Mine does the same thing...driver's side recline moves up. Gonna address it on its 10k service.

We must be on the same medication...

 

I have noticed a couple of times when I have to squeeze out of the TReg because the wifey parked her car in the middle of the garage I'll bump the seat adjustment. It's really quiet. I thought someone was jacking with my seat for a few weeks until I noticed this was what was happening.

 

Good point, but not the case here, the T-reg has been out of the garage for three weeks now as we're still sorting out "stuff" after our move - only the P-car gets to be in the garage :-D because it's just too darn cold.

No, it's the ghost in the machine....

 

It's a tough pill to swallow, but I'd lay money that you ARE moving the seat and NOT knowing it.

It is very very very subtle, and if you don't realize that you're doing it, it's WAY to easy to hit the buttons on the seat as you're getting out, and not even realize that you're doing it.

Mine does the same thing, and so do a LOT of peoples. I, like all of you, thought that there was something wrong with it. Then, as I was getting out one day, I heard the motor on the seat back run, for a very brief moment. It's hard to hear, if you're not paying very close attention to it. I immediately put the seat back to memory one, and sure enough, it had moved, ever so slightly.

Since that day, I've paid very close attention to this, and I can often hear the seat moving while I'm getting out, and the next time that I get in, the seat will have been moved to a new location.

To illustrate that you don't even realize that it's happening, I have this incident: The wife and I were parked at the shopping mall parking lot. She received a text just as we were parking, and she opened up the door, and slid her leg outside to put it on the ground as she was finishing her reply. When we got back to the Treg to leave, her seat back was COMPLETELY reclined. Neither her nor I ever heard or saw the seat back moving, but it was definitely caused by her leg hitting the switch. The exact same thing played out several weeks later when my wife took someone new with her. This person had short legs, and had a hard time getting in and out of the vehicle. There was one time that she was getting out, and as she slid her legs out, the seat started reclining. In fact it was reclining to the point that it was smashing my daughter in the rear seat directly behind her. It happened to this person THREE times that day, so it is definitely not random.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the reality is that you are most certainly hitting the buttons as you get out, and it is very subtle.

PS: Yes, it does suck...

 

Quite few reports on this "phenomenon".

The seat controls need a spearate over-ride or kill switch.

 

Thanks CADman_KS - that sounds very plausible and likely. No bad news, knowing is half way to solving. I'm just glad it's not a fault in what has been so far a faultless car. If not a fault, it does sound like a design flaw. Overall, far less an issue than the missing reversing camera...but don't get me started on that one.

 

Is it fair to conclude then, that this is an ergonomic design flaw and not technical at all?

 

Yeah, it's definitely an ergonomic flaw.

I actually looked into what it would take to put another switch in there, so that you could turn it off. I openly admit that I'm no EE, but that doesn't look like it would be easy. There's three switches there, one by itself, and and two tied together in a "module". Then, you have to make sure that you could still move it with the memory buttons.

So, it's not just as easy as finding a wire in there that powers just the modules/switches, and put a switch in that wire. There's also not a really good place to put the switch in there, if you could figure out how to add a switch, but that's probably less of a problem than the electrical part of it...

 

Happened again in the middle of the night. Drove to get gas, then nestled her in the garage for the evening.

Got in it this morning to go to work and the recline had moved itself up. Definitely did not bump the recline getting out of it so that it would be full up.

 

Did you actually close the door after you got out, and 100% fully recall yourself conciously saying,

"yup, that seat is in the normal position, lets see what happens by tomorrow morning?"

Don't take my question as insult, but you must be 100% certain you were looking at the vehicle with the doors shut, and confirming that the seat was still in the normal position before proceeding to the next step. As CADman_KS wrote, it is a tough pill to swallow if it is being done by accident and not being aware of it.

 

^^^^^^ ThePhoenx, your theory is a good one, but the OP reports that he has a base Touareg with manual power seats and no memory positions.

....We have a "base" T-Reg with the manual power seats - so no memory issues and, in the absence of seat memory, it should not matter which key unlocks the car. It's a 2011 T-Reg V6.....

 

Grimlins in my 2012 Touareg tdi lux

I have the same problem but I have the driver seat moving and the drivers door mirror points down,by itself. I also have a problem with the panaromic shade. Sometimes I close it by simply depressing the close button once and releasing. The curtain comes to within about 3 to 4 inces and stops. I then hit the button again to close and it opens completely. Crazy. Its probably just a software issue but my fear is getting some service rep saying to me, "I couldn't duplicate the problem thus your crazy and there's no problem". I would hope that everyone on here that if you've encountered a issue then please let us know.

