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Thread: Memory seat install

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
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    Netherlands
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    E34 M5, Alpina B10, 850i

    Memory seat install

    Hi @ all,

    Since our car came with memory interior I figured that was original. But the VIN shows that it was originally delivered with sport seat and no memory. This explains why the memory is not working.

    I'd rather get some sport seats, but this seems to be impossible (already looking for them for months, but even one set showed up). If you know a black set of sport seats; let me know!.

    Meanwhile I am trying to fix the memory interior. I've overcome already one problem:
    - Our 850 has seat heat buttons in the center console. But it also had seat heat buttons on the sideof the seat itself. We've removed the button from the seat, got OEM plugs and rewired it. Ordered number 11 to make it all great again: https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search...70/ECE/52_0491

    Now, to get the memory working, I am in doubt. I only have one connector @ BMW floor, while the seat has 3 connectors. After some googling I found this:
    https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search...70/ECE/61_0059
    Talking about number 3 on this picture. It seems to be a cable for memory seats.

    Can anyone confirm this is the part that's missing? And are there any other changes necessary to get it working? Maybe even some details about installation of the cable?

    Cheers all!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Hampshire UK
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    99 840ci Sport Indv
    Do you have the seat memory control module under the seat?

    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...09#61358356510
    Last edited by Timm; 10-21-2018 at 02:52 PM.
    Timm..2007 E64 650i Individual Sport..1999 E31 840ci Individual Sport..ex owner of 2000 E38 740..1999 E38 740i V8 M62..1998 E38 735i V8..1993 E32 730i V8..1988 E28 518i


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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
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    Netherlands
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    E34 M5, Alpina B10, 850i
    Quote Originally Posted by Timm View Post
    Do you have the seat memory control module under the seat?

    http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/show...09#61358356510
    Yes. It's the one with a lot of connectors, right? Placed @ front bottom of the seat

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
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    San Ramon, CA
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    1,421
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    850Ci, M5, Model-S P85D
    I upgraded my 1991 M5 from electric sport seats to memory sport seats after installing an E31 tilt/telescoping steering wheel with E31 steering column memory controller.
    Seat memory upgrading is a project, not only because the E31 seat trim is complicated, but because the conversion to memory seats from electric seats is also very complex.

    Your 8 seats, will need an upgrade to the seat wiring harness with the memory seat adjust and memory seat position switches, and you will need to add a voltage regulator to each electric motor, upgrade some of the electric motor mounts and drive cables for the gear sets to accommodate adding the voltage regulators and add the seat memory controller module.

    The BMW parts catalog can be difficult to interpret with the option variables and deleted "parts images and parts lists" over the years and lack of specific references between option requirements.
    I would suggest taking what you need from a salvaged E31 to include non-sport seats. Also, the seat motors, voltage regulators, and the seat memory module are common between the E31, late model E32 & E34.
    In fact if you are up to making the wiring harness's all the fore mention models seat wiring harnesses can be uses as a starting point to create a memory seat harness which is what I did since the E34 Sport seat harness was already NLA when I did my seat upgrade.
    Having Fun...

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Belgium
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    16
    My Cars
    2005 BMW 118D
    I have a similar issue. On my car (1991 850i) someone allready had sport seats installed with memory, the seat works fine, everything works including the memory functions. But my steering wheel doesn't nor do the mirrors. Now I know there should be another memory unit for this on top of the heater core. I've looked and there is a module there but it only has 2 connections, the memory module should have 3 connections. Would it work if I swap it for a memory module, Is the 3rd (center connection) present in the wiring loom?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
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    Netherlands
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    E34 M5, Alpina B10, 850i
    Quote Originally Posted by m6bigdog View Post
    I upgraded my 1991 M5 from electric sport seats to memory sport seats after installing an E31 tilt/telescoping steering wheel with E31 steering column memory controller.
    Seat memory upgrading is a project, not only because the E31 seat trim is complicated, but because the conversion to memory seats from electric seats is also very complex.

    Your 8 seats, will need an upgrade to the seat wiring harness with the memory seat adjust and memory seat position switches, and you will need to add a voltage regulator to each electric motor, upgrade some of the electric motor mounts and drive cables for the gear sets to accommodate adding the voltage regulators and add the seat memory controller module.

