Power Vader Won't Recline.

[turbosporttsi]

my pass seat doesnt recline....but from all the other posts that say the same thing, they can all still hear their motor trying to move the seat.

mine is silent. when i hit the switch.....nothing. the seat still tilts and moves back and forth, but just wont recline.

burned out motor? short in the switch wiring?

[M3Alpine99]

the plastic gear is driven by a metal gear... it eventually strips the plastic gear and then no recline... be careful because without warning the last couple of teeth will be torn off and the seat will just fall back, or forward if in a bad wreck

[SAL's M3]

Mine has this same problem do you know how to fix it? can i just go buy a new gear? Let me know thanks

[turbosporttsi]

did you read my whole post?

people with stripped gears can hear the motor run. i cant. nothing happens. i honestly think its an electrical problem.... but id like to know if i should start at the motor, switch or someplace else.

[M3Alpine99]

oh sorry... i read that part as you can hear the motor too like all the other people...

HaHaHa sorry!

[turbosporttsi]

np man....lol...

[rcM3]

Have you checked fuses yet?

[turbosporttsi]

yeah.... the drivers side works fine as do the other pass seat functions. just not the recline...

[turbosporttsi]

any other ideas?

[///M Blitz]

did you read my whole post?

people with stripped gears can hear the motor run. i cant. nothing happens. i honestly think its an electrical problem.... but id like to know if i should start at the motor, switch or someplace else.

Not always. Same thing happened to me. Finally took the seat out TODAY and looked inside the gear box. Guess what, the plastic gear is broken, but there is enough in there that it won't let the motor turn.

Disconnect the motor under the seat (furthest back under the plastic cover) if it doesn't run you're in luck (motor is only $50). If the motor runs you're fooked like me because BMW bastards only sell the seat back as one piece ($470+-). My only question is, what was BMW thinking putting in a plastic gear???

[turbosporttsi]

damn! i will have to take it out and look inside. thanks alot man.

[betet]

turbosporttsi:

Did you ever figure out what your problem is? I was trying to fit something in my car so I reclined my seats fully back (4dr). My passenger came back up fine, my driver seat just stayed reclined.

The seat moves back and forth, up and down, but the seat does not recline anymore. I have removed the seat from the car, and was able to remove the 2 recliner motors. I have plugged the main power back to the switch, and using the recliner switch, I don't hear anything from the recliner motors..

HELP anyone

[///M Blitz]

turbosporttsi:

Did you ever figure out what your problem is? I was trying to fit something in my car so I reclined my seats fully back (4dr). My passenger came back up fine, my driver seat just stayed reclined.

The seat moves back and forth, up and down, but the seat does not recline anymore. I have removed the seat from the car, and was able to remove the 2 recliner motors. I have plugged the main power back to the switch, and using the recliner switch, I don't hear anything from the recliner motors..

HELP anyone


It's not unusual not to hear nothing even though the motor is ok, but the gear is broken because the gear jams the motor.

Remove the motor and open it up (two torx screws I think), if the plastic gear is broken you're in luck because if the motor is dead you'll have to buy the entire seat back (pretty stupid ha?).

I bought a new gear from Bavarian Auto for $20 and my seat has been perfect since.

Good luck.

[betet]

Just as update... So I removed the 2 motors, and opened the gear box and was glad to see that everything (including the 2 brittle plastic gears) was intact.. Now I was feeling , oh sh*t then it must be the motors, since I did test the recliner switch when I operate it, I do see voltage, so switch looks good....

Anyways, I was able to put the lumbar seat in it's proper place and figured, I'll just replace the motors later...

I put the seat back in the car, plugged everything in, and voila, the lumbar seat movement was working again..

YIPPEEEEE!!!! :buttrock ..

Thanks all

[thegoldenpower]

so you took it apart, put it back together, and it worked??? congrats, i wish my car would cooperate like that!!!