1996 e36 power seat problem

[jt101]

After I replaced the seat cable for my driver's side seat a few years back I thought that would be the last seat problem I'd run into. Unfortunately, wrong. Currently the power seat will move forward, back, and recline. It will not come up. No motor sound, just dead silence.

Is there some way to manually crank the seat back up to a usable position again? This just might be the last straw that gets me to dump this car once and for all.

[JDStrickland]

Picture 5.jpg

There is a small gear in the seat gearbox that has broken. This is not the right gear, but the gear you need looks like it. There are a couple of gears in the gearbox, they are helical cut gears with the angles going different ways.

[woody328is]

If the gear broke wouldn't there still be a motor sound?

[jt101]

Nope, no motor sound at all in that one direction. Front, back, recline all fine. Just a click when I try to raise the seat. No whirring sounds at all.

No secret hole to jam an allen wrench in to manually crank the seat back up? Sigh...

[Deus Ex Machina]

Get a set of manual seats,bolt in, problem solved.

[99problem]

After I replaced the seat cable for my driver's side seat a few years back I thought that would be the last seat problem I'd run into. Unfortunately, wrong. Currently the power seat will move forward, back, and recline. It will not come up. No motor sound, just dead silence.

Is there some way to manually crank the seat back up to a usable position again? This just might be the last straw that gets me to dump this car once and for all.

I am having this EXACT same issue, except it's my passenger seat. Works in all directions except the forward recline, with no sound or motor turning. It will indeed recline backward normally and the motor works. There is no sign of a slipping or broken gear, which is what is happening on my drivers side currently (makes a noise and motor spins, but goes nowhere).

Anybody have a solution to this?

[jt101]

Get a set of manual seats,bolt in, problem solved.

Ok, this solution is sounding appealing to me. This is a direct replacement? No odd fiddly bits to get a manual seat bolted on to the pre-existing rails?

[dnbmbimmer]

Since there is no motor sound you either have a switch problem or a motor problem. My money is on a motor problem.I would check both by using a volt meter at the motor to see if you have power when you press the switch. If you don't have power then most likely it's the motor. My motor was not running when I got the car so I took it apart and cleaned up the armature and voila running motor. I put a thread on this procedure in the forum so have a look around. If you need another motor I have several as well as gear sets that I can sell you for a reasonable price but try the fix first. It only takes about one hour to repair a motor.

Don B

[jt101]

Since there is no motor sound you either have a switch problem or a motor problem. My money is on a motor problem.I would check both by using a volt meter at the motor to see if you have power when you press the switch. If you don't have power then most likely it's the motor. My motor was not running when I got the car so I took it apart and cleaned up the armature and voila running motor. I put a thread on this procedure in the forum so have a look around. If you need another motor I have several as well as gear sets that I can sell you for a reasonable price but try the fix first. It only takes about one hour to repair a motor.

Don B

So, if it's the motor wouldn't it not work in any direction? I'm fine with forward,back, and recline. There's just no love with returning the seat back to its full upright position...

Again, is a manual seat swap just an easy remove and bolt-in option?