[Viffermike]

Hi gang,

Looks like I've got my first electrical gremlin. Wanted to see if anyone else has had a similar issue to the below, and if so, how was it addressed? I want to make sure I'm not missing a setting or step before notifying the dealer of the issue ... :

I have 14-way Sport seats with the Memory Package. Right after having my car washed yesterday, the seat memory/Comfort Access functions in my car stopped working completely. The system won't recall a memory preset, won't save a new preset, and won't move the seat back/steering wheel up to allow easier ingress/egress, and the tiny LED lights above the 'SET' and [key icon]' buttons on the door don't light at all.

Meanwhile, the following things work fine:
- All power seat and steering column adjustments
- Power folding mirrors (both manually and upon locking/unlocking the car)
- The 'Allow Comfort Access' option is checked in PCM (as is the fold-mirrors-in-on-lock option directly above it)

I tried both a manual reset of PCM (with the car running and on a restart) and letting the car sit overnight; neither worked to remedy the malfunction. I'm going to try my spare key tonight -- but since other key-stored settings such as climate and mirror-folding mode work fine, I very seriously doubt it's a key issue.

As it does with many cars, the car wash buckles the driver's side seat belt and sets the transmission in neutral before sending it through the wash (please don't admonish me about machine-washing the car; that's not what this post is about). This, as well as during cleaning before and afterward, means that sometimes the seat/radio/climate settings are not as I left them -- not a big deal when all one needs to do is hold the '1' button to return to your settings, but I couldn't even do that yesterday.

Any insight from anyone? Thanks in advance, 718 braintrust.

 

[MikePhDPE]

In the month i've had the car it's happened to me twice. Moving the seat all the way back then forward then all the way up and down allows it to work again. But the memory forgets where the seat was so i have to store it again. This can't be normal.

 

[Viffermike]

In the month i've had the car it's happened to me twice. Moving the seat all the way back then forward then all the way up and down allows it to work again. But the memory forgets where the seat was so i have to store it again. This can't be normal.

Huh. Weird. I'll try that and see what happens -- that would explain how the car wash triggered it, too, if they got happy with the seat controls to clean the car's interior. Thanks for the tip ...

... though my spare key won't store any new settings, Comfort Access-related or not. That's also weird. I"ll report back, folks. :nerd:

 

[MikePhDPE]

though my spare key won't store any new settings, Comfort Access-related or not. That's also weird. I"ll report back, folks. :nerd:

while the seat memory is out, the set button will not illuminate when pressed making it impossible to store settings. that's the only reason I realised it wasn't working. I was trying to store new A/C settings and the set button wouldn't illuminate.

 

[Viffermike]

while the seat memory is out, the set button will not illuminate when pressed making it impossible to store settings. that's the only reason I realised it wasn't working. I was trying to store new A/C settings and the set button wouldn't illuminate.

And that's part of what's happening to me. The puzzling part of this, though, is that settings that aren't even part of either Comfort Access or the Memory function aren't being retained by the car key. Might be part of the same system, though. I'll try your fix in an hour or so when I leave the office; fingers crossed!

 

[MikePhDPE]

good luck. This can't be normal, though. I wouldn't even expect a honda fit to forget its memory settings for any reason.

 

[Viffermike]

good luck. This can't be normal, though. I wouldn't even expect a honda fit to forget its memory settings for any reason.

Well, your fix worked like a charm: everything's back to normal. I've got to think it's some sort of safety thing ...

The next time it happens, I'll test permutations of the seat-all-the-way-back/seat-all-the-way-up-then-down procedure to see what actually triggers the mode to return to normal, so we can simplify it for the benefit of the forum.

Again: Thanks for the tip -- that's why 718Forum's awesome!

 

[alf_17]

Well, your fix worked like a charm: everything's back to normal. I've got to think it's some sort of safety thing ...

Some sort of reset like this seems to be very common.
At our offices we have electrically height adjustable tables, sometimes they go wrong and can only move down, the solution is to take them to the lowest height and hold the down button for a few seconds, then they go back to normal.
It must be their version of turning it off and on again which (almost) always works for computer problems

 

[DriveInHouston]

Some sort of reset like this seems to be very common.
...
It must be their version of turning it off and on again which (almost) always works for computer problems

Just reload Windows (from the XP era >)

 

[dhc3]

In the month i've had the car it's happened to me twice. Moving the seat all the way back then forward then all the way up and down allows it to work again. But the memory forgets where the seat was so i have to store it again. This can't be normal.

Just bumping this post and the useful advice. I had this issue and this solution worked great. Thank you!

 

[InTgr8r]

^thanks... added to bookmarks

This type of procedure is also required for auto up/down windows.

 

[Barryng]

Had same problem but found once seat reaches each end of travel (up & down & forward & back) the switch needs to be held for 2 seconds for this approach to work. Tried it a few days ago but did not do the 2 second hold at each end of travel position and had no joy. I don't remember if engine was running then. What follows worked first time.

