Heated steering wheel not working - BMW 3-Series Forum (F30 / F32)

bnekic · 12-12-2012, 08:19 AM

So my car has about 700 miles on it. This morning I was using the heated steering wheel but after about 10 minutes I felt no more heat. I checked the button and the light was off, tried turning it on...nothing. So I turned the car off then back on and tried again, still nothing.

So is this the German reliability I have to look forward too?!

bcl0328 · 12-12-2012, 08:36 AM

take it to the dealer. not every car is perfect. i have had 0 issues (knock on wood).

bnekic · 12-12-2012, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bcl0328

take it to the dealer. not every car is perfect. i have had 0 issues (knock on wood).

I know I will. It's just annoying to have to take it to the dealer after having it for only a couple weeks.

cardsdoc · 12-12-2012, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnekic

So my car has about 700 miles on it. This morning I was using the heated steering wheel but after about 10 minutes I felt no more heat. I checked the button and the light was off, tried turning it on...nothing. So I turned the car off then back on and tried again, still nothing.

So is this the German reliability I have to look forward too?!

Mine has been fine. However many, including myself had a very similar problem on the E90 LCI when heated steering wheel became available. There was eventually a service bulletin on it and it they replaced some module and fixed it. This is what we were told before the fix was available:

"Finally got the answer from our Techs. There is a Service Bulletin that says they know it's a problem but don't have the software yet to reprogram it. They said for now wait about 10 seconds to turn on the heated steering wheel after you have started the car. They said if you have on the radio, the heated seats, the climate control, etc it is too much of a load and the least needed thing is the wheel so it turns off. "

chrisv_335EBII · 12-12-2012, 10:29 AM

I have not had any problem with mine. I've been using it every morning and night since I got my car Saturday.

I'm sorry to hear you are having problems with yours. Sadly, any car can have problems at any times. I only hope its not the start of more issues for you

I already have a squicky drivers chairs that is driving me insane.

BimmerHJ · 12-12-2012, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cardsdoc

" They said if you have on the radio, the heated seats, the climate control, etc it is too much of a load and the least needed thing is the wheel so it turns off. "

Every morning, when I start may car, the radio (or CD) is always ON, I press the heated seat button ON, the climate control is AUTO (outside temp. is -10c), and press the heated steering wheel button.....

And I don't think it's too much of load to fail the heated steering wheel.

cardsdoc · 12-12-2012, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BimmerHJ

Every morning, when I start may car, the radio (or CD) is always ON, I press the heated seat button ON, the climate control is AUTO (outside temp. is -10c), and press the heated steering wheel button.....

And I don't think it's too much of load to fail the heated steering wheel.

Right, it shouldn't be too much of a load but that's what was happening inappropriately on the early e90 LCI and BMW eventually made a fix for it. I have no idea if that's what the OP's problem is but just sharing that history since it seems like a similar symptom.

I attached the old TSB. Again no idea if this is at all related to OP's problem.

bnekic · 12-12-2012, 11:53 PM

So I just tried it a couple hours ago and now it works.

claykin · 12-13-2012, 12:24 AM

overheated which caused thermal shutdown?

Honker · 12-14-2012, 08:02 AM

Mine stopped working last month. Then started working again the next day.

Yesterday it stopped working again. It was working early in the morning on the way to work, but when leaving work, it would not turn on. Today it is still not turning on. Very frustrating. Doubt it is thermal overheating as it should have worked today.

Zirenz2006 · 01-21-2013, 10:26 AM

Mine has been having this problem. Won't work for a day, shut the car off for a while, start it back up and it works.

I took it in to the dealer a couple weeks ago. They said it is something in the wheel and they would order me a new one. Of course it has worked every day since I left the dealership except yesterday.

I am getting the new one installed next week and will report back. I'm not convinced the problem is in the wheel itself.

Zirenz2006 · 02-02-2013, 09:58 AM

Got this fixed this week. The temperature sensor in the wheel was bad. My wheel was getting extremely hot and eventually shutting down.

They replaced the wheel and it seems ok now. It gets comfortably warm now and noticeably cooler than before.

cardsdoc · 02-12-2013, 11:38 AM

Mine stopped working too yesterday. It wouldn't come back on today either. Looks like I need an appointment at the dealer. Two cars in a row - strange.

bnekic · 02-12-2013, 11:54 AM

My steering wheel gets noticeably hotter then the F30 loaners I got.

I think some wheels get too hot and just shut down.

shivaswrath · 02-12-2013, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bnekic

My steering wheel gets noticeably hotter then the F30 loaners I got.

I think some wheels get too hot and just shut down.

there are certainly some different cycling times..my wheel will sometimes get hot, then stay warm, and never cool off...other times it'll get warm and stay warm without ever getting hot.

it's very odd...very BMW.

