We have just been given a 1996 bmw but the motors to move the seats back and forth etc have been disconected passenger side and the drivers side will go back but not forward, not good if your a shorty like myself. Does an auto electrician fix this issue or a mechanic. There are a couple of other issues like you can only unlock the car by putting the key in tbe boot lock as the other key places no longer unlock it. Not sure who is the right person to fix that either. Any info would be great, thanks.
thejazzpianoma,
Jul 11, 2:07am
I would tend to go auto sparky for that one. Also, if the seat problem turns out to be an expensive proposition due to broken parts, you may want to have a look online, as often there are repair kits for that sort of thing. Not necessarily available through NZ suppliers though. Best of luck with it.
piperguy,
Jul 11, 2:22am
Family has a 95 3 series coupe. One of the family took the drivers seat apart to repair it. What a nightmare that was! Unbelievably complicated and in the end he destroyed it thoroughly and had to replace the whole seat.
poppy62,
Jul 11, 3:35am
Give the motors a smack with a hammer! also there should be a manualy method of moving the seat, usually the motor has a slot or a hexagon (for an Allen key) to be inserted and turned manually or by using a drill (reversible) and a flexible drive. I'd actually make sure the seat motor is connected then remove the seat switch and dowse with CRC 9 times out of 10 it's a switch problem (dust and verdigris) and a good squirt of CRC over the electrics solves the issues.
martin11,
Jul 11, 4:14am
How to destroy a seat motor ,read above .
poppy62,
Jul 11, 5:11am
You obviously have no experience with the universal tool otherwise known as a Fitter/Engineers friend.
jmma,
Jul 11, 5:45am
AH that be the Tapometer (o:
cabrio1,
Jul 11, 5:55am
Not bad advise, possibly try the second and third suggestion before leathering the motor with a hammer. Could also try connecting a 12 v motorbike battery to the seat motor connections. Find out which one moves the seat forward. If it moves back likely the motor is fine and its a switch issues as mentioned above. Worked for another poster on here with a similar problem.
cabrio1,
Jul 11, 5:58am
BMparts in papakura has all sorts of advise and secondhand parts also.
pandai,
Jul 11, 6:11am
If those seat switches are anything like those in our Z3, which is based on the E36, they will be burned out - no relay to take the load off the switch for the seat motors. I would start by pulling the switches out and dismantling them to clean. If you do, don't use anything abrasive on the contacts! They are silver plated and if you scrub plat plating off they are toast.
I ended up just replacing the switches but that was a fairly expensive thing to do.
What is the door lock doing? Key doesn't turn at all?
tamarillo,
Jul 11, 6:32am
You say it is disconnected passenger side. Do you know why, and what happens if you plug it back in.
I'd squirt crc into plugs and connections to check that. Then If it was me I'd test it first then get someone, a mechanic or auto leky, to test that the plugs to seat are getting power. Ideally Or, if there is a BMW workshop that wrecks them, they would be ideal as they could try replacement second hand motors.
Or if all else fails pick up some second hand manual seats.
mango5,
Jul 11, 6:43am
Thanks people. much appreciated.
mango5,
Jul 11, 6:45am
Had a closer fiddle this afternoon. You can unlock . very carefully with a bit of gentle manouvering the drivers door, but you can't lock it drivers side, it has to be locked from the boot lock.
cabrio1,
Jul 11, 9:28am
My mistake bm world papakura. Heaps of parts, will have a good idea of common faults also
elect70,
Jul 12, 2:48am
Same happened on my E36 took switch off & spayed it with CRC contact cleaner& worked ok . reckon they get dust on the contacts being on the door side of seat .
martin11,
Jul 15, 9:42pm
Actually use a lot of marine crc on my boat ,to slow corrosion
kazbanz,
Jul 15, 11:01pm
mango.It sounds like the CL is toast.(not working) My thinking is that the cheapest fix would be to get a low grade alarm from a decent manufacturer fitted. That will sort the CL On the basis that this is a cheapy car then I would just fit a manual seat that fits,-ie from a lower grade version of your car. I suspect this will be the cheapest option to fixing the seat issue.
poppy62,
Jul 16, 1:06am
Nah! sorry mate nothing to do with CRC marine or 656. It's a solid lump and it's worked where no other way or means has.
mango5,
Jan 15, 8:34am
This is gonna sound really stupid. we opened up the thingy button on the key and replaced the batteries, that solved the locking issue. I tinkered with the car seats and managed to move those to the right place. Just need to fix the burning smell when we turn the heater on and fix the stuff (easy fixes - usual wear and tear) it failed its warrant on. Thanks for all your suggestions.
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