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Guide. E36 Front Seat Dismantling and Leather Swap

58K views 14 replies 14 participants last post by  smoothbimer 
#1 · (Edited)
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.
 
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#11 ·
Thanks Billy - great guide....

Do you happen to know if it's possible to swap the seat bases over between seats where one has the electrical connectors for the sensor and pre-tensioner and one that doesnt? Just got a replacement half leather interior for my Touring.. Mine has the connectors but the ones I got yesterday dont have the connections...

thanks in advance :)

G.
 
#12 ·
Great Thread Billy - How do you get the back off Coupe/convertable seats?

Hi Billy/All,

What a great post - i have picked up nice seats but they are non Electric but heated -

So first Question is on the thread i need to know how to get the back off a Coupe fold forward seat?

Also is the Electric wiring setup for both movement and heated?

Thanks in advance Guys...... :hihi
 
#13 ·
Hi Billy/All,

What a great post - i have picked up nice seats but they are non Electric but heated -

So first Question is on the thread i need to know how to get the back off a Coupe fold forward seat?

Also is the Electric wiring setup for both movement and heated?

Thanks in advance Guys...... :hihi
you are better of starting your own thread m8 people might not bother to read through an old thread
 
#14 ·
Excellent guide thanks, just to add that if you use long nose pliers on the seat base posts then spin the posts into such a position so that you can squeeze the posts across the moulded in slot on the post you can remove/push them out without breaking the posts saving yourself a trip to a dealer.
 
#15 ·
I wander if the tilt release mechanism can be transferred from an early style seat to the late style seats. I bought the front sport seats from a 96' sedan and wish to install them in a 94' convertible. The seats on the convertible are the old style and I don't think the skins on the backrest of the new style will fit the old style backrest. The solution would be to transfer the tilt release mechanism from the old seats to the new seats, but I don't know if they will be compatible. Been digging fir 3 days and so far nothing on the subject has turned up.
Need a little help, thanks in advance
 
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