3driver · 02-12-2013, 01:34 PM

My 2009 E90 did this after it was a few years old and had to go in twice for it. It was a module that needed replacement. It never acted up again.

12-12-2012, 08:19 AM	#1
bnekic First Lieutenant Drives: 2013 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 359 iTrader: (0)	Heated steering wheel not working So my car has about 700 miles on it. This morning I was using the heated steering wheel but after about 10 minutes I felt no more heat. I checked the button and the light was off, tried turning it on...nothing. So I turned the car off then back on and tried again, still nothing. So is this the German reliability I have to look forward too?!
	Tweet

01-21-2013, 10:26 AM	#11
Zirenz2006 Life, liberty and cold ones for all Drives: 12' F30 328i Sport Line Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: US - RI Posts: 3,060 iTrader: (0)	Mine has been having this problem. Won't work for a day, shut the car off for a while, start it back up and it works. I took it in to the dealer a couple weeks ago. They said it is something in the wheel and they would order me a new one. Of course it has worked every day since I left the dealership except yesterday. I am getting the new one installed next week and will report back. I'm not convinced the problem is in the wheel itself. __________________ Current: F30 328i Sport Line Sapphire Black\|Black-red Retired: '09 E90 335i M-Sport AW\|Oyster, '07 E92 335i Graphite\|Saddle, '05 E60 545i TiAg\|Black, '01 E46 325i Jet Black\|Black

02-02-2013, 09:58 AM	#12
Zirenz2006 Life, liberty and cold ones for all Drives: 12' F30 328i Sport Line Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: US - RI Posts: 3,060 iTrader: (0)	Got this fixed this week. The temperature sensor in the wheel was bad. My wheel was getting extremely hot and eventually shutting down. They replaced the wheel and it seems ok now. It gets comfortably warm now and noticeably cooler than before. __________________ Current: F30 328i Sport Line Sapphire Black\|Black-red Retired: '09 E90 335i M-Sport AW\|Oyster, '07 E92 335i Graphite\|Saddle, '05 E60 545i TiAg\|Black, '01 E46 325i Jet Black\|Black

02-12-2013, 11:38 AM	#13
cardsdoc Private First Class Drives: 2009 335i xDrive Sedan Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Shaker Heights, OH Posts: 193 iTrader: (0)	Mine stopped working too yesterday. It wouldn't come back on today either. Looks like I need an appointment at the dealer. Two cars in a row - strange. __________________ 2013 335i xDrive sedan, sport line, melbourne red/black/black trim/red accent, premium, cold weather, tech pkg, dhp, sport AT, PDC, rear cam, auto high beams 2009 335i xDrive sedan (gone, my first BMW)

02-12-2013, 01:34 PM	#16
3driver New Member Drives: 2009 328xi Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: SE Pennsylvania Posts: 19 iTrader: (0)	My 2009 E90 did this after it was a few years old and had to go in twice for it. It was a module that needed replacement. It never acted up again. __________________ E-46 2002 330xi E-90 2009 328xi F-30 2013 335xi on order

12-12-2012, 08:36 AM	#2
bcl0328 Captain Drives: 2012 328i Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Abingdon, MD Posts: 964 iTrader: (0)	take it to the dealer. not every car is perfect. i have had 0 issues (knock on wood).

12-12-2012, 10:29 AM	#5
chrisv_335EBII Second Lieutenant Drives: 335i 6sp EBII Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Maryland Posts: 215 iTrader: (0)	I have not had any problem with mine. I've been using it every morning and night since I got my car Saturday. I'm sorry to hear you are having problems with yours. Sadly, any car can have problems at any times. I only hope its not the start of more issues for you I already have a squicky drivers chairs that is driving me insane.

12-12-2012, 11:53 PM	#8
bnekic First Lieutenant Drives: 2013 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 359 iTrader: (0)	So I just tried it a couple hours ago and now it works.

12-13-2012, 12:24 AM	#9
claykin Major Drives: 2013 335i M-Sport Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,384 iTrader: (0)	overheated which caused thermal shutdown?

12-14-2012, 08:02 AM	#10
Honker New Member Drives: 2013 335 xdrive Sportline Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 22 iTrader: (0)	Mine stopped working last month. Then started working again the next day. Yesterday it stopped working again. It was working early in the morning on the way to work, but when leaving work, it would not turn on. Today it is still not turning on. Very frustrating. Doubt it is thermal overheating as it should have worked today.

02-12-2013, 11:54 AM	#14
bnekic First Lieutenant Drives: 2013 328i xDrive Sport Line Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Cleveland, OH Posts: 359 iTrader: (0)	My steering wheel gets noticeably hotter then the F30 loaners I got. I think some wheels get too hot and just shut down.

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search