# Calling all SEL-P owners... Need some assistance.



## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

Ok, so for a little back story. I've had my SEL-P at the dealer now three times for my memory seat. They've replaced the control module, there's no DTC's, and they've done basic settings on the seat. So there's nothing showing up as wrong. Also, there is actually no issue with the seat memory. It will save the seat back position, mirrors, and actual seat position ( only when it is moved up!) without issue. But, when I put my seat all the way back and all the way down (where I like to sit) the following happens, every time when the car is locked and then opened. Also, you can see in the video, I can save the position, and as soon as I hit the 1 again, you can see the seat immediately move up.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qwuGpAdnWc4WUPfv2


Basically, no matter what I do, the seat will not save when I have where I like, and I need to re-position each time I unlock my door. The other thing is, in the video, there is not much movement forward and up when I unlock. This is not always the case. At other times, it moves up and higher much more than what's shown here. It's not the same each time. I've called customer care and have a case, and took my car back to the dealer today to drop it off. While there, we tested the memory seat on an Atlas SEL-P they have on the lot. Incredibly, it happens on the Atlas as well. We tried it numerous times, and each time, the seat would move forward and up after saving when the door it unlocked or simply pressing the memory button again. I find it VERY hard to believe this is how VW designed the seat to work, but, given the Atlas showing the same problem, the Service Manager thinks that's just the way it is (although he too said he finds it extremely odd). 

What I'm hoping for is some other SEL-P owners to test out their cars and see if they behave the same way. If you could try the following and let me know your results, it would be very helpful.

1. Put the seat all the way back and all the way down.
2. Save the seat Position to #1.
3. After you get the ding, try and hit the #1 again right away. Does your seat move forward and up?
4. If it does not move at all, lock the car. When you open the drivers door, does the seat move at all?

Any help on this would be awesome. 

Thanks!


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## VWAUDITEK (Dec 26, 2006)

If I’m not mistaken and I could be the position your trying for isn’t a setting if you can understand. The “0” position is the position it goes to so if you save it at that the memory sees it at the “0” position. 
I can try it on all the cars and my own SEL-P if I can ever get the keys programmed since my wife has it all the time now. 


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## marc505 (May 17, 2009)

It looks like the limit switch for down and up position has to be "unlatch" at position 0. So when you set the position 1 after you let the seat stop by the limit switch, it cannot be remember because it not a position. The seat is located at an "unknow" place after it hit the limit switch. So when the car computer boot, it moves the seat to the farthest position it can control which is when both limit switch are disengaged or "unlatch". Try to set you 1 position just before your seat stop moving by himself. 

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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

VWAUDITEK said:


> If I’m not mistaken and I could be the position your trying for isn’t a setting if you can understand. The “0” position is the position it goes to so if you save it at that the memory sees it at the “0” position.
> I can try it on all the cars and my own SEL-P if I can ever get the keys programmed since my wife has it all the time now.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Not sure I understand. My Touareg worked flawlessly as far as the memory seats were concerned. My position (again, all the way down and all the way back) was saved in slot 1. My wife had her's in #2. Never once did the seat move back up when i unlocked the door. When I got it into position, and saved to #1, when I hit #1 again, that's where it was saved. If VW allows the seat to move into a position that can't be saved, that just makes no sense to me. Unless I'm reading you wrong. Can you elaborate a bit further?

The other thing I find odd is that, in the video, the seat did not move all that much when I unlocked the door. This morning at the dealer though, there was MUCH more movement both forward and up. It seems to vary everytime I get into the car. That can't be a normal behavior.


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## BRNARDN (Mar 25, 2013)

M Diddy said:


> Not sure I understand. My Touareg worked flawlessly as far as the memory seats were concerned. My position (again, all the way down and all the way back) was saved in slot 1. My wife had her's in #2. Never once did the seat move back up when i unlocked the door. When I got it into position, and saved to #1, when I hit #1 again, that's where it was saved. If VW allows the seat to move into a position that can't be saved, that just makes no sense to me. Unless I'm reading you wrong. Can you elaborate a bit further?
> 
> The other thing I find odd is that, in the video, the seat did not move all that much when I unlocked the door. This morning at the dealer though, there was MUCH more movement both forward and up. It seems to vary everytime I get into the car. That can't be a normal behavior.


I have the exact same behavior on mine, except that I do not go all the way back, but I do go all the way down, and every single time I either open the door or press the #1 button (which is where I had stored my seat position) it goes up. And like you said, sometimes it is just a little bit, sometimes a little more. It is inconsistent. My guess is that this is a software error, not hardware, since they did change your module and it still behaved the same way. Hopefully, with your case open with VW, they might do the software fix and a simple update will fix it.

As for a workaround, I will try what VWAUDITEK suggested, which is to go all the way down, and then just move it up a tiny bit and save it. I guess I can live with that for now, it is better than having to lower my seat every single time I enter the car.


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## VWAUDITEK (Dec 26, 2006)

I tried on 1 sel-p we have and 3 atlas’s this morning and they all do the same thing. What I’m trying to explain is that the all down and all back spot is not a “0” position in memory. That’s why it goes up and forward a hair. 


