seat from the wiring harness. If the seat suddenly moves all the way forward while driving, or even worse, all the way up, this can quickly become dangerous. So never continue driving like this! If you have some time and skill, remove the seat by loosening the two Torx screws on the rear rails, unscrewing the seat belt, disconnecting the belt adjuster and VERY CAREFULLY disconnecting the very fragile connectors from the memory wiring harness from the control unit. The previous steps can be carried out easily with the seat folded slightly forward. Then remove the seat completely from the car and turn it upside down, where you should now be able to check all the wiring harnesses for damage. Even if the black adhesive tape around the wiring harness is intact, this does not mean that the cables inside are still intact. It may therefore be necessary to cut open the adhesive tape a little to find the breakage points. They tend to be where the tape is already a little loose and no longer wraps the wiring harness tightly. If there is nothing to be found on the wiring harnesses, you can also look at the switches; only if these are also in order would I tackle the memory control unit.
Result:
The common denominator of the symptoms (including the use of the handbrake) was the change in seat load due to the change in position of my body. The large cable harness of the seat wiring is to be blamed, on the outside completely undamaged, inside the cables seem to be chafing each other. Unusual, as this is still the coiled version (something like this is reported more often with wiring harnesses in plastic tubes ... roll your eyes at modern cars ). The first thing that helped was to change the position of the wiring harness using cable ties. Of course, this is not a permanent solution, so I'll have to cut it open soon.

SMM training manual http://www.e38.org/e32/BMW_pdfs/smm.pdf