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Thread: Seat Back Release cable replacement DIY

  1. #1
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    Seat Back Release cable replacement DIY

    For anyone who is suffering from a seat back that won't fold up, fear not, you can replace the internal cable that releases the seat back forward without having to take it to the $tealer or anyone else. The main cable that attaches both right and left release levers on the side of the seat to the release mechanism under the seat is called a Bowden cable p/n 52018211437. It's part # 13 on the image here
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
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    Seat Back Release cable replacement DIY

    In order to get to this cable, you must seperate the back of the seatback from the front of the seatback. This varies on different models of seats. There is a write up by Steve Cooperman on getting into the seatback if you search his name on Google. For my particular seat ('94 35is sport seat) I had to seperate the leather that surrounds the hardshell back. This was easy once I figured out how it al worked. In short, the leather is stitched into a hard nylon liner that fits snugly into the perimeter of the shell.
    1. I removed my seat from the car to make the repair easier.
    2. remove the adjustable headrest.
    3. If you look at the bottom of the seat where the seat back leather cover and the bottom meet, you will see a few staples holding the leather to the seatback. This is where you want to start pulling the cover away from the seatback shell. **Leave the staples in! Do not remove**
    4. As you work your way up, you'll get to a series of three metal clips on both sides of the seat. These are bayonet clips and will release if you insert a screw driver into them squarely.
    5. Once you work your way all around the seat, split that baby open!
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  3. #3
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    Seat Back Release cable replacement DIY

    So, now you've exposed your seat guts!
    Open the cover exposing the bowden cable connection.
    Marvel at the simplicity of the seat back release handle reverse actuator..ahem, a rubber band! bring that to the $tealer and ask him how much he's going to charge you for that. Can he keep a straight face when we tells you the price?

    Ok, back to the task at hand. The image below shows the cable going to the right. This is the common cable for both side lever releases. If this cable is broken, go seek it out, otherwise continue here.

    The cable that appears on the image like a question mark is your baby. Remove it from it's place in life.

    On the underside of your seat, you'll see the business end of this cable attached to the release mechanism of the seatback. simply pop it out of its socket.

    Now, fish out the old cable, and fish in the new and attach both ends.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #4
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    potato
    What are usually the symptoms of a cable needing replacement? The seat release levers on mine require a lot of force to pull up - did you experience the same thing?

  5. #5
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    Seat Back Release cable replacement DIY

    A few comments on this and also a crappy picture of the bayonet clips (with a good image of the nylon stitched into the leather seat cover):

    1. Of course you need to keep power on while you move your seat back and forth to extract the seat mount bolts. HOWEVER, before disengaging any wiring disconnect your battery!!! Big problems can occur otherwise, as others have mentioned on here before me......

    2. Be patient while removing the seat cover. It will come off and go back on fairly easily. Again, once you get the hang of it, you can do it in your sleep it's so easy, but there is a learning curve...young grasshopper...

    3. Be carefull with those clip! They are bayonets (at least in my vocabulary) and they can bend and break. Inpect them before you return the seat cover to its place and make sure the little teeth are pointing back in the 'down' direction. Again, the image below shows the clips, but it may be hard to see it well let alone the teeth on them.

    Good luck with this project and if you need any assistance, just PM me.

    Cheers!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  6. #6
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    You know when....

    Supark,
    In my case the seat simply would not come forward when I pulled up on the release lever. This was the case on both side levers. I found that the bowden cable had broken underneath the seat and it was not repairable. In your case, you might want to look under the seat and see if your lever needs some love/lubricant...

  7. #7
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    Great writeup man. If I ever have this problem I'll know what to do. Thanks.
    1996 Hellrot on Modena M3
    1991 Imola on black 318is

  8. #8
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    CitysStreetsBMW
    good write up i heard this is common on the e36 coupes.the previous owner of mine actually said he replaced this on mine

  9. #9
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    The best part

    The best part of this DIY was seeing the look on my 9 y.o. son's face when he realized he didn't have climb around the passenger seat or get into the back from my side! He's really the one who's been put out the most by this cable being OOS

  10. #10
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    Thank's for the write up. I split my seat today and noticed that the cable had broken right where the lever is. 2 Minutes with a pair of Vice Grips and a small electrical crimpt terminal I was back in business. If you can get hold of the broken cable (assuming your's broke in the same place as mine), pull the cable out until the seat lies forward 1/2 way. This will give you enough cable to put on a new terminal to the end of it. Clamp on the new terminal and reconnect to the lever - very simple. Also when I took the seat apart I decided to put some new foam into the bolster as the old foam had started to crumble over the years. Just got a section of foam and shaped it with a stanley knife (doesn't have to be perfect as the leather will bring it into shape). Forgot to take some snaps though. Just have the glovebox left to fix now.