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

VWAUDITEK said:


> I tried on 1 sel-p we have and 3 atlas’s this morning and they all do the same thing. What I’m trying to explain is that the all down and all back spot is not a “0” position in memory. That’s why it goes up and forward a hair.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Got ya. And thanks for the help with this! 

That begs the question, though, is this by design or is there a flaw in the programming. I could understand if it moved up the same amount, each time I opened the door, but, the fact that it moves to different spots almost everytime surely means something is wrong. I can't see how the seat can just arbitrarily pick a postion to move back too. It just makes no sense.


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

Well, this is my last VW. 

Just got a call back from my Customer Care Rep, who proceeded to tell me that the seat can not be saved in the full back and full down position. And also that the seat randomly choosing what position it moves back too is working as designed. 

When I told her it's un-acceptable for an almost 40k car that I need to manually adjust my seat in, EVERY TIME I ENTER THE VEHICLE, she told me she's sorry, there's nothing she can do, and referred me to my dealer. When I stated that the dealer wasn't an option (and nothing against them, they've done all they can) and that at this point, I don't want the vehicle because it was never stated or mentioned that the seat can not be saved in this position, she told me that, since's there's actually nothing wrong, that isn't an option. Great...

So now I either trade this thing in and get turned upside down, or drive a car that I have adjust the seat in every time I get in. I should have taken the money I got for my Touareg TDI Exec and bought a ****ing Mazda.... This, for sure, will be my last VW. I'm done after this ****.


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## JSWTDI09 (Feb 22, 2009)

M Diddy said:


> Just got a call back from my Customer Care Rep, who proceeded to tell me that the seat can not be saved in the full back and full down position. And also that the seat randomly choosing what position it moves back too is working as designed.


You guys are making me very happy that I bought an SE version. I am 6'8" tall and my seat is always all the way back and all the way down and it NEVER moves (I am the only driver). It appears that most of the "features" that get complaints around here are things I don't have to worry about. Woo Hoo!

Have Fun!

Don


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## bcpaddler (Dec 5, 2017)

I had the same problem. I Finally got it to work by adjusting the seat and mirrors and then locking the car with the button on the FOB. Now when I unlock car everything moves to the right spot. But if I use the buttons on the seat it will move to the wrong spot (far forward and way up), but always goes to the right spot if I never touch the seat buttons. Girlfriend has the other FOB and saved her settings the same way and it goes back and forth no problem.


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

Just a quick update...

I contacted VWoA corporate and spoke with a Customer Care rep there. He's above the normal one I dealt with and told me from now on I am working with him. When I explained the situation, he said he fully understands and does not think that this is a normal behavior. He's looking into it and should contact me by the end of the day Tues. Curious what he comes back with.


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## slvrmdl (Jul 23, 2013)

Do you have the following activated in settings:

Driver’s Profile
Easy Exit


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

slvrmdl said:


> Do you have the following activated in settings:
> 
> Driver’s Profile
> Easy Exit
> ...


Don't think I do, but don't recall seeing the option either. What menu is it under?


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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

M Diddy said:


> Just a quick update...
> 
> I contacted VWoA corporate and spoke with a Customer Care rep there. He's above the normal one I dealt with and told me from now on I am working with him. When I explained the situation, he said he fully understands and does not think that this is a normal behavior. He's looking into it and should contact me by the end of the day Tues. Curious what he comes back with.


Unless you get to vw group of america customer resolution and retention in michigan you're wasting your time. Customer care has no authority to buy back cars. They are a glorified call center In Herndon for vw only- not vag. Their job description (look it up on linked in if you don't believe me) is to keep buy back customers from being escalated to customer resolution and retention by determining the liklihook of a buy back based on many factors (including the state you live in as each state has different rules for buy backs and lemon laws). 

They bought my pos atlas back (I also had a touareg tdi exec) after three months of back and forth. I couldn't get to the right people without a certified letter to Michigan (address is in warranty booklet) requesting them to buy back the car. 

Having said that, your problem is not an issue that i would think would win a lemon law therefore they most likely will not buy your car back. Lemon would be safety or diminished value related. While this could meet the "days out of service" requirement, no lawyer will take the case because a judge would say that the feature works in such a way that it doesn't pose a safety threat that you have to reposition your seat, and it definitely doesn't pose a diminished value threat given that most likely every Tig is this way. They usually only buy back cars they know they will lose cases on to avoid branding the cars as lemons for resale purposes. 

My atlas is sitting in the Texas distribution lot getting ready to end up in the hands of some poor soul who will have to deal with the digital cockpit issues I had that I know were never properly resolved after 9 attempts, 65 days in the shop and 55 emails back and forth.

That is 50 misspelled, later than promised, worthless emails from the high school drop outs at customer care, and 5 kogent, to the point, efficient emails from the professionals at customer resolution and retention.


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

ice4life said:


> Unless you get to vw group of america customer resolution and retention in michigan you're wasting your time.


That is who I've called. Going back and forth with him now. 

What kind of Cockpit issues were you having?


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## ice4life (Nov 6, 2017)

M Diddy said:


> That is who I've called. Going back and forth with him now.
> 
> What kind of Cockpit issues were you having?