    The BMW parts catalog can be difficult to interpret with the option variables and deleted "parts images and parts lists" over the years and lack of specific references between option requirements.
    I would suggest taking what you need from a salvaged E31 to include non-sport seats. Also, the seat motors, voltage regulators, and the seat memory module are common between the E31, late model E32 & E34.
    In fact if you are up to making the wiring harness's all the fore mention models seat wiring harnesses can be uses as a starting point to create a memory seat harness which is what I did since the E34 Sport seat harness was already NLA when I did my seat upgrade.
    Having Fun...
    Thanks for your response. I had to read it a couple of times, since couldn't place your comments about rewiring the seat itself into perspective. But I think we might have a slight misunderstanding here:
    I think your car was fitted with electric seats (so without the memory buttons on the left) and you are upgrading your seats to the memory type of seat. So adding the buttons to your non-memory seat.

    In my case it's different; I have a car which only had electric sport seats. The sport seats have been taken out, sold and the previous owner bought memory seats instead. So my seats are fully memory seats, but the connection from the car to the seats only supports an electric seat. I have one connector on the floor, while my seats requires 3 connectors.

    Did I get your story right?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
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    Made in Germany
    Quote Originally Posted by MrEJ View Post
    On my car (1991 850i) someone allready had sport seats installed with memory, the seat works fine, everything works including the memory functions. But my steering wheel doesn't nor do the mirrors. Now I know there should be another memory unit for this on top of the heater core. I've looked and there is a module there but it only has 2 connections, the memory module should have 3 connections. Would it work if I swap it for a memory module, Is the 3rd (center connection) present in the wiring loom?
    No. For the mirror memory to work you'll need new outside mirrors (just transplanting the motors is not straightforward as the non-memory and memory mirrors have different mounting points).

    The steering column memory requires, in addition to the module you mention, to have position potentiometers retrofitted onto the steering column motors (part #15 in this diagram). They are not present on non-memory vehicles. I'm not sure, but there's a good chance this involves removing and dismantling the entire upper steering column.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ohnizz View Post
    Now, to get the memory working, I am in doubt. I only have one connector @ BMW floor, while the seat has 3 connectors. After some googling I found this:
    https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search...70/ECE/61_0059
    Talking about number 3 on this picture. It seems to be a cable for memory seats.
    Can anyone confirm this is the part that's missing? And are there any other changes necessary to get it working? Maybe even some details about installation of the cable?
    Part 3 in the diagrams is indeed present on cars equipped with memory system. However most, if not all, of it is actually wiring to the outside mirrors, the mirror adjustment joystick and the (optional) steering column memory which you do not really need unless you intend to retrofit that as well. The electrical troubleshooting manual (ETM) is extremely unclear in this area but as far as I can see you only need connector X275 to get the seat memory working (X275 = 12-pin white - the sole one you have and which is probably already connected otherwise seat electrics would not work at all).

    Do you at any chance have a working BMW diagnostic system (DIS or INPA) to read fault codes from the seat/mirror memory control module?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Belgium
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    2005 BMW 118D
    Quote Originally Posted by revtor View Post
    No. For the mirror memory to work you'll need new outside mirrors (just transplanting the motors is not straightforward as the non-memory and memory mirrors have different mounting points).

    The steering column memory requires, in addition to the module you mention, to have position potentiometers retrofitted onto the steering column motors (part #15 in this diagram). They are not present on non-memory vehicles. I'm not sure, but there's a good chance this involves removing and dismantling the entire upper steering column.
    I might be able to source the module and the voltage regulators but I'm not sure if the wiring is present in a non memory car, does anybody know if it is?
    Also according to realOEM I should have 2 voltage regulators but the drawing only shows one?

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrEJ View Post
    I might be able to source the module and the voltage regulators but I'm not sure if the wiring is present in a non memory car, does anybody know if it is?
    Some wiring may be present but definitely not all. For starters you'll need the wiring harness mentioned by Ohnizz (part 3). If you retrofit memory to the outside mirrors you'll also have to replace the 4-way adjustment joystick (part 6).

    Also according to realOEM I should have 2 voltage regulators but the drawing only shows one?
    There are two motors - one on each side of the steering column, each controlling a different axis. Thus you'll also need 2 potentiometers. This picture (by wokke) shows the 2 motors at the top. The brown thingies attached to the motors are the potentiometers.

  11. #11
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    Thank you for the info, so not a plug and play job than

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