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by ecooney View Post
    Thank's for the write up. I split my seat today and noticed that the cable had broken right where the lever is. 2 Minutes with a pair of Vice Grips and a small electrical crimpt terminal I was back in business. If you can get hold of the broken cable (assuming your's broke in the same place as mine), pull the cable out until the seat lies forward 1/2 way. This will give you enough cable to put on a new terminal to the end of it. Clamp on the new terminal and reconnect to the lever - very simple. Also when I took the seat apart I decided to put some new foam into the bolster as the old foam had started to crumble over the years. Just got a section of foam and shaped it with a stanley knife (doesn't have to be perfect as the leather will bring it into shape). Forgot to take some snaps though. Just have the glovebox left to fix now.
    Me too, but the other end of the bowden cable is where mine came loose. The first time it happened, I tore the seat apart just to do a discovery to see what was involved in fixing it. I saw the crimp on the end had come off, so I dug through my hardware and found something I thought would work and crimped it on and reassembled. I didn't think it would hold for long, and it didn't, so I will be doing it again. Now that I have been in there, I know what I need that will hold for good - I am going to use a fishing sinker. I will take pics when I do it so there is a write-up of that fix.
    Thomas

    1997 328is -- Arctic Silver w/Black Interior
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  12. #12
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    im trying to do this procedure on a 1997 328is, but since the cable was broken on the top where you release the latch, im not really sure where you put the top part of the cable into exactly...the lever you push in has 4 or 5 holes in it, does it go there? please help if u can, thanks...robert

  13. #13
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    thanks for writing all that and picturing it all up!
    Kiril Alexandrov
    Cambridge, MA. USA
    Kiril@BigSkinny.net

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  14. #14
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    SEat back release bowden cable. great writeup

    bump Great write up. NEWBIES inspect underneath seat and purchase cable before starting, Its only 20 bucks or so.
    I purchased my cable first for to REALOEM.com drill down is easy.

    Quote Originally Posted by Mrmontecristo View Post
    For anyone who is suffering from a seat back that won't fold up, fear not, you can replace the internal cable that releases the seat back forward without having to take it to the $tealer or anyone else. The main cable that attaches both right and left release levers on the side of the seat to the release mechanism under the seat is called a Bowden cable p/n 52018211437. It's part # 13 on the image here

  15. #15
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    gilroy ca
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    1994 325is
    do you have any photos of where the cable hooks into on the under side of the seat

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by ecooney View Post
    Thank's for the write up. I split my seat today and noticed that the cable had broken right where the lever is. 2 Minutes with a pair of Vice Grips and a small electrical crimpt terminal I was back in business. If you can get hold of the broken cable (assuming your's broke in the same place as mine), pull the cable out until the seat lies forward 1/2 way. This will give you enough cable to put on a new terminal to the end of it. Clamp on the new terminal and reconnect to the lever - very simple. Also when I took the seat apart I decided to put some new foam into the bolster as the old foam had started to crumble over the years. Just got a section of foam and shaped it with a stanley knife (doesn't have to be perfect as the leather will bring it into shape). Forgot to take some snaps though. Just have the glovebox left to fix now.
    Me too.. appreciating this write up. i was trying to get hold of the broken cable and then seal lies half way. i cant forget that moment as i had a serious lower back pain problems. Hope you were fine though. But if you need advice you can check on a lot of treatments now online here is one that can help
    Last edited by MauiM3Mania; 01-21-2019 at 12:59 PM. Reason: link issues

  17. #17
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    OP thanks for the write-up. For those of you who have done this fix which PN should I order? 52108187999 (mechanical) or 52108211437 (electric)? I have sport/lux seats that are electric but bmwfans gives me the x999 PN. TIA.

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