Memory seats
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From: NorCal
My Ride: 2011 E92 335i M-Sport 6MT
Been enjoying every minute of my new 550i, however I came across something I can't figure out. Say if you have someone else drive your car and the seats/steering wheel/mirror positions have been moved. It's your turn to drive and when you go to unlock the car with the transmitter, the seats/steering/mirrors don't revert to your saved "M1" position. I know there's a menu in iDrive that allows "last seat position" when you either "unlock door" or "door is opened". I set iDrive to "unlock door". I go to unlock the car, but I don't see the seats/steering/mirrors moving to my saved preference. What gives? Is there something I missed? I read and re-read the manual but I think I'm missing something else. 
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From: Australia
My Ride: 2008 E90 335i Titanium Silver
GONE - 2005 530i Titanium Grey
The seat/mirrors/steering memory settings within the key aren't tied with the seat M 1 and 2 settings. The iDrive "last seat position" relates to the key memory, not the seat M1 M2 settings.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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From: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted by JC3' post='200162' date='Nov 18 2005, 12:12 PM
The seat/mirrors/steering memory settings within the key aren't tied with the seat M 1 and 2 settings. The iDrive "last seat position" relates to the key memory, not the seat M1 M2 settings.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
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Joined: Aug 2005
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From: Austin TX
My Ride: 2014 X5 xDrive 5.0 M Package Carbon Black Metallic/2008 M Roadster Imola Red
The seat/mirrors/steering memory settings within the key aren't tied with the seat M 1 and 2 settings. The iDrive "last seat position" relates to the key memory, not the seat M1 M2 settings.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
[/quote]We have had some problems like you note on both of our cars, but now seem to have things working properly--at least on my wife's X5. Here is what I would try. Start up with your key, set all your settings, drive around a short distance, stop the car without turning it off, and save your settings to M1. Then, turn the car off, and get out and lock it with your key. Then, have your wife unlock with her key and repeat the process. This procedure is the one we finally followed on the X5. I am not positive we have things working perfectly in my 545i, but I don't care because, while it is her choice, she never drives the 545i. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
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From: Alberta, Canada
Mostly, we switch drivers when the car in parked in my garage (which means the car is never locked), so, I wonder if it will only work when we lock the car with one key, and unlock it with the other ...
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From: Austin TX
My Ride: 2014 X5 xDrive 5.0 M Package Carbon Black Metallic/2008 M Roadster Imola Red
Originally Posted by Canada545' post='200218' date='Nov 18 2005, 03:50 PM
Mostly, we switch drivers when the car in parked in my garage (which means the car is never locked), so, I wonder if it will only work when we lock the car with one key, and unlock it with the other ...
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From: So Cal, USA
My Ride: 545iSMGSilver GrayAuburn Dakota LeatherLogic 7 Premium SoundSports Package
The key remembers the last settings you had before you shut the engine down. so the next time you use that key it'll revert it back to the same settings the last time you drove the car. Doesnt have anything to do with the M1 or M2 memory seat buttons.
Ya its flaky... somtimes I got it to work where it'll readjust the seats and mirrors when you turn the key in the ignition... other times it does nothing...
BUT the for sure thing to get it to work is by pressing the unlock button on the key. Doesnt matter if the doors are locked or not hitting the unlock button will revert the seats + mirrors back to the last used setting. I usualy do the unlock twice that way it'll work FOR SURE~
Originally Posted by Canada545' post='200218' date='Nov 18 2005, 12:50 PM
Mostly, we switch drivers when the car in parked in my garage (which means the car is never locked), so, I wonder if it will only work when we lock the car with one key, and unlock it with the other ...
Ya its flaky... somtimes I got it to work where it'll readjust the seats and mirrors when you turn the key in the ignition... other times it does nothing...
BUT the for sure thing to get it to work is by pressing the unlock button on the key. Doesnt matter if the doors are locked or not hitting the unlock button will revert the seats + mirrors back to the last used setting. I usualy do the unlock twice that way it'll work FOR SURE~
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Originally Posted by JC3' post='200162' date='Nov 18 2005, 02:12 PM
The seat/mirrors/steering memory settings within the key aren't tied with the seat M 1 and 2 settings. The iDrive "last seat position" relates to the key memory, not the seat M1 M2 settings.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
Wait a minute. That makes no sense. So if say the BMW service guy changes the seat setting to pull the car into the shop, then pulls it out when he is done and locks it, you are saying the seats will save on his setting if he locks the car with your key?
It should be that each key can be programmed to each seat setting M1 or M2. That way, no matter who drives the car, as long as they do not overwrite M1 or M2, when you get in the car and unlock it, the seats revert back to the M settings.
That is how it is supposed to work. I mean geez, my wifes Expedition does it that way. Simple and the perfect way to do it.
Contributors
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,554
Likes: 0
From: Austin TX
My Ride: 2014 X5 xDrive 5.0 M Package Carbon Black Metallic/2008 M Roadster Imola Red
The seat/mirrors/steering memory settings within the key aren't tied with the seat M 1 and 2 settings. The iDrive "last seat position" relates to the key memory, not the seat M1 M2 settings.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
So, if someone drives your car using your key and changes the settings, when they lock the car it updates the memory in the key. If you come back with the same key, nothing is going to change.
If however, someone else drove your car but used a secondary key, when you come to unlock the car with your key, the seats/mirrors/steering will return to the settings on your key.
Hope this clears this up.
JC.
Wait a minute. That makes no sense. So if say the BMW service guy changes the seat setting to pull the car into the shop, then pulls it out when he is done and locks it, you are saying the seats will save on his setting if he locks the car with your key?
It should be that each key can be programmed to each seat setting M1 or M2. That way, no matter who drives the car, as long as they do not overwrite M1 or M2, when you get in the car and unlock it, the seats revert back to the M settings.
That is how it is supposed to work. I mean geez, my wifes Expedition does it that way. Simple and the perfect way to do it.
[/quote]
What you say is correct.
