[5050punk]

So my car is just slightly older than 1 month. On my way in to work this morning, I noticed that my steering wheel was not getting hot with the heater on. Whenever I pressed the button to turn it on, the light would stay on for about 10 seconds, and then just turn off. It was doing this while moving, or at a stop. Anyone else have this issue yet? I'll probably take it to the dealer, but I just had to go in for some other stuff last week and don't feel like going back already.

[darkphantom]

Oh what the?! damn man hopefully just a small thing like a blown fuse or a wire that has been disconnected....to the stealership!

Sorry about that, but I'm sure it is something small.

[mbmbm&w]

I checked the on-line manual. There's a probe on the '09s that plugs into the back of the seat cushion and then you insert it. It reads your core temerature and adjusts everything automatically - steering wheel, heat, ac, vent, etc. If it's not "pluged in", the steering wheel heat won't function. Just one more of BMW technology uber alles features.

[5050punk]

Originally Posted by mbmbm&w

I checked the on-line manual. There's a probe on the '09s that plugs into the back of the seat cushion and then you insert it. It reads your core temerature and adjusts everything automatically - steering wheel, heat, ac, vent, etc. If it's not "pluged in", the steering wheel heat won't function. Just one more of BMW technology uber alles features.

Man I couldn't tell if you were messing with me or not. I was just picturing this episode while reading about "inserting probes into the back of the seat cushion".



So would that being unplugged just mess up the steering wheel heat, not the heated seats? Because the heated seats work fine. Also what do I look up in the index of the manual to find this. I'll check it myself first.

[Deda]

go to your bmw dealer!

[CyberGypsy]

The more toys you get the more there are to break

[5050punk]

Well I tried on the way home from work today, and the heated steering wheel worked just fine all the way home. Hopefully it was just a fluke this morning. If it happens again I'll take it in for sure.

[mmm def]

Hopefully it is just a 1 time problem, BMW's are quirky.

[cardsdoc]

The same thing happened to me on my way home from work today. When I stopped to get gas, and turned the car back on it was back to normal. I wonder if there is a short or something.

[cardsdoc]

Happened again tonight. Looks like I need to set up a service appointment.

[Deda]

i hate that little annoying things.

[Jescar335]

I had the same problem. Pressed the button, light went on and then shut off after only a few seconds. Happened repeatedly. Shut off the car, restarted, and it has worked fine ever since. Obviously a computer issue, not a short or loose connection.

[Andy M]

Just going to chime in too. I had the same thing happen to me while driving to the dealership (no seriously, that's just my luck...)

Anyway, when I got back to my car which was sitting outside the dealership, the thing worked again. Service guy explained that it was probably a fault in the computer so it's software-related. Probably something that can only be fixed through a software update.

[Snoopybug]

I JUST noticed that today! The heated steering will turn on for a few seconds then the light goes off. I tried it at least 10 times today....I'll contact dealer and see what he says. I got the car less than a week.......

[cardsdoc]

Took mine to the dealer to get checked out. Of course they nor I could duplicate the problem while they had it. It's happened to me several times now and usually but not always works again when I turn off and restart the car. Unfortunately it's very intermittent with no clear trigger. The dealer had not heard of the problem and didn't have any suggestions other than to bring t back if it happens more consistently. Oh well.

[Waclaw]

Just rcvd my 3 on 12/23/08...heated steering wheel worked occasionally. Took car in for minor adjustments and asked them to fix steering wheel. There 1st reply "you don't have a heated wheel based on your VIN". 2nd reply was that part was on back order...could take up to a month. blah, blah, blah...after I crabbed a lot, they agreed to give me a similiar car as a loaner. Of course I had to be the one to suggest this. Overall, I like BMWs (this is my 2nd)...but the service here is very poor. I had a few SAABs, and the service was superior...The on and off heated steering wheel issue looks to be a bigger problem than I had thought...

[tree]

Mine does the same thing sometimes. Dealer told me that the car has a very sensitive electrical system and if the battery charge is slightly low, the the first thing the car turns off are heated accessories. He said that many short trips that do not allow for a full battery charge after starting may cause this to happen. Sounds a little fishy to me, but when mine has failed it's been really cold, and the car has sat outside for many hours. Bummer that it fails in the really cold weather.

[asdflkijd]

wtf, I didn't know they had heating steering wheels in 3's.. thought it was only ont he 5 series... Maybe its a 09 thing.

[methodtim]

Originally Posted by mmm def

BMW's are quirky.

So sad, yet so true.

[Jenny09E82]

Well I am so glad I'm not the only one. Have an '09 E82. Heater only works intermittently. Luckily Im a Client Advisor so am at the dealership every day. Advisors and Techs thought I was nuts until one morning it wasn't working so I drove right into the drive and showed them. They replaced my steering wheel under warranty on Monday, and Monday nite on the way home it wasn't working already. Techs can't figure it out, and I'm the only one with the problem so far. Thanks for posting, will share this with my service department and our BMW rep. I agree, gotta be a software thing cuz I drive 30 miles to work so its definitely not a battery thing, and had it replaced so it's not a loose connection. Seems to only happen when it's below freezing out. Light goes on for 5 seconds and then shuts off.

[popogil]

ive had my 2009 since december and also experienced this problem for the first time a few days ago. it was 6:30 in the morning, the car had sat out in the single digit cold all night...i dont believe my vehicle has ever been in the same weather conditions as it did that night. the heated steering wheel would activate for a few seconds and turn off, only after stopping for fuel and restarting the vehicle did work correctly again.

i havent had any problems with it ever since, it hasnt been that cold either anymore either...

[John 070]

Originally Posted by 5050punk

Well I tried on the way home from work today, and the heated steering wheel worked just fine all the way home. Hopefully it was just a fluke this morning. If it happens again I'll take it in for sure.

Interesting how Japanese cars usually don't have flukes, not only for the warranty period, but for their 20 yr. lives. If you look at it logically, it works, or it doesn't work. You wanted to use it, it wouldn't work. That wasn't a fluke! The problem is if it's sporadic, when you take it into the dealership, since you're a warranty customer, you'll get the "everything performing as designed" response. They need to work on cars where the customers are paying $130 for an oil change and $150/hr. for labor!

I dunno, it's laughable how much we love our BMWs. Again, it's about the way they drive. Prices go up 4k and people still think they got a good deal due to financing or discounts, they don't even care that the base went up 4k!