Driver and passenger seat or twisting when adjusting - BMW Forum

routeg35 · 07-09-2008, 07:08 PM

Hello guys and ladies. I own a 2003 530I both my front seats or twisting when I try to position seats. I am very handy can anyone help me trouble shoot problem so i can reactify problem. Thanks foreverything in advance

Classic320i · 07-09-2008, 08:01 PM

Hum... odd both side would act up at the same time! sound like something is caught up in the seat track from the underside of each seat L & R ( check with flashlight make sure there nothing hindering the seats movements)

johnnyBgood · 07-10-2008, 12:12 AM

Sounds like a cable came off the seat motor, on one side of each seat! Look under while working the seat back & forth.........
johnny,

CosmosBlack · 07-16-2008, 11:52 PM

Are you talking about the seat sliding forward/backward,
OR the seat-back reclining up and down?
When you say "twisting", I would assume it's the seat-back, it's a common problem.
One side of the cables is either broken or came off.
Check behind the seat-back.

BBenedict · 07-17-2008, 12:28 AM

Cosmos, thanks for the info. I have the same "twisting" problem.
I'm not quite sure what you mean about checking behind the seat
but I'll look into it tomorrow.

Any additional info appreciated.

darkhorse737 · 07-17-2008, 09:30 AM

Cosmos Black meant the other side of the backrest. On the bottom side, if u feel out the edges, you will find some screws holding the back cover in place. Unscrew those and slide the back off. It should expose the mechanism that makes the seat/s recline.

BBenedict · 07-17-2008, 01:28 PM

Darkhorse, thanks. I'll try to check it out today.

G4Hees · 08-24-2008, 06:26 PM

BBenedict,

Were you able to fix? the exact thing happened to me today.. dvr and psnger front seat.. twisting on backreat when attempting to adjust recline, also a 2003 530i

"G"

BBenedict · 08-25-2008, 11:37 PM

G4, I realized that I was leaving on a "vacation"/trip to
Flagstaff, Az in a couple of days so I decided that a bit
of discretion was in order. I'm back now and will look into
it when I can. I will let you know what I find but I
strongly suspect I have a stretched or broken cable
in the seat drive on the passenger side.

Mine is a 2002 540i but is probably just like yours as
far as the seat is concerned.

FWIW, the car performed beautifully on my drive around
CA, AZ and a bit of UT; truly a great driving machine.

BBenedict · 08-25-2008, 11:51 PM

Off topic but funny. On the way back from Arizona, my
lady friend and I stopped at a rest area to...ah...rest.
We got back in the car, I started it up and then decided
to dump a little bit of trash. I came back to the car, put
on my seat belts and started to put it into reverse. My
lady friend said "Hey, you better start it first".

I said "It's already running". She insisted it wasn't.

I put it in reverse and backed out. She couldn't believe
it,

The famous BMW idle.

G4Hees · 08-26-2008, 06:25 PM

Yup..yup.. they run smooth..

Yeah, let me know what you find, mine is up for service soon. I may have them check then. It just happened all of a sudden, heard a kinda POP when My wife was reclineing her seat and just for grins and giggles, I triedmine.. and viola.. same thing.

They are both attatched to the same motor, and on a single side?

"G"

fcortez916 · 08-28-2008, 05:53 PM

darkhorse737 i was wondering if the seats of a '97 528i are the same and if so, I'm having trouble finding the screws. If you could specify a little more, that would be great.

fcortez916 · 08-28-2008, 05:55 PM

I'm wondering which cables are you refering to.

I'm having the same problem.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CosmosBlack

Are you talking about the seat sliding forward/backward,
OR the seat-back reclining up and down?
When you say "twisting", I would assume it's the seat-back, it's a common problem.
One side of the cables is either broken or came off.
Check behind the seat-back.

BBenedict · 03-22-2009, 07:03 PM

I still have the passenger seat problem but it's on hold since I have
a problem with the driver's seat. It only goes up on the left side,
the right side doesn't move.

I know I need to get the seat off in order to fix it but I can't
figure out how to "pry the plastic cover off the pretensioner"
in order to disable it before removing the seat.

Anyone have a good explaination? Perhaps with a picture
or two?

longrob · 03-23-2009, 10:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBenedict

I still have the passenger seat problem but it's on hold since I have
a problem with the driver's seat. It only goes up on the left side,
the right side doesn't move.

I know I need to get the seat off in order to fix it but I can't
figure out how to "pry the plastic cover off the pretensioner"
in order to disable it before removing the seat.

Anyone have a good explaination? Perhaps with a picture
or two?

I have sports pkg seats with the same problem. My local indy repair shop says they'll charge $250 to fix my twisted seat backrest. Sounded like a standard fee for a common problem. I thought it had two motors that made it recline, but it sounds like two cables on one motor to operate the backrest? That makes more sense! I was able to get the back of the seat off, but at the time, I did not figure out the problem. Now I gotta find the cable, right?