Can I manually adjust the power seat in my BMW? I’m having difficulty driving because the seat is stuck and is so near to the steering wheel. We would appreciate any assistance.
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Power chairs do occasionally experience problems, and fixing them can be difficult. In the interim, a winder tool can be used to manually move the power seat in your BMW.
The majority of auto shops sell winding tools, however many cars also come with them. Through the designated port near the seat controls, connect the winder to your seat’s motor. The seat can then be manually moved by rotating the winder back and forth.
Make an appointment with a mechanic or dealership to get your seat fixed if you can relocate it at home. Being able to quickly adjust your seat while driving is crucial for maintaining your safety.
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Stuck Seat Motor – Seat Removal – BMW Z3
If the back/forward motor has failed, this guide will explain you how to manually move your chairs forward.
It happens much too frequently that the seat motor breaks or that it has been moved too far back, causing the seat to jam in the rails. By following these steps, you can either slide the seat forward far enough to release the rail or, if you need to remove the seat, far enough to expose the bolts holding the back seat in place.
You will require:
- a reverse-operating cordless power drill. If you take a little more care, you can use a mains drill.
- a good pair of pliers (I used a set of pump pliers as they have a longer handle for better leverage).
Optional:
Stanley or craft knife with a sharp edge. merely in case.
To help you find what you’re looking for, the seat from the car is removed in the image above. The engine located directly in front of the seat is what propels the chair forward and backward.
There is a drive spindle that connects to each of the side rails on each side of the motor. On the image above, the thick rubber tube that normally covers these has been removed to make them easier to see. (You might discover that cutting the rubber tube off before removing the spindles is easier, but please use caution!)
Two extremely tightly wound springs are attached to each end of a solid metal bar that serves as the spindle. You may take the spindles out of the seat motor/rails by bending these springs. They are quite tightly fitted, thus you need to use some power when doing this.
You can insert one of the driving spindles into the drill chuck after removing the spindle from each side of the motor.
Only move the seat forward by about one inch after inserting the spindle into the left hand rail socket. Change the drill to the opposite side, then turn the chuck counterclockwise to advance that side by about an inch. Till you have sufficient access to the rear bolts to remove the seat, repeat the operation, switching rails each time.
Caution:
- When the spindle is in the drill chuck, avoid applying too much force to it because doing so will cause the spindle to break.
- To prevent it from twisting as it moves ahead, extend each side rail no more than an inch or so.
ZZZING
The steps to move the seat without power are listed below. I have really done this a few times, so I am aware that it is effective (it just takes a while). If the engine is the only issue, it might be simpler (and quicker) to swap it out for a good one from the other seat. Depending on your level of expertise/comfort, you could run temporary lines directly to the battery to power the motor if the switches or wiring are the issue. The temporary wires to the battery can be turned around to change the direction of the motor. The temporary wire method should only be used if you are an expert at that kind of thing because it is far too simple to go wrong.
Keep in mind that both wires must be connected if you remove the motor to test it or “hotwire” it directly to the battery; otherwise, the motor’s chassis will not serve as a ground (like a starter motor, for example).
Manual seat-moving technique:
1. If you can reach the front bolts holding the seat to the floor, remove them right away.
2. See the illustration below. This engine, which is located directly beneath the front of the seat, is what propels the seat forward and backward.
Take note of the Torx screws holding it in. Remove the two that you can reach, then loosen the two on the opposite side (but leave the motor in place).
3. After that, slightly turn the motor out. You want the shaft to break loose from one side, so make that happen (either the motor or the gear box). Inside the black plastic tube that connects to the center of the motor is a flexible metal cable that serves as the shaft. It protrudes roughly half an inch on either side into the gearbox and the motor. (If you need to remove the other 2 bolts in order to remove the shaft, that is okay; you will just need to reinstall them in step #5)
4. After the shaft becomes unfastened from one side, remove the black plastic cover and reinstall the shaft in the gearbox. Verify that the motor’s opposite-side shaft is still connected. If not, remove the black plastic covering on that side and reinstall the shaft.
5. The motor’s Torx bolts must then be reinstalled. You should now be put back together, with the exception that the shafts’ black plastic covers will be taken off.
6. The seat can be moved at this point. The flexible shaft must be rotated in the same direction as the motor by holding it between your thumb and fingers. If you need to move the seat forward, turn the shaft counterclockwise (I think; it’s been too long for me to be sure) while looking from the driver’s side of the vehicle. To turn the shaft at first, you might need to use both hands (especially if the seat is jammed). If it is really stuck, ask someone to shake the seat as you try to turn. Attempt turning in the opposite direction if it won’t move.