 

I have a new 2012 TDI LUX and I have strange things going on with the drivers seat. It sometimes is in different positions. I'm supposed to be able to tie it to each key fob, but I haven't had much success there either. I can tell when the seat changes because i always hit my head getting in when the seat moves. If I were hitting the controls getting out I would have to be raising the seat and hitting the recline back. Seems like there is a software issue.

Lou

 

I've noticed it some myself, in my TDI Lux, although it turns out that as i enter and exit the vehicle, my leg rubs the adjuster, and causes movement

 

I don't buy it that I am hitting the controls. Also, if I have my key fob set to the proper seat position why doesn't it reposition when I unlock the car? Isn't that why you program the key fob?

Lou

 

I thought I had escaped the gremlins, but after 9 months of ownership, I have just now experienced the phantom seat movement twice in one week.

Interestingly, it first occurred immediately after the check engine light came on for the reductant pump ground fault. I have since had that fault cleared and fixed with the software update, but the phantom seat movement has recurred after picking it up from the dealer.

I can exclude some of the various theories that have been offered:

1. Myth 1 - Seat returns to last position when car is locked. Can't be true. I'm the only one who drives the car and I always keep the seat in the same position.

2. Myth 2 - The VW button on the key fob moves the seat. Nope, it doesn't.

3. Myth 3 - I am hitting the controls on the way out. I don't think so. Besides, why would I start doing this now, after owning the vehicle for so long and never having experienced it before? Moreover, I normally have the seat back as far as possible, yet the movement is as far forward as possible; that's the wrong direction for brushing the buttons with my leg on the way out. Finally, it takes several seconds and makes noise while it's moving; surely, I would notice that, nor can I imagine that my leg accidentally hitting the controls would be so sustained.

I think it's noteworthy that the problem began at the same time as another electrical gremlin (the adblue pump issue).

 

Wow, this is interesting..maybe you tried to enter your treg after a heavy meal

I don't have electrical adjustable seats, but my seat moves down. I like to keep it in high position, and was very strange when once I noticed that it was pretty low, i was pressing the handle while getting out..

 

I have an 06 with manual seats and I swear I've gotten into mine before and the seats were lower. I used to raise it 3 pumps and sometimes I would get in and it would be back to the lowest position. No powers seats in my Touareg. Now I just leave it at the lowest so I don't feel like my seat may be going crazy

 

Slambam, the only way to finally conclude if myth 3 is not a myth, is to cover those buttons up with a thick pliable layer of something, and masking tape.

See if it ever happens again?

 

Is it possible your hand is hitting one I the memory seat buttons on the way out if the vehicle? If you are the only one that drives it, set them all to your favorite position.

 

i was just going to suggest this as i noticed my seat moving as well then i looked where my hands were opening the door and sure enough i couldnt feel it but my hand was just touching the #3 memory and moving the seat. now #3 is programed for me so my seat doesnt move anymore... also if you switch out keys all the memory options are stored with the keys, unlock with set X get memory settings for X unlock with Y get memory settings for Y... if you are the only driver then to rule out the memory issue program all the memory options to both keys then see if it returns

 

Thanks for your input, all.

Myth 4 - Seat movement is caused by using different keys with different seat settings. I only use one key. (Perhaps I should swap them out, but I don't.)

Myth 5 - Seat movement is caused by inadvertently hitting the 1/2/3 buttons on the door. The two times I found my seat moved it was moved all the way forward. I could not even get in the vehicle. My 1, 2, & 3 settings are all different variations of settings that fit me.

Only possibility that is more difficult to definitively exclude is hitting the seat-mounted controls accidentally. Again, however, I owned the vehicle for 9 months without ever experiencing this or parking it anywhere differently. It seems unlikely that my behavior would only now just change. I also note that all the reports seem to involve discovering the seat movement in the morning, after parking overnight. Presumably, people are parking their car in the garage, in the same spot; if the movement were due to accidental touching of controls, then I should think it would be more likely to occur while parking in a different location, like a tight spot in a shopping center, where one is struggling to not open the door fully and squeeze out, but that is not the case.

It seems awfully coincidental to me that the problem began for me the same morning that the check engine light came on for a known software issue.

 

It's absolutely myth #3 for me. It happens rarely, but it never happens when I carefully lift my a** as I exit the vehicle. Another solution for myth #3 is Medifast, which I started least week. ; )

Wish me luck.

