Manual passenger seat stuck

S

skmattwell

Active member
 London
I know there's already a few thread documenting stuck electric seats, but none that I can find about manual ones.

My passenger seat has been stuck fully back ever since I bought the car, which hasn't been an issue until now, when I want to fit new ones. I can't access the rear bolts holding it in.

No about of force will push it forward, nor can I see anything stuck in the mechanism. The lever is working as intended, so I'm straight out of ideas :cry:

Any ideas? Or is there a way of removing them?
 
I was thinking this one over

I’m thinking there is either something preventing the movement (stuck in the runner like a coin) or the lever moves but isn’t connected

The last option albeit v difficult is to separate the seat from the base/runner to see if that allows movement forward
 
bigwinn said:
I was thinking this one over

I’m thinking there is either something preventing the movement (stuck in the runner like a coin) or the lever moves but isn’t connected

The last option albeit v difficult is to separate the seat from the base/runner to see if that allows movement forward
Click to expand...

Thanks bigwinn, while having a look through the runner, I can see the pin lifting from the runner when I lift the lever, so I don't think that's holding it. I only saw a pin on one side, is that normal?
 
Could it have somehow jumped off the runner and become jammed in the same way that a cupboard draw would?
 
skmattwell said:
bigwinn said:
I was thinking this one over

I’m thinking there is either something preventing the movement (stuck in the runner like a coin) or the lever moves but isn’t connected

The last option albeit v difficult is to separate the seat from the base/runner to see if that allows movement forward
Click to expand...

Thanks bigwinn, while having a look through the runner, I can see the pin lifting from the runner when I lift the lever, so I don't think that's holding it. I only saw a pin on one side, is that normal?
Click to expand...
that’s normal it’s one side only for the lever

If you can see that moving and there is nothing obvious in the track I would start to look at trying to get levered force on the runners to move forward

I’ve had an object stuck in the runners before that you couldn’t see

Brute force and ignorance…
 
Have you got the front nuts off? I know they are on studs but you 'may' get enough of a wiggle to overcome whatever is stopping it moving.
Is the seat fully back? Could try forcing it further back to see if that frees it too?
Do you get any more room for manoeuvre if you raise the seat base to it's highest setting?
 
enuff_zed said:
Have you got the front nuts off? I know they are on studs but you 'may' get enough of a wiggle to overcome whatever is stopping it moving.
Is the seat fully back? Could try forcing it further back to see if that frees it too?
Do you get any more room for manoeuvre if you raise the seat base to it's highest setting?
Click to expand...

Have tried moving the seat either direction with the seat fully raised and lowered with no luck.

I can however get the front nuts off, so will give that a try and see if something gives.

At the end of the day I'm happy to destroy the seat if it means removing it, as long as I don't have an airbag blow up in my face (I have already disconnected the battery)
 
Waving the white flag of removing it the traditional way, no amount of force will get this b***** out :headbang:

Do you know of any guides on how to remove the seat from the rail? Or shall I start undoing every nut in sight :D
 
skmattwell said:
Waving the white flag of removing it the traditional way, no amount of force will get this b***** out :headbang:

Do you know of any guides on how to remove the seat from the rail? Or shall I start undoing every nut in sight :D
Click to expand...
Are your replacement seats Z4 ones?
If so, look at them and you should be able to work it out.
 
enuff_zed said:
skmattwell said:
Waving the white flag of removing it the traditional way, no amount of force will get this b***** out :headbang:

Do you know of any guides on how to remove the seat from the rail? Or shall I start undoing every nut in sight :D
Click to expand...
Are your replacement seats Z4 ones?
If so, look at them and you should be able to work it out.
Click to expand...

They are, but they're sport seats, so presumed the mechanism might be completely different
 
skmattwell said:
enuff_zed said:
skmattwell said:
Waving the white flag of removing it the traditional way, no amount of force will get this b***** out :headbang:

Do you know of any guides on how to remove the seat from the rail? Or shall I start undoing every nut in sight :D
Click to expand...
Are your replacement seats Z4 ones?
If so, look at them and you should be able to work it out.
Click to expand...

They are, but they're sport seats, so presumed the mechanism might be completely different
Click to expand...
Possibly, but knowing BMW there is a fair chance the runners are the same and that's what you need to unbolt.
 
I have a set of manual M-sports in the car and a set of electric regular seats on the bench. Had a brief look, and I can see why you can’t get them out if they are fully back. I’ll have a more detailed poke around later to see what might be sticking. The bases on both seat types are the same.
 
enuff_zed said:
Always here to 'bolster' your morale if needed. :D
Click to expand...

:lol:

Zedebee said:
I have a set of manual M-sports in the car and a set of electric regular seats on the bench. Had a brief look, and I can see why you can’t get them out if they are fully back. I’ll have a more detailed poke around later to see what might be sticking. The bases on both seat types are the same.
Click to expand...

Cheers mate, much appreciated!
 
[ref]Zedebee[/ref],[ref]bigwinn[/ref],
A little update, tried extending a jack behind the seat and the left hand side of the seat seems to move under pressure. The side nearest the centre console is stuck fast and won't even move under pressure from a 1.5 ton scissor jack. It's a real pain as there's practically no access that side.

Removing the four nuts connecting the seat to the rail underneath was fruitless, as the seat needs to be slid sideways off the bolts, which I can't do as the rail is holding the seat outward.

Do you know what nuts and bolts I need to undo to separate the seat from the rail? I'd love to get a bloody chainsaw to it but obviously don't want to damage the car
 
Can you get any leverage under the front of the seat rails

I’m thinking get it moved back/upward and try to get an angle grinder in to cut the bolts

Then retap the holes to resecure
 
bigwinn said:
Can you get any leverage under the front of the seat rails

I’m thinking get it moved back/upward and try to get an angle grinder in to cut the bolts

Then retap the holes to resecure
Click to expand...

Good idea, I can get a bit of leverage. Not sure how to retap but to get the seat out would be a good start
 
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