Hello everybody,

i am from Germany and drive a 2009 E61 525xdA.
Since a few weeks my co-driver seat backrest width adjustment makes a clicking noise when activating but it doesn't move anymore.
So i took off the two backrest covers to see whats wrong and found out that the "transmission" is the problem. (see picture)



I read the BMW repair manual for that problem, but it seems to be very complicated. (seat out of the car,...backrest disassembly,...and so on)

I also have asked in a german forum, but here they seem to have no clue to my "problem".

Has anybody here have had the same issue and has fixed this very easily? Perhaps without the seat or backrest removing?

Maybe it works when i remove the aluminium braces with it 8 rivets???

Thanks a lot...

I hope somebody can help me and has an easy repair manual or something like that.

Greetings from Germany.

Adrian

 

Hi pvd84,

Were you ever able to find an easy solution to accessing the backrest width adjustment motors? I just purchased my 5 series a few months ago, and just a couple days ago the width adjustments failed. You can head the motor running in the seat, but nothing happens.

In my case, the dealer says they need to replace part number: 52-10-7-005-422, but that they have to cut the seat open to get to it.

 

Hi Armadda1,

i have fixed the motor. But that was a very tricky work. If I had the money, i would give the car to the BMW dealer. You cut your hands and it is very tight everywhere. I have drilled the rivets that holds the motor. You have to loosen the leather all around the back. And the catchiest thing is to lose and especially to mount the with adjustment plastic parts that are clamped to the seat cushion with metal brackets. I bought a used motor with the wire for both sides. It should be exactly the part which you mentionend above (52107005422). This was totally sufficient. You also have to buy rivets and the tool for that to fix the new motor and the other parts.

 

Hi ALL,

Not sure if anyone is watching this thread BUT...
I have a 2010 535xi Sportwagon E61 and the motor for the backrest width adjustment is continually running when I open the door.
If I touch any seat control it shuts off until the next time I open the door. It is running when I am not in the car a killing the battery, I have fuse #14 pulled
to stop my silly seat. The adjustment is not functional, no width adjustment motion - motor runs and can be controlled fom the buttons but, nothing changes.
The motor is obviously OK but, it seems like it is unhooked from the actuator portion? Something is undone or broken?

If anyone knows what the fix is, please get in touch!

Thank you in advance!

Clive Beddall
Pickering ONT

 

If you have the comfort seats (adjustable backrest width, but not the automatic ones that tighten up when you go around a corner) there is a seat module underneath the front of the seat. It has lots of little plugs on it and I imagine one of them goes to the adjustment motors and you could unplug it. Unfortunately I don’t have a wiring diagram handy to know which one. If you use ISTA it can help you diagnose.

 

Here is a wiring diagram that shows the wires going from that seat module to the adjustment motors. Perhaps you could find that and disconnect? I wasn’t able to find an image showing which connector it is.

 

Thanks kd7iwp

I have the non-active type and i will be looking underneath for the controller bits
or unbolting the seat and getting inside to see if it is unhooked etc.

Always good to get a bit of help along the way,

Thanks ALL

Great resource here!

Cheers Clive

 

It's probably cheaper to find a good used seat to replace a broken one. I swapped my "standard" seats for sport seats, and really couldn't live without that adjustable "wings" on the seat.

FWIW, the seat bottom "extender" (that slides out toward your knees) was inoperative on one of the "new" sport seats, and the other stopped working within a few months. Not a big deal, since it's trivial to push / pull the extender in and out by hand quicker than you can find the button to adjust them electrically. ;-)