IrishSean

Hi, was wondering if any of you guys could help me.

I have a 2007 E60 520d Sport and the rear armrest wont release. Something has obviously gotten stuck in the release mechanism. We have the seat out and still cant figure it out.

All help greatly appreciated - thanks in advance guys

AlwynMike

Irish,

Hope you've sorted your armrest out by now.

If not: Does your release lever move about 1/4" or 1/2"??

I'm sorry I can't photograph the next bit, but my USB ports are goosed, so I will try and explain the mechanism the long way. However, what may seem obvious to me may not to you, so I apologise in advance. Hopefully, with an insight into how the latch works, you may be able to force your way in.

The release lever is a simple lever/hinge, so when you squeeze the lever, the unlocking face moves UPWARDS.

The latch, which is connected to the back of the seat, is a tongue about 2" square by about 1/4" thick. It is spring loaded in the up/down plane. Within this tongue, hinged from the front of the tongue, is another spring loaded tongue about 3/4" wide that drops downward. i.e. you move it upward against the spring pressure. When this small tongue is in the unlock position, it is completely flush within the larger tongue. What I gather from other posts is that lovely small children drop a sweet or something into the void that is made when the small tongue is in its normal (static) position. This foreign object cannot come out because it sits nicely in this void. However, when you try and unlock the backrest, this object stops the small tongue from going flush with the larger one, and hence unable to unlock.

With me so far?? I hope so!!

With the armrest in the stowed position and you try and unlock it, the first pressure (i.e. the first 1/4" of movement) raises the whole tongue so it sits at the top of the slot in the armrest. The second 1/4" of movement is supposed to raise the smaller tongue flush with the larger one so you can open the armrest. With a foreign object in there, it becomes difficult!!!

Obviously, you will have tried a two-handed approach to the latch - in the hope of crushing the aforementioned sweet. If it is a nice hard-boiled sweet, (or a coin) you will have no chance. All I can suggest is to try to push something slim and flexible between the back of the lever and the armrest. (Maybe a feeler gauge, or a credit card, although a credit card may be a bit stiff). If you go straight in that way, you may be able to push the offending object back towards the rear of the car, although, of course, the rear of the void is a right angle!. If you are using a credit card for this, it will be too wide to go down the void, so you'll have to cut it.

BTW, my latch works fine, but the last 1/4" is still pretty stiff - my daughter has to get two hands to operate it.

Hope this has helped.

Good luck

Mike

BlitzburghFan

My 04' had the exaact same problem. It's a pretty stupid problem to have too...the armrest not going down. I just took it to the dealer and they had to order a part to fix it. I still don't know how they ended up gettig it down to fix it...I tried everything, short of removing the whole back seat.