BMW build quality is legend – except for the seats that seem to wear out long before the rest of the car!
If you have wear on the driver’s seat pad or the bolsters you may be lucky enough to get another good driver’s seat from a breakers but it’s likely that any you find will be worn too. Often the passenger seat has far less wear so fortunately on Saloons & Tourings the front seat bases and backs are identical and can be swapped over, same goes for Coupes and Convertibles. Like me you may wish to swap the driver and passenger seats over before the wear gets worse.
Before you start you’ll need to make a trip to the dealer to buy 4 seat base fixing pegs, Part Number 52 10 8 130 678. They are only about 20p each but you will have to snap them to get the lower base off.
First you need to disconnect the battery and leave the car for about 30 mins to let the air bag system discharge. Use this time to get a bit of carpet or mat ready for the seats. They are heavy and this procedure will require you to turn them upside down – you don’t want your nice leather scuffed on the ground do you? Next remove the headrests and then raise the steering wheel to the top of its travel, this will help when lifting the drivers seat out.
30 mins later you are now ready to remove the seats. Put the seat fully upright and then undo the 2 front and 2 rear runner bolts. Then tip the seat up and remove the electrical connector. Next tilt the seat on its side and undo the Torx bolt that holds the seat belt anchorage in place. You can now lift the seat out. They are heavy so get a friend to help if you can and try and keep your back straight!
Once you have the seats out turn them over and remove the two small Torx bolts towards the front of the seat. Next using a pair of thin nose pliers snap off the two fixing pegs towards the rear of the seat. If you have standard seats the base will now lift off the seat frame. If you have sports seats you have to pull the lumbar support almost all the way out then push down the retainer tab down whilst pulling the handle the rest of the way. The retainer bar should then slide over the tab and free the lumbar support. Cut the remainder of the fixing pins off the base with a sharp knife and push them into the hole. Use your thin nose pliers again to insert your new fixing pins.
Now you can remove the two small Torx bolts that hold on the back cover. If you’ve already removed the headrest this should now lift off. Next you can unhook the leather from the tabs, pushing the foam towards the frame to ease the tension. Once you’ve unhooked the leather the rear pad will lift off the frame.
Now you have the frame stripped it’s a good opportunity to oil the joints and clean the bits you can never get to when the seats are in the car.
You are now ready to swap the bases and backs over. Refit the base first pushing down hard where the pins are, then refit the two Torx screws underneath. Now refit the backs attaching the leather to the tabs from the base upwards. Again, remember to push the foam towards the frame to ease the tension. Follow the order shown in the picture and ensure the foam insert on the top sits flat with the headrest holes correctly aligned. Refit the back cover, insert the headrest and refit the two Torx screws.
Your seats are now reassembled but before you refit them take the opportunity to clean and condition the leather. I recommend Auto-Glym leather cleaner and leather conditioner. Refitting is the reverse of removal; don’t forget to reattach the electrical connections to both seats before you reconnect the battery. Last pic is my driver seat with the passenger seat leather on it.
If you have wear on the driver’s seat pad or the bolsters you may be lucky enough to get another good driver’s seat from a breakers but it’s likely that any you find will be worn too. Often the passenger seat has far less wear so fortunately on Saloons & Tourings the front seat bases and backs are identical and can be swapped over, same goes for Coupes and Convertibles. Like me you may wish to swap the driver and passenger seats over before the wear gets worse.
Before you start you’ll need to make a trip to the dealer to buy 4 seat base fixing pegs, Part Number 52 10 8 130 678. They are only about 20p each but you will have to snap them to get the lower base off.
First you need to disconnect the battery and leave the car for about 30 mins to let the air bag system discharge. Use this time to get a bit of carpet or mat ready for the seats. They are heavy and this procedure will require you to turn them upside down – you don’t want your nice leather scuffed on the ground do you? Next remove the headrests and then raise the steering wheel to the top of its travel, this will help when lifting the drivers seat out.
30 mins later you are now ready to remove the seats. Put the seat fully upright and then undo the 2 front and 2 rear runner bolts. Then tip the seat up and remove the electrical connector. Next tilt the seat on its side and undo the Torx bolt that holds the seat belt anchorage in place. You can now lift the seat out. They are heavy so get a friend to help if you can and try and keep your back straight!
Once you have the seats out turn them over and remove the two small Torx bolts towards the front of the seat. Next using a pair of thin nose pliers snap off the two fixing pegs towards the rear of the seat. If you have standard seats the base will now lift off the seat frame. If you have sports seats you have to pull the lumbar support almost all the way out then push down the retainer tab down whilst pulling the handle the rest of the way. The retainer bar should then slide over the tab and free the lumbar support. Cut the remainder of the fixing pins off the base with a sharp knife and push them into the hole. Use your thin nose pliers again to insert your new fixing pins.
Now you can remove the two small Torx bolts that hold on the back cover. If you’ve already removed the headrest this should now lift off. Next you can unhook the leather from the tabs, pushing the foam towards the frame to ease the tension. Once you’ve unhooked the leather the rear pad will lift off the frame.
Now you have the frame stripped it’s a good opportunity to oil the joints and clean the bits you can never get to when the seats are in the car.
You are now ready to swap the bases and backs over. Refit the base first pushing down hard where the pins are, then refit the two Torx screws underneath. Now refit the backs attaching the leather to the tabs from the base upwards. Again, remember to push the foam towards the frame to ease the tension. Follow the order shown in the picture and ensure the foam insert on the top sits flat with the headrest holes correctly aligned. Refit the back cover, insert the headrest and refit the two Torx screws.
Your seats are now reassembled but before you refit them take the opportunity to clean and condition the leather. I recommend Auto-Glym leather cleaner and leather conditioner. Refitting is the reverse of removal; don’t forget to reattach the electrical connections to both seats before you reconnect the battery. Last pic is my driver seat with the passenger seat leather on it.