Help - can drivers electric seat be manually adjusted to max height?

[treone 648]

My drivers sport seat in my 840ci is stuck in the lowest position and I want to raise it. The motor runs when engaging the switch but the seat doesn't move.

I've removed the  seat to investigate and found that there is no bowden cable coming out of the motor that goes to the rear of the seat (markings on sheath: A=687mm) - there is only the sheath - what the?

Is there a way to manually raise the seat to its maximum height whilst it is out of the car? I would like to do this before putting it back in tomorrow.

Oh - and Google has not been my friend.

Any tips is much appreciated.

Cheers

Edited April 17, 2022 by treone

[treone 648]

Anyone got advice on how to manually raise the seat? Cheers.

Edited April 17, 2022 by treone

[NZ00Z3 187]

Do you have a forward and back electric seat motor?  If so, take the Bowden cable out of the motor and put it into the height gearbox.  Attach your reversible  battery drill to the Bowden cable and slowly raise the seat.

Alternatively, get onto www.RealOEM.com :

• Search with the last 7 numbers of your VIN and then browse for the part number of the Bowden cable for your seat.  Purchase and install the new cable.
• Search other BMW's with electric seats.  Find one with a similar length Bowden cable.  Purchase and install the cable.

[treone 648]

Thanks @NZ00Z3 

confirm front and back movement works so will give this a go.
But you’ve given me the idea to find an allen key that may fit into motor, which i will try first. 
RealOEM only lists the motor, which is only for the e31, and is NLA with usual suppliers. 

may have to get a cable made.
Fun times😎

[NZ00Z3 187]

Allen key is a Hex into a gear box that is designed for a square drive?  Not going to be a good outcome.

 

Maybe file the end of some round material square to make a drive.  A collection of old aluminum knitting needles is always handy for this sort of thing.

Edited April 18, 2022 by NZ00Z3

[treone 648]

Oops was meaning trying something square drive-ish 😎. 

Decided to leave it alone and re-install as it is. Reason - found out why it is listed as the motor and cable as one unit (bottom of pic by the nut - it aint coming out). Thanks BMW, thanks very much 🤣.

at least i now know what the issue is for when it needs to be done to fix it 😎

thanks again @NZ00Z3, much appreciated!

cheers

[NZ00Z3 187]

Have you tried removing the Hex head bolt?  It looks like it is holding a retainer that is stopping the drive collar from coming out.

Guys with the Z3's (E36/7) have problems with these drives and they remove them and swap around to power with a battery drill as needed.  Maybe they are a different design?

[treone 648]

Will leave it until the next long weekend 😃 -  re-installed as I needed the seat in to use the car for the rest of the week.

Will update when I take it out again... impossible to do when seat is in situ as motor is on the console side ☹️