The dreaded seat twist hit my E39 540i...

....and thanks to the interwebz...and a couple bloody knuckles...It's fixed for $3.00 worth of parts.

My driver seat stopped working properly...ie the seat back tilt...only one side would go up or down and the seatback would twist.

Using these instructions for an E34 and applying them to the E39...I removed the seat from the car and tested with a power drill to make sure the gearbox wasn't toast. Then, I was able to cut and shorten the sheath of the drive cables and "ghetto" it back together with some fuel line and fuel clamps.

I'm posting this for anyone else who may run into this in the future.

These are the threads I found out there...


http://www.nmia.com/~dgnrg/page_11.htm

http://bimmer.roadfly.com/7series/me...9w35/4172.html


http://www.bimmerboard.com/forums/posts/517802

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...ght=seat+twist

I still need to do this along with the headrest and the up/down adjuster. I love my e39

perfect seats

send from space command

Originally Posted by Phlyers8

Anyone in the Southern California area, I will fix your seat twist for $300 per seat (depending on location). I have done a number of them now and have a solution that has yet to fail. E-mail me @ rjkidder32@msn.com

Dude stop trolling

I found someone on craigslist who said hed charge $180 to fix both seats. I've spent the last two days trying to figure out how to fix these damn things. Ive seen a few different ways to fix them and im not sure which method to use and its just causing a huge headache - so im just going to pay this guy to fix it. If he ends up fixing them ill pass his number along if any one is interested.

Originally Posted by Stone Roots

I found someone on craigslist who said hed charge $180 to fix both seats. I've spent the last two days trying to figure out how to fix these damn things. Ive seen a few different ways to fix them and im not sure which method to use and its just causing a huge headache - so im just going to pay this guy to fix it. If he ends up fixing them ill pass his number along if any one is interested.

Go search "terabass e39 seat repair" on youtube, you'll be amazed by what you see, anyone who dares charge more than $25 a seat for this is an arse. I cant post the link ATM since im on a phone.

I'm not sure if it applies to the bottom of the seat too.

Originally Posted by Dking078

Go search "terabass e39 seat repair" on youtube, you'll be amazed by what you see, anyone who dares charge more than $25 a seat for this is an arse. I cant post the link ATM since im on a phone.

So just cut the outer sheath of the cable and the seat will work? If that is the case why are some people removing cables and motors and adding fuel lines and clamps and all these other things?

Originally Posted by Stone Roots

So just cut the outer sheath of the cable and the seat will work? If that is the case why are some people removing cables and motors and adding fuel lines and clamps and all these other things?

I honestly have no idea. The main thing i see people doing is taking the cable out of the motor itself, shortening the sheath at the tip and then re heating the end metal link-thing back on. (It accomplishes the same thing here i guess) i linked the video in another twist thread not too long ago and another member said it worked.. Im so lazy and keep putting off fixing my passenger seat, but i will use Terabass's method for sure.

I did this myself after watching the video just a couple of weeks ago. I had two adjustments on the passenger side that didnt work and 1 on the driver side that didnt work. Fixed all three by cutting out a piece of the cable, didnt have to remove seats or anything.

lol its so simple i wouldnt have someone else do it. the hardest part of it is removing the seats. after that you can look at the parts and you will know exactly what you have to do. you dont even need to read DIYs. trust me as soon as you look at the bottom of the seat you will know what you gotta do.

Well I got both the seats out that was easy. I've read every DIY on seat twist and there are conflicted methods. I just don't want to ruin the seat...

ok the problem is that black plastic stretches and unplugs the coil that is inside it from the motor. so all you have to do is cut off 1 inch or so, or maybe less of that black plastic and join the 2 ends of the black plastic together with a hose clamp or something like that. then plug the coil that is inside the black plastic where it belongs. nothing can go wrong as long as you only cut the black plastic.

dont forget to unplug the battery so you dont risk any codes, or airbag lights or something in your dash.

Now see that contradicts the Terabass video that shows him simply cutting the outer sheathing and not adding or clamping anything...

you dont need to remove seats or clamp anything

My driver's side seat just started doing this. I tell you what. The drive train on this car is bulletproof, but I feel like everything else is crap. As soon as I fix something another item breaks.