 

For those of you with MANUAL seats, there is a small plastic "stop" you can buy from your dealer for a few bucks/euros/pounds/whatever to prevent the up/down lever operating as your big fat bottom slides off the seat!

 

I just wanted to add my 2¢. I received my 2012 Exec TDI in April (used, 13k miles). I have the memory settings for 1 & 2 in the same spot, and 3 is set for my (very short) GF. I have noted the "phantom movement" several times.

I disagree with the brushing of the adj buttons while entering/exiting the car as the contact would be too brief to result in the substantial movement I have observed (and read in above posts). Also, I would expect to hear/feel the movement in progress.

I have noted that my hands want to hit the memory switches on the way out, but to evaluate this, I set 1 and 2 the same. Setting 3 would pretty much compact me into the dash. When I get back to the car after the "phantom movement", the seat is not in any stored position. I will allow that a brief push of the button might move the seat incompletely towards the stored position, but I would still feel movement as I'm still in the seat when my hand is near the memory buttons.

I'm still watching to look for patterns, but I'm on the "its a bug/feature" vs "it's ergonomics" side of the fence.

 

I have noted that my hands want to hit the memory switches on the way out, but to evaluate this, I set 1 and 2 the same. Setting 3 would pretty much compact me into the dash. When I get back to the car after the "phantom movement", the seat is not in any stored position. I will allow that a brief push of the button might move the seat incompletely towards the stored position, but I would still feel movement as I'm still in the seat when my hand is near the memory buttons.

When hitting a memory switch happens it can definitely move the seat, and not into one of the memory positions. I'm not sold that it's a partial move towards a position since my seat moves up and forward several inches further than either stored position.

Also I think the phantom movement happens on non memory seat vehicles as well, so it can't be definitively tied to just the switches.

 

I have this issue too. The drivers seat constantly move forward, I have seen it happen. My theory is that it is designed to do it for ingress and egress for the rear seat. I am a very big guy and have the seat all the way down and back and in order to drive it I have to recline the back a ways to keep my head from the ceiling. Mine does not move the seat forward or up, it just un-reclines it with nothing touching any switch. It is so annoying! Of course I want a two door Treg in the first place, as I hate the little front doors and want big ones in their place. Treg coupe anyone?

 

I refuse to park next to any vehicle that is a two door, the doors are too long, and the edges of the doors are almost always nicked, from putting dings in other peoples doors while out in parking lots shopping. No thanks. Far too great a chance with the wind around here and operator error. bTW, I am not small at 6'5" and 240 lbs with a 36" inseam, either.

 

The Range Rover was originally made in 1972 with only two doors and I was only thinking the other day how nice a two door retro Range Rover would be.

No Range Rover since has come anywhere near the superb simplicity of form and function that the designer, Spen King, managed over 40 years ago.

The two door Evoqueer is not bad as it is about the same size as the original classic Range Rover.

 

So, has anyone successfully figured this out or gotten it fixed? My 2012 tdi lux does this - drivers seat moves way up and the driver's side rear view mirror also points down.

I'm certain that I am not hitting the seat switch-even if I did - it would not move up 3 inches like it does. And, I am absolutely certain I am not hitting the mirror switch.

My memory buttons are all set with the seat far back as my girlfriend is as tall as me. So even if I was hitting one of them (which I'm not) that wouldn't explain it.

The only pattern I can see is that it only does it when I use the key fob to lock and unlock. It has never happened in my garage at home.

I could tell the dealer, but I sure would like to give them some direction beyond "the seat sometimes moves up by itself when parked."

Thanks for your help.

 

Okay, my turn to chime in on the phantom seat. I have up to this point accepted the movements of my driver’s seat as me brushing the adjustment switches or accidentally hitting the preset buttons. However, I have to say that I no longer buy it. My wife got into the passenger side the other day, and the seat was completely reclined. Now how did that happen? In order to move the seat that far, the adjustment button needs to be held down. And none of my presets are set for the passenger seat to be completely reclined. I was sitting in the driver’s seat when this happened, but I’m afraid I didn’t notice the seat was reclined until she complained. When I parked the car the day before, the seat was in the upright position. Unless someone broke into the car over night and moved the seat, it’s moving on it’s own. And, this is only one of the many “interesting electronic features” that I have noted. This is in a 2012 Exec TDI.

 

We have recently purchased a 2011 VR6 LUX and have noticed the driver side front seat and mirror seem to change position on their own and thought we were doing something but I think we also have the gremlin doing this.....