Believe it or not, I have just got my DSCM back from BBA-Reman, and the memory function still doesn't work! After much chasing they finally told me that there was a problem with one of the modules and that they were unable to get a replacement, suggesting that the availability of such spares was being strictly controlled. In short, they couldn't fix it.

I found BBA Reman very poor in terms of customer service. They were slow to deal with my problem and exceedingly slow in getting back to me once they new they couldn't help. In fact, if I hadn't chased them I would probably still be waiting. I also found them very inflexible when it came to returning the unit to me. They wanted to charge gbp60 to courier it back to Spain via UPS. Since I wasn't prepared to pay such a sum and in any event have had difficulties with UPS in Spain, I asked them to return by Royal Mail; they wouldn't do that. In the end they delivered it within 24hs to a family member for hand-carriage to Spain and I re-installed the unit today. At least it still works from the buttons and although the case has been badly damaged in getting it open, the innards seem none the worse for the experience.

I am now in the market for a new DSCM.

 

Dear Matade:

What did you find was the eventual solution to your problem? I have a 1995 X300 with similar problem; the memory function works for steering wheel up and down, the motor for the steering wheel in/out hums (but nothing moves, as I think the cable must be bad, different and mechanical problem I suspect); mirrors move and headrest positions correctly. But seat does not recall to memory position!

 

Hi Michael
Your timing is impecable but I regret to say that I still don't have a solution. I finally sourced a replacement DSCM unit which I installed the other day and although it immediately sprung into life as soon as the power was connected, I still have my original memory problem and therefore, as of this moment, no solution.

On the other hand, I have noticed that the little red light beside the memory setting buttons is now only working on an intermittent basis and when there is no red light, there is no chime indicating that the setting has been retained in memory. I don't have time for it at the moment but over the next few days I plan to re-visit all the advice I have received and perhaps change my focus to the memory setting buttons.

As to your steering wheel in/out motor, others are much better qualified than I to comment but if the motor is working, perhaps your problem is with the potentiometer. In my case it was the up/down motor that failed and which I replaced. Since then I have fiddled with the old motor and its potentiometer to try and produce a spare but so far no luck and I am about to bin it.

Sorry not to be very helpful.

 

Sorry to resurrect an old thread. My memory seat only works 1 in 50 times. So I’m assuming it’s the module. I’ve taken the module out of the car but how do I get into it to inspect it??

 

This is old, but I'll throw in my dollar (used to be 2 cents).
My seat memory failed, however all the functions operate on manual. Investigation revealed the problem to be a small nylon drive coupler that rotates the resistance disk on the position sensing potentiometer. There is a worm gear driven by the position adjusting shaft that in turn drives a gear with a small ball that is gripped by the nylon coupling. The nylon gets hard and the petals that grip fall off. Then the seat memory control has no idea where the seat is and won't work at all.
I designed a robust replacement and 3D printed it in ABS. It has been in my X305 for 10 years now without failure. I made a bunch of them, they can be found on eBay. Incidentally the same potentiometer device is used on several Ferrari models. If you search for "seat position potentiometer" there are also several other suggestions for correcting the problem.
Niles

 

Thanks Niles but I don’t think that’s my problem. The memory function works 1 in 50 times and the exit function always works. The symptom is that I get in, position the seat where I want it. Then remove the key and the seat moves to the exit position. I then get in the next day but the seat doesn’t move back to where I wanted it (except for 1 in 50 times it works) The mirrors work fine (they move back where they were when I get in the car next if I moved them manually). If the potentiometer was broken it would never move right? Also my memory function no longer works (no red light). That means if I wanted to program a new position I couldn’t…

 

The mirrors work on a different module

by removing the key you make or unmake the ignition switch pin 4 to 5 which starts the sequence of seat and column and other things happening on exit before the security lock control module goes to sleep until next car entry

Do you notice any parasitic battery drain ?

This pin 4 to 5 switch in and out movement can get stuck

 

No there’s no draw I don’t think. My battery stays charged after a few days if I don’t drive it.

when I take the key out the seat moves back. When I put the key in nothing happens except 1 in 50 times the seat moves forward to the correct position.

doesn’t that indicate the ignition switch working correctly?

 

Yeah, sounds like the ignition key in/out works. The terminals noted above provide a ground to terminal 22 on the control module. Open circuit with the key inserted, and the contacts close and the ground enabled when the key is withdrawn. So if the seat moves back on key withdrawal the contacts are making contact, and that you can manually move the seat when the key is in suggests that the contacts open.
The occasional correct operation is the pesky thing here. I've not had much luck trying to troubleshoot electronic modules even if you can get the thing open. Lots of components to look at but nothing moves so it's out of my skill set. However I have on very close examination under magnification occasionally found a cold solder joint or a circuit board trace that has cracked. Tedious at best.