7. Once the shaft has begun to rotate, all that is left to do is to keep twisting it until the seat slides far enough for you to reach the back bolts. It takes some time to do this (perhaps 15 or 20 minutes).
Re: Z3 electric seat won’t budge either way
Not checked at my MOT—possibly a new rule that hasn’t been properly applied.
If so, I might need to complete further remedial work for the next year.
I just replaced an exhaust clamp on the back of the cat and was shocked to discover that BMW’s parts department had it for less money than Ebay. This must be a sign of the times that BMW wants my money.
Decide who runs what.
You can identify the one that causes the power seat to move backward and forward in one way. Set your power drill in place and place the cable’s metal end on the drill’s mouth. Run a power drill first in a clockwise manner because it can be reversed. Repeat this procedure on each cable until you identify the one driving the power seat’s back and forth motion.
How to Move a Power Seat Manually
Your car is much more convenient with power seats. It is much simpler to use a button than manual cogs and levers to move the seat forward and backward as well as change the height and angle of the backrest. Power seats lack a backup, so if the technology breaks, the seat may become frozen in position and may be challenging to move manually.
It is feasible to move a power seat manually, but you will need to operate in a small space and disassemble the seat. Continue reading to discover more about how to troubleshoot and fix the seat so that it can once again function with power!
Although the specifics of the mechanism vary depending on the seat, the main concept is to mount the seat on two rails that resemble threaded screws and use an electric motor to simultaneously wind both sides and raise and lower the seat.
You can either address the power issue or lock the seat in a position you’re happy with and keep it there permanently because manually changing the power seat is a process you can’t easily accomplish on a daily basis.
Anonymous
The seats are simply secured by four bolts of two different sizes, with the backs, as I recall, being significantly larger. Once the bolts have been removed, lean the seat forward, disengage the four wire connections underneath, and lift the seat out.
After removing the seats, you must remove the plastic trim at the bottom in order to replace the electric button (seat adjustment button) on the side. But before you proceed, pause to confirm that the faulty component, not the button itself, is the issue. That occurred to me, and after all the trouble I put into taking apart the seat, all I had to do was replace the button—nothing else needed to be removed. Simply look at the button, the outside of the device on the seat, and any areas where plastic might have come loose.
How is a BMW power seat moved manually?
Through the designated port near the seat controls, connect the winder to your seat’s motor. The seat can then be manually moved by rotating the winder back and forth. Make an appointment with a mechanic or dealership to get your seat fixed if you can relocate it at home.
How is a Mercedes seat manually moved?
Your power seat can be moved manually with a winder tool, which is typically included with the Mercedes. This tool, which the manufacturer provides as standard equipment for moving the seat, can also be used for other tasks.
You must attach the winder tool to the power seat’s motor in order to utilize it. Locate the seat’s electric motor, which is normally on the left or right side of the seat at the back.
The winder tool should be moved to the left if you want to advance your car seat. If you wish to reposition your car seat rearward, turn it to the right. You can take away the winder tool after you are happy with the location.
How is the seat on a BMW x3 adjusted?
Both your safety and comfort depend on you driving in the proper position. The controls for the seat allow for complete electronic adjustment of the various seat components and are situated on the side of the seat base. The seat moves in the corresponding direction when you push and hold the horizontal switch either forward or backward. The same horizontal switch, which can also be turned to modify the angle of the seat base, may be pushed down or pulled up to alter the height of the seat. The thigh support can be extended or contracted with the tiny button in front of this. The headrest’s height can be changed by moving the vertical switch up or down, while the backrest’s position may be changed by sliding the switch forward or backward. The vertical switch’s buttons regulate the amount of shoulder support offered by the top piece of the backrest, while the little toggle switch hidden behind it adjusts the width of the seat side supports. Additionally, the increased lumbar support in your BMW allows you to adjust particular regions of the backrest. The degree of support in these regions can be altered using the circular dial on the seat controls. When you are in the ideal driving position, you may easily save it. Simply push the red-illuminated set button, then hold either button 1 or 2 for a short period of time. At the stroke of a button, each driver can activate their previously saved seat configuration. Simply push and hold button 1 or button 2 with the ignition on, and the different seat components will be automatically adjusted to the preset position. Depending on the vehicle’s specifications, the wing mirrors and steering column may also be adjustable.