-Started engine.
-Moved seat back forward so it does not stop rear motion of seat later prior to reaching end of travel.
-Moved to forward stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to rear stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to down stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to up stop and held switch for two seconds.

Memory buttons immediately started working but no seat position memories retained. However some others settings were retained.
There was no need to run telescopic steering wheel to its limits as some other of the many postings on this issue have suggested.
I am assuming other variations of this procedure will work but at least here is a step by step that worked perfectly when I followed it to a T.

 

[Shurick]

Had same problem but found once seat reaches each end of travel (up & down & forward & back) the switch needs to be held for 2 seconds for this approach to work. Tried it a few days ago but did not do the 2 second hold at each end of travel position and had no joy. I don't remember if engine was running then. What follows worked first time.

-Started engine.
-Moved seat back forward so it does not stop rear motion of seat later prior to reaching end of travel.
-Moved to forward stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to rear stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to down stop and held switch for two seconds.
-Moved to up stop and held switch for two seconds.

Memory buttons immediately started working but no seat position memories retained. However some others settings were retained.
There was no need to run telescopic steering wheel to its limits as some other of the many postings on this issue have suggested.
I am assuming other variations of this procedure will work but at least here is a step by step that worked perfectly when I followed it to a T.

Hi. I had the same problem twice in ine year, I have 2019 Cayenne, just did reset (Back, Forth, Up & Down) and it did work. Thank You everyone for your shared information 🙏

 

[CaymanMatt]

Hi. I had the same problem twice in ine year, I have 2019 Cayenne, just did reset (Back, Forth, Up & Down) and it did work. Thank You everyone for your shared information 🙏

Old thread but it's my turn.
1. Does the engine need to running?
2. Do you return wear bottom to center before doing up and down?
I ask because I did as suggested and it made no difference. Still non-functional. Kind of irritating because I had our car in for the 2 year service and I think they did a software update. My HomeLink is now flaky, and the seat memory broken. Grrrrrr...

 

[CaymanMatt]

Old thread but it's my turn.
1. Does the engine need to running?
2. Do you return wear bottom to center before doing up and down?
I ask because I did as suggested and it made no difference. Still non-functional. Kind of irritating because I had our car in for the 2 year service and I think they did a software update. My HomeLink is now flaky, and the seat memory broken. Grrrrrr...

Bringing this to top in hopes someone has some thoughts. I tried running the seat to the full extent while:

Engine running, door open
Engine running, door closed
Ignition on but engine not running, door open
Ignition on but engine not running, door closed
No luck with anything

Thoughts?

 

[JazzCatGab]

One thought (no actual knowledge): Most people adjust seats before starting the car, door open or closed (I usually do it with the door open). But @Barryng had luck with engine running. @Viffermike and @MikePhDPE do not mention starting the engine.

 

[CaymanMatt]

One thought (no actual knowledge): Most people adjust seats before starting the car, door open or closed (I usually do it with the door open). But @Barryng had luck with engine running. @Viffermike and @MikePhDPE do not mention starting the engine.

I did not yet try it with neither the engine running nor the ignition switch turned on - ie: open door, run seat through full ranges. Maybe I'll give it a whirl. I think I've tried everything else.

The seat memory works in such a way that if you are outside the car, you just push the button & it goes to that number's settings. If you are already in the car and the door is closed, you must hold the button until the seat reaches its settings. That's a safety feature so that you don't get pinched by the seat moving too far forward or up. I believe it as sitting in the car & running the seat to the forward most extent had me feeling like a sardine, with my legs crossed and packed in as tightly as I could get them!

 

[GregW]

The 'one-push' adjustment only works with the ignition off and the door cracked open. Otherwise it's as @CaymanMatt says: push and hold. That may have something to do with the re-set process (or not 😁).

(I like a bigger difference—seat back slope and steering wheel position—than the easy access function supplies so I use the key setting for entry and exit and #2 for my driving position. More button pushes of course, but better for me. Of course YMMV.)

 

[AC Adams]

In the month i've had the car it's happened to me twice. Moving the seat all the way back then forward then all the way up and down allows it to work again. But the memory forgets where the seat was so i have to store it again. This can't be normal.

If I had any brains I would have read this before I went to the dealer and special ordered extra large 25 amp fuses. Very strange reset exercise but it worked like a charm.

 

[CaymanMatt]

I did not yet try it with neither the engine running nor the ignition switch turned on - ie: open door, run seat through full ranges. Maybe I'll give it a whirl. I think I've tried everything else.

The seat memory works in such a way that if you are outside the car, you just push the button & it goes to that number's settings. If you are already in the car and the door is closed, you must hold the button until the seat reaches its settings. That's a safety feature so that you don't get pinched by the seat moving too far forward or up. I believe it as sitting in the car & running the seat to the forward most extent had me feeling like a sardine, with my legs crossed and packed in as tightly as I could get them!

So, car is out of the bubble so I scheduled my car at the dealer next Friday to fix this issue. I had some time though today so I started playing with it. After about 6 different tries suddenly my seat memory works again. I have no idea what I did differently but at this point I'm just happy it's working again.
Unbelievable!!