How to Replace Front Seat Control Switch?
 

Seat doesn't move forward or back nor tilt forward back. If I have to replace the front seat control switch my Bentley manual states that I have to remove the entire seat. However, in order to remove seat you need to remove seat mounting bolts but because I can't move seat forward or back I cannot get to the rear mounting bolts. Does anyone know if front seat control switch can be replaced without removing seat? Or, how can I remove front seat if I seat is sitting right on top of rear mounting bolts; i.e. how to manually move seat to access bolts? Any and/or all advice appreciated. Thanks!

Any update on this? How did you remove the seat? I'm interested because I'm planning on removing my current non electric seats and replacing them with power seats I got from the yard. However, I do not know how to remove the old seats :( are the 2 bolts in the rear part of the seats the "key" to removing them? How about the bolts in front? I can't seem to see bolts in front?

On my "02 X5, there are 2 bolts in the back and 2 bolts in the front. My seat was in the farthest back position when the controller died so it was stuck in that position. The 2 front bolts were easy to see, under a plastic/rubber cap in the tracks that move the seat. But, I finally had to take to the dealer because the seat was positioned right over the rear bolts and I could not get access to them. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Hi my friend,

maybe you have already found that out. You need to place the seats to a back position and remove the front nuts, then place the seats to a front position and remove the rear screws. Each seat is mounted on these 4 corners only.
Front nuts are covered with some plastic things which you can easy pull off. And the belts are connected to the seats of course.

You will have to plug the seat off before you do that (just look under each seat) and you should not turn the key while the seats are plugged off because when you disconnect the seat you disconnect the belt tensioner. Depending on what you have bought you might have to swap the belt tensioners to the new seats.

If your driver seat doesn't move after putting the power seats in place please have a look at this posting: http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-sav-foru...r-shocked.html

AND: Yes - I have seen the PM right when I searched my own post about activating power seats but I was under the impression that we have a lot of guys here who might want to have answers to these questions.

Just put the small wire from the posting in - I have that since Nov. 2010 - never any problem.

If somebody tells you that you need to code the seats into the car: the answer is no. The seats only need power - also the memory is working. Maybe we could even program them to the keys - not sure because I have never tried that.

Good luck

PS: if you need additional things -> I will be here until thursday and then ~1000km away from home the next 2 weeks - with the X of course. :D

Thanks for this Helmuth! I had the strength to remove the old non powered passenger seat late this afternoon and the nuts and bolts you mentioned were exactly as you described them to be. I was able to install the powered sport seat and what do you know - it's plug and play! I just plugged in the harness with the yellow plastic connector and the seat works!!! No mods whatsoever :) Hope I will have the same luck when I install the driver's powered seat. Thanks again!