Re: 1/2 of seat reclines - please help (archive)

I improved the comfort of my seats somewhat by lacing some plastic tie wraps between the flat springs on the bottom of the seat cushion. This stiffened the whole seat webbing a bit and reduced any sagging by spreading out the load a bit. Took a couple of trys to get it right. Hope this helps.

To add a bit to the posts below on the reclining problem:

Seat reclining problem is probably due to cable on one side disengaging from the motor or seat gearbox key way (or an actual broken cable). This is a very common problem due to either the cable shielding stretching or the internal cable "shrinking" by winding up on itself over time.

I fixed this by replacing the internal cable only with keyed cable from a local speedometer shop. Get the cables fabricated about 3/8" longer than your damaged one to ensure proper engagement at both ends, and make sure the square key ends are long enough to allow you to file them down for fit. This fix works OK if the famous coat hanger method (see link below) does not work for you, or you have difficulty getting the cables from the dealer. Note the cost from a speedo shop will probably be about the same as the dealer route though.

Agree fully with caution not to operate the seat until fixed. The recliner transmission is driven by the motor cable through a worm gear, which cannot be moved by the other side of the seat. The transmission cases are made of soft metal and can be damaged easily. They are also difficult to find at a wrecker, hence the warning on the high cost for the part should it get damaged.

Good luck!

Stu '87 M6

I just recently bought an 84 633, and the driver's seat only reclines 1/2 of the seat, while the other half stays where it is, thus twisting the seat back. Rather than do the "twist and shout" as I try to figure out what's going on and how to fix it, I was hoping someone might be able to tell me how to fix this (from what I understand, I'm not the first person who's encountered this before). Also, how do I repair the padding so I don't feel as much of the springs underneath (the old padding's a little worn).
Seems like this is the only flaw with the car, please help me to make it perfect.
Thanks in advance,
James

Seat Headrest Fix

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