Getting at a few of the screws holding them in place can be frustrating but take your time and you’ll soon be able to free them from their housings.
Once free you’ll see how it all works and how the cables slide into the motor. This will give you a better understanding of why and how the twist happens.
Remove the motors since it’ll give us better access to all four cables.
Examine your cables, this is a particularly bad example as the cable has regressed into the plastic quite a bit. Even though yours may not look this bad if it’s similar that is the culprit to your twisting issue.
Because this is such a common problem, examine all four cables and figure out which ones need fixing. You’ve come this far and have everything apart so make sure that you’ve fixed everything and prevent the issue from happening again.
There are two methods to fixing the cables, both are very similar. Here’s the first.
Grab a sharp utility knife and cut around the metal head into the plastic sheath until it slides off the cable. You don’t want to cut or damage the inner cable so be mindful of that.
Grab the head and remove the plastic sheath inside of it. I used a small screw driver and picked at it until all the plastic material was gone leaving just the metal head.
You’ll need some heat shrink tubing and now is a good time to slide it onto the cable.
Put the metal head back onto the cable and see how much of the inner cable is sticking out. If you have roughly .75 to 1-inch (give or take a bit) sticking out then that’s a good amount to work with. If not trim some more plastic.
Grab a set of vice grips and push the metal head onto the cable. It won’t move much but the barbs on the inside of the head will dig into the plastic just enough to secure it. You can always heat the metal up if you’re having a hard time forcing it on.
Now grab a heat gun and slide the shrink wrap over the head and cable. My reason for using heat shrink tubing is that it’s strong and secure but has a bit of give so the cable can still bend.
I keep on blowing the fuse for the driver’s seat. I did this repair and the seat works perfect but I blow the fuse after a few uses.
Thanks for this step by step. It would have been incredibly beneficial if you included “how to” remove the cable on the passenger seat. It was definitely not intuitive. I had to go to other sites.
Thanks again and perhaps include that and the tools necessary (i.e., T-27, T-50, 8mm, etc.)
Hi can you tell me what the tension springs do and how to hook it again after fixing the cable?
Thanks
Can you do mine 🙂
Thanks for this….helps alot…..took both seats out and got 1 seat working, but unfortuantely the drivers side still has the twist w about 1/4 a 1/2″ of the wire reinserted into the motor…..any other thoughts? The only one i have is that one of the moters needs to be replaced
Thanks fixed my seat!!
Can anyone fix for me ?
First of all, not easy. Second, dont you think putting down some of the sizes of tools and heat shrink that was used would be helpful? Guess not since you didnt put it in. And how about which motor operates what? Jesus Christ I curse the day i found this diy on the top of my google search. I want those several hours of my life back buddy….
Gosh Steve, how ungrateful. Where”ks your DIY listing the tools and other items you mentioned. You tried a DIY project and thought it would be easy???? And wouldn’t take hours?? And you want to blame this guy for that time? Obviously you don’t have much DIY experience. Imagine how long it would have taken you without this guide.
Fuck this diy. I want those several hours of my life back buddy….
This is an awesome write up! My passenger seat just twisted for the first time yesterday. Very annoying let me tell you just kept getting worse when i tried to keep playing with the buttons so i left it alone, i will definetly be doing this and hopefully my issue gets fixed! My driver seat doesnt go full movements as well so hopefully doing this fixes that too and i wont have to dip into the more serious electricals and new motors etc! Thanks!
Awesome, thanks. Helped out a neighbor. By the way, in his 2003 525i the cable was present under the drivers seat. You picture really saved me, on getting it reattached.
Nice blog.
I keep seeing others mention to ensure you disconnect the negative cable from the battery before unplugging the seat connector. Is that required? What occurs if you do not?
Where are u located ?
I’ve been told bad gearbox is causing the twist in my seat back. How many gearboxes are there? Only one??