Rear seat reinstall tips

[luvmy03E53]

Removed my rear seat bottom today to do some long overdue cleaning, and now I'm having a helluva time getting it to snap back into place. Anyone have any useful hints or tips to help me get this back in?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Joshdub]

Which part are you having a problem with? First off, have you already bolted back down the middle passanger seat belt? Mine goes through the seat bottom sonit had to be removed and reconnected. Getting the seat belt receivers through can be tricky by yourself. I had to level just a small enough gap to get my hand in behind the upper seat and bottom seat to push the receivers towards the front of the car while holding the seat at a bit of an angle.

I started with the middle receiver as it is the longest and easiest to work with. Then I got the driver side pass angled correctly (all the way forward and being held I'm place by the seat resting on it). Then went back and did the the passanger side pass receiver the same way. Then you angle the seat up a bit more and shove until it's under the upper portion of the seat. From there you can let it down and do fine adjustments to align the two clips at the front edge of the seat. Sometimes they slide in easy, other times you have to sit on the seat and bounce.

Hope this helps.

[luvmy03E53]

I haven't been having any real trouble with getting the seat belt receivers back through the seat. My problem has been getting the seat bottom back far enough to be able to make both clips on the front of the seat catch. I've used a mallet, I've stood on the seats, and I've crawled inside with both seats all the way forward to use my knees to put pressure backward and downward on the front of the seat, but none of these methods has worked. I'm hoping someone else has had a similar experience and might have some special tips or method. Thanks!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Qsilver7]

Do you have the electric rear seat backs?

[luvmy03E53]

Yes, I do have the electric rear seat backs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Qsilver7]

I only asked that in case the seat back might need to be adjusted (if they are in the way).

I've never removed the rear seat bottom on my X...so I have no practical experience. But thinking of some of my past BMWs were I removed the rear seat...which end are you inserting first...the rear or front?

Is it possible that it may work if you set-up the other end first versus the way that's not working?

[luvmy03E53]

I've tried to reinstall the seat bottom by putting the rear of the cushion in first, since it appears that getting the seat belt receivers in place requires the back of the cushion to be properly in place. It never occurred to me that snapping the front of the seat bottom in place first might work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Ricky Bobby]

Gary when I remove my rear seat bottom I pop it up in the front and then pull the seat up and out from the back.

Then when I reinstall I position the back of the seat into position at an angle (so the seat belt receivers come through) then push in and the front section down and it clicks into place.

[luvmy03E53]

RB, that's exactly how I've tried to get the seat back in. I've even checked the catches to make sure nothing's bent or out of place that would prevent the catches from working as designed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk