E34 Seat Twist Help

[WillHam99]

Whats going on everyone, I need some advice with my twisted passenger seat. The problem is with the reclining function. Originally it was twisting from left to right. I got the seat out, reset the cables to the motors on both sides farther in. When I reconnected the power to test the seat, it began to twist the other way from right to left. And now, my reclining doesn't do anything at all. The motor makes a noise so it must be connected (I believe). Has anyone experienced this or know a fix?
Thanks for any advice in advance.

[katit2]

Basically what happened is your seat is out of alignment. I re-alighed all my seats and it's not hard to do but hard to explain. Best done with seat out of the car.

Motor will have 2 cables coming in, one cable drives right side and one cable drives left side. You said you already "reset"cables, so I'm not going to get into this part.

1. Take both cables out of motor.
2. Spin them with hand drill (alternate) until you recline seat completely, each side will stop on a metal. CAREFUL with a drill to not damage cable. I found it's better to insert cables separately into motor and apply 12V to do that (I ruined one cable with a drill!!)
3. Put cables in and they will be synced.

WARN! There is instructions that say best to do in car, visually, etc. Seat bottom mount may be twisted when you get seat out, aligning back by eyeballing is NOT a good way. Just move any part you adjust to complete stop on both sides and reconnect. While there I did bottom cables too (shortened and readjusted), now all square and operates as it should

[WillHam99]

so the alignment is making it so that the seat won't move at all? I just called my service shop and they quoted me anywhere between 4-800 dollars so that isn't an option. Sorry for all the questions but one final thought: what seats from other bmws will fit in a 92 525i? I'm just asking because it doesn't look like there are any e34 seats available. Thanks for your reply.

[katit2]

so the alignment is making it so that the seat won't move at all? I just called my service shop and they quoted me anywhere between 4-800 dollars so that isn't an option. Sorry for all the questions but one final thought: what seats from other bmws will fit in a 92 525i? I'm just asking because it doesn't look like there are any e34 seats available. Thanks for your reply.

It's actually very simple. Alignment is to make sure you have 2 sides set parrallel/even/square to each other. To do that - disconnect both cables and then turn them to recline seat completely. When it's done - both sides will be even. It's easier to do than to explain. I'd say if motor alive it would take couple of hours to do including seat removal.

I'm going to sell my 2 completely rebuilt and refinished comfort seats off 94 e34 at some point (got sport seats which I'm fixing now)

[WillHam99]

It's actually very simple. Alignment is to make sure you have 2 sides set parrallel/even/square to each other. To do that - disconnect both cables and then turn them to recline seat completely. When it's done - both sides will be even. It's easier to do than to explain. I'd say if motor alive it would take couple of hours to do including seat removal.

I'm going to sell my 2 completely rebuilt and refinished comfort seats off 94 e34 at some point (got sport seats which I'm fixing now)

Well hey brother hit me up because i may be in the market this is killing me especially because i got the car off a family friend cheap so even though it kills me, its not worth getting fixed by a mechanic

[katit2]

Agree. For the money they want I will sell you 2 like new seats

[jmile46]

On topic but off topic, Is there a Diy out there for fixing a twisted seat? When I recline my passenger seat only one side reclines.

[katit2]

Here :https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ed-Seat-Repair

I used it to get an idea, but once you have seat out (I strongly suggest to take seat out as all becomes much easer on bench) it's self-explanitory
I don't agree with method to aligh in this DIY, see how I did it above.

[WillHam99]

Agree. For the money they want I will sell you 2 like new seats

im still confused with the alignment. Will the seat move with the cables disconnected? At this point all I’m trying to do is get the seat to an upright position so someone can at the very least sit there. Right now it’s stuck all the way reclined.

[jmile46]

Here :https://www.bimmerforums.com/forum/s...ed-Seat-Repair

I used it to get an idea, but once you have seat out (I strongly suggest to take seat out as all becomes much easer on bench) it's self-explanitory
I don't agree with method to aligh in this DIY, see how I did it above.

Thank you!!


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[katit2]

im still confused with the alignment. Will the seat move with the cables disconnected? At this point all I’m trying to do is get the seat to an upright position so someone can at the very least sit there. Right now it’s stuck all the way reclined.

Seat will NOT move with cables disconnected.

Ok, There is gear mechanism which moves back of a seat. Identical on both sides. There is cable going to each side. In operate evenly both sides need to operate at the same pace. "Twist" happen when one of the cables disengages.

The ONLY way to lift back is to operate cable, if you force back - you will break internals.
You can operate both cables in small increments little by little using hand drill. You will see one side going up, then operate other cable - another side will go up.

All this done much easier with seat out. With seat in you will have more chance to mess up something, put grease over carpet, etc.

[trackerrrr]

so the alignment is making it so that the seat won't move at all? I just called my service shop and they quoted me anywhere between 4-800 dollars so that isn't an option. Sorry for all the questions but one final thought: what seats from other bmws will fit in a 92 525i? I'm just asking because it doesn't look like there are any e34 seats available. Thanks for your reply.

Any E34 seat should fit your car I believe. Check your local pick a part or u-pull it yards. Here in Las Vegas I can get a complete seat for about $50 if I pull it myself.

- - - Updated - - -

Well hey brother hit me up because i may be in the market this is killing me especially because i got the car off a family friend cheap so even though it kills me, its not worth getting fixed by a mechanic

Also, you may have gotten it cheap but it probably won't stay cheap especially if the maintenance has been neglected...I know...

[WillHam99]

Agree. For the money they want I will sell you 2 like new seats

Just wanted to say, I fixed it! Thanks for your help with everything man I really appreciate your responses.

[katit2]

Great! Was easier than it sounds, right?

[WillHam99]

Great! Was easier than it sounds, right?

Yeah but on the left cable I cut off too much rubber so I had to put some back on and shrink it back together :/ . It was a pain but I’m glad that I didn’t have to spend any money.

[katit2]

It was a good time to do the same to other pairs (shorten "rubber") because twist happens on a bottom as well. Basically any time when one of the cables starts to skip.

[Smith Jason]

I had similar issues on my M5 last year, the "shortening the cables" trick was totally useless as mine had actually broken completely at the gearbox itself. I ended up taking the entire seat apart so that I could get at the cables. I did this to my drivers seat but patched the passenger seat using the full line and hose clamp method. I ended up buying two new seat cables one the winter to do my passenger seat but as yet have not felt the motivation to get at it as it's working fine of now. I still need to pul the driver seat back out and re-algin it. Maybe will try that trick of going all the way back but then I am not sure I could get the seat back in the car.

[katit2]

I am using external 12V, so after reclining both sides until stop I put cables back in and use power and button to put back up before installing seat.

[GregT53]

I am using external 12V, so after reclining both sides until stop I put cables back in and use power and button to put back up before installing seat.

External power with the seat on a work table is definitely the easiest way to make this adjustment.