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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum > BMW E90/E92/E93 3-series General Forums > General E90 Sedan / E91 Wagon / E92 Coupe / E93 Cabrio > E90 passenger seat wont move forward or backward, can you manually remove it?



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      01-08-2022, 09:26 PM   #1
Singh-E90
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E90 passenger seat wont move forward or backward, can you manually remove it?

Hi gentlemen, I’m not sure that this issue has been brought up before, but i wasn’t able to find any information on it after searching about broken seats. I purchased my 2006 E90 330i auto 140k MI from an older boy who told me that he had gotten a golf ball stuck underneath the seat, and since then it stopped moving forward and backward. Although It can still move up and down. I know its not the motor because i can hear it running when i push the button forward/reverse. Upon inspections underneath I see that a cable has snapped. Is there any other way to remove the seat with the rails?
I have a list of things I'm confident I'm capable of tackling such as the DMTL pump, rear fog mod, DME factory coding, installing ISTA/P, etc. This issue however, I will need major assistance. Fixing the movement of the chair will then allow me to fix the constant passenger airbag seat occupancy error.
My goal is to return it to factory condition with no problems.
Thank you
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      01-09-2022, 02:38 AM   #2
Serf27
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If you can move the seat up, there are some Allen key bolts that hold the seat to the rails.
If you remove those, the seat should come out, or at least give you space to access the rail bolts.
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      01-09-2022, 12:11 PM   #3
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I have been able to remove the seat by itself before, but I cannot access the rear bolts on the rails because the seat got stuck in that position. Is there some way to move the rails further up manually to access the rear bolts?
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      01-09-2022, 06:54 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Singh-E90 View Post
I have been able to remove the seat by itself before, but I cannot access the rear bolts on the rails because the seat got stuck in that position. Is there some way to move the rails further up manually to access the rear bolts?
The seat can tilt 2 different ways.
It can move straight up and down and move diagonally up and down if you tilt the switch that adjusts it.
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      01-10-2022, 05:19 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Serf27 View Post
The seat can tilt 2 different ways.
It can move straight up and down and move diagonally up and down if you tilt the switch that adjusts it.
I tried tilting it forward and backward, it still doesn't move enough to give access to those screws. I have attached pictures so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about. The seat is tilted forward and all the way up in the photos.
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      01-10-2022, 05:29 PM   #6
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That cable that is loose, has a square end on it. That square end slides into a the motor and that’s what moves the seat. Slide the cable back into the motor and it should move.

Other wise, I wasn’t taking about the bolts that screw into the body, I was talking about these bolts.
You can remove them and the seat separates from the rails.
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Last edited by Serf27; 01-10-2022 at 05:35 PM..
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      01-10-2022, 06:46 PM   #7
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That’s frustrating, and best of luck.

Story #1: I remember this summer trying to pull a module from under a seat in a junkyard car (with no power). Even though I was willing to destroy everything to get to that module, the position of the seat made it impossible to remove. I went full caveman on it but didn’t have the right tools, so all I did was destroy the car. If anyone reading this tried to pull parts from that car after I left, I’m sorry.

Story #2: A few years ago I put a can of bear mace under my seat and then promptly forgot it was under there. Fast forward a few months, I’m cleaning my car and try to move the seat to the back-most position. “Hmm. It seems to be struggling. I think it usually goes farther back than this, no?” Turns out the can was being crushed, and was perilously close to blowing its spicy load right into my face and into my interior. God was with me that day.
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      01-13-2022, 06:33 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Serf27 View Post
That cable that is loose, has a square end on it. That square end slides into a the motor and that’s what moves the seat. Slide the cable back into the motor and it should move.

Other wise, I wasn’t taking about the bolts that screw into the body, I was talking about these bolts.
You can remove them and the seat separates from the rails.
That cable you’re talking about, is it the one that looks like it has a zebra pattern, because I thought that it was broken. I’ll try putting it back in the motor and see what it does. Also the bolts you circled in the photo are the ones i was talking about as well. If I remove the seat from those bolts, there is still no way to access the rear rail bolts as the rail is still stuck in that position. I would only be able to remove the seat and not the rail.
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      01-13-2022, 08:18 PM   #9
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Yes, the end of that cable plugs into the motor that’s across from it. It’s not snapped, it just popped out.
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      01-14-2022, 11:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Serf27 View Post
Yes, the end of that cable plugs into the motor that’s across from it. It’s not snapped, it just popped out.
Hey, I really appreciate you helping me out. I just put the cable back into the motor and noticed that the bracket that holds it to the rail is missing the bolts that hold it down. Upon further inspection I noticed that a behind it looks chewed up. Any thoughts on what that is and if it’s replaceable. Thank you so much!
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      01-16-2022, 07:36 AM   #11
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The short end is definitely knackered. The motor housing should be bolted to the rail from what I remember. I've heard of people using a tool to manual move the seat forward and backward. I can't remember what specific bit though fits inside where the cable sat.
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      01-16-2022, 06:32 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mantraxalos View Post
The short end is definitely knackered. The motor housing should be bolted to the rail from what I remember. I've heard of people using a tool to manual move the seat forward and backward. I can't remember what specific bit though fits inside where the cable sat.
Does anyone have any idea on what bit or tool fits in there to move the rail manually. Really appreciate all the help, thanks!
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      01-16-2022, 06:52 PM   #13
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Here is what I would try. Use a piece of the cable from the other side and a drill to move the seat. You might be able to move one side a little then the other. Looks like your going to need to go to the junkyard for the parts to repair this.
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