Diesel dash
Pixelation
Replacing it messed up the ecm and abs module

Started 3 days after I got it. They bought it back with around 800 miles on it after around 3 months.


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

Dropped the Tiguan off at the dealer this morning once more. Eric, the VW rep, wants it in the shop so they can do some testing on it to see what's what.

Funny thing. Per my conversation with him last week, he told me the seat moving forward automatically is designed that way to save tension on the springs of the seat, so as to not wear them out. Two problems with this, though:

1. The seat stays in the full back/down position when the door is locked and does not move forward at all. It only moves forward once the drivers door is opened. How that is saving wear on the seats I have no idea.

2. I got a loaner SEL today. Power seat, but no memory. I put the seat all the way in the down/back position and locked and opened the door numerous times. I did not move forward or up, at all, ever.

Very odd that I could have purchased a lower model of the Tiguan and would not have to set my seat each time I get into the car if I wanted. But, since I opted to pay more and have the memory seat option, the design of that causes me to have to move the seat each time I enter the vehicle. 

It's pretty clear this is a programming issue and nothing more. Not going to settle for any BS excuses here.


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## marc505 (May 17, 2009)

M Diddy said:


> Dropped the Tiguan off at the dealer this morning once more. Eric, the VW rep, wants it in the shop so they can do some testing on it to see what's what.
> 
> Funny thing. Per my conversation with him last week, he told me the seat moving forward automatically is designed that way to save tension on the springs of the seat, so as to not wear them out. Two problems with this, though:
> 
> ...


Set it and unplug the power cable then stop complain during months on the same issue without news.

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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

marc505 said:


> Set it and unplug the power cable then stop complain during months on the same issue without news.
> 
> Envoyé de mon SM-T813 en utilisant Tapatalk


Right.....


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

VWAUDITEK said:


> I tried on 1 sel-p we have and 3 atlas’s this morning and they all do the same thing. What I’m trying to explain is that the all down and all back spot is not a “0” position in memory. That’s why it goes up and forward a hair.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Just curious man. Would it be possible to re-program the seat with a VAG-COM? Or would there be something else needed to do that?


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

So VW is not going to fix the issue (per a call last week), and after a call with the rep today, will not be buying the car back either.

I've already been in contact with my lawyer and will now be taking legal action.

They still have not given me a valid reason as to why the seats behave in this way as well. The rep agreed today that the reason he had given me previously (in regards to preventing tension on the springs) is bunk due to the reasons I stated. He let me know he's contacting the engineers to try and find a valid reason as to why the seat does what is does. 

I'm sure there won't be one.


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## VWAUDITEK (Dec 26, 2006)

M Diddy said:


> Just curious man. Would it be possible to re-program the seat with a VAG-COM? Or would there be something else needed to do that?


I will have my tig with me tomorrow I will try to see if it can be programmed differently


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

VWAUDITEK said:


> I will have my tig with me tomorrow I will try to see if it can be programmed differently
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


You rock dude. Tnx.


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

So a final update on this one, in case you're interested. 

After one of the calls with the executive rep, Eric, when it sounded like nothing was going to be done, I got an email survey sent to me from VW on the Tiguan. I then sent a long winded email to the Exec VP of Service & Quality, Falk Beil, whose name was on that survey email. The email simply stated my disappointment with the seat and VW in general after almost 20 years of driving VW's exclusively.

A few days after the email is when I got the call back from Eric stating that Mr. Beil did get in contact with him and he would look into why the seat behaves the way it does. About a week later I got the call from Eric stating that the seat is designed the way it is, and VW is not going to change that, end of story. I spoke to my lawyer and was also going to contact the BBB and State AG to see if I had any options as well.

As a last ditch effort, I sent one more email to Mr. Beil again stating that I appreciate his time, but that I was still unsatisfied and disappointed in how VW handled this. I let him know with all the customers that have left VW after Deiselgate, I would think they would do everything they can to retain the ones they have. I told him the avenues I was pursuing and that this was for sure my last VW. I pretty much left it at that.

Cut two a week and half later, I got a call from Eric, out of the blue, stating that he had gotten with some engineers and they believe they found a way to fix the seat for me. Apparently my last email to Mr. Beil did the trick as Eric was told to fix this! I was shocked.

Turns out the seat movement is actually related to the Personalization feature VW added when it personalizes a key to specific settings. The seats and mirrors are included in this. With the personalization, the seat is set to go to the "soft" stop and not save anything past that, which would cause it to move forward every time the door is opened after locking. As a fix, what Eric proposed is, that the engineers could remove the seats/mirrors from the car personalization, while retaining everything else. This means that the seat can be saved in the full back/down position, and it won't move from that spot, which is exactly how my Touareg behaved. By removing just the seats/mirrors, it allows me to keep Personalization on and have the seat set the way I want it too, which I'm totally ok with. 

I've tested by turning off the Personalization feature completely and sure enough it works.

So, I drop the car off this Monday to have that done. It took a little bit of work, but, I'm happy that VW is finally making good on this and at least doing something to make me happy.


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