[wespiard]

I purchased a 2015 428i a couple weekends ago and have been loving it. The one thing that I have noticed (starting a couple days after owning it) is that there is no heated seat option (no heated seat buttons fitted on the dash), however the seats actually get hot as if the seat-heating elements are on.

I have attached an image of the front panel to show the buttons aren't there. I believe the passenger seat also gets hot.

I haven't been able to perfectly correlate it, but it's more noticeable when I turn the AC colder. This may just be a coincidence as when I turn the AC colder the last thing I want is the seats to get hot... so it may annoy me more then.

What should I check?

[Billfitz]

Make sure you don't have the rear seat console vent temperature wheel turned to red.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by wespiard

I purchased a 2015 428i a couple weekends ago and have been loving it. The one thing that I have noticed (starting a couple days after owning it) is that there is no heated seat option (no heated seat buttons fitted on the dash), however the seats actually get hot as if the seat-heating elements are on.

I have attached an image of the front panel to show the buttons aren't there. I believe the passenger seat also gets hot.

I haven't been able to perfectly correlate it, but it's more noticeable when I turn the AC colder. This may just be a coincidence as when I turn the AC colder the last thing I want is the seats to get hot... so it may annoy me more then.

What should I check?

Something has done a job on your trim.

Suspect previous owner had a crappy phone mount in the vent and the phone banged on the radio/climate controls.

[1QuikWS6]

Decode your VIN to see if your car originally was equipped with heated seats

If not, then its a pigment of your imagination that they are heating up

If so, then previous owner swapped out the original HVAC controls for some reason & got the version without heated seats

Even then, since there are no switches present, I would not think that the seat heating elements would default to ON

If I remove/unplug my HVAC in F32 with heated seats, the car will still run and the seat heating does not come ON - this is essentially same as you possibly having incorrect HVAC...

[wespiard]

Originally Posted by Billfitz

Make sure you don't have the rear seat console vent temperature wheel turned to red.

It was on red for heat. I changed it, and I'll try to see if it makes a difference!

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

Something has done a job on your trim.

Suspect previous owner had a crappy phone mount in the vent and the phone banged on the radio/climate controls.

Yeah, unfortunately.. I was thinking it may have been a girl with long fingernails or something since the most commonly used function buttons are messed up but your idea sounds pretty plausible.

Originally Posted by 1QuikWS6

Decode your VIN to see if your car originally was equipped with heated seats

If not, then its a pigment of your imagination that they are heating up

If so, then previous owner swapped out the original HVAC controls for some reason & got the version without heated seats

Even then, since there are no switches present, I would not think that the seat heating elements would default to ON

If I remove/unplug my HVAC in F32 with heated seats, the car will still run and the seat heating does not come ON - this is essentially same as you possibly having incorrect HVAC...

Looked up the VIN, and no heated seat option as expected. I'm going to try Billfitz suggestion and see if it's that simple.

Thanks for the responses.

[J00PTv]

i was test driving a 2016 340i xdrive msport yesterday. I asked the sales person while test driving if the heated seats are on, it felt like they were also. he said they were not. I'm going back for a second look so i will make sure to check for what you guys mentioned above. It said it had the heated seat options but i did not look to see if it was removed. this post helps!

[Michael340i]

Or has someone fitted aftermarket seat heaters and hidden the controls somewhere (some aftermarket heaters have very cheap looking switches that look out of place in these cars)