Headrest shudders when adjusting.
 

When I go to adjust the passenger side headrest it is not a very smooth operation. It shudders about when you go to adjust it. Is it able to be lubricated or has anyone had a fix for the same issue?

Model? Model year? Type of seat...regular, sport, multi-function (aka comfort)? There are multiple seat options.

Help us help you better...remember to provide enough details so that we know what you have or are referring to because we can't physically see your vehicle. :)

E70 headrest diagrams that show the guides and the headrest rails:

{basic seat headrest & rails (#1) + guides (#2)}

https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search/fg/52_3302.jpg


{sport seat headrest & rails (#1) + guides (#4)}

https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search/fg/52_3304.jpg


{comfort seat/multifunction seat headrest & rails (#1) + guides (#5)

https://www.etkbmw.com/bmw/EN/search/fg/52_3303.jpg

Sorry, I guess I assumed they all were power. I have a 2011 35d, basic seats.

Thanks for the diagrams, I will probably remove the seat back and see if it's binding up.

Thanks for the additional info. :) Before going through all the work of removing the seat back covers...have you tried pulling the headrest completely out? If you have rear seat passengers that are very young...they could have possible had something very small/thin that could have gotten pulled into one of the guides.

If you lower the seat back a little...you can then get into the back seat and then (manually) pull straight up on the headrest to remove it from the seat. To reinstall is just the opposite...align the rails over the guide holes, then push the headrest back down into the seat.

Lowering the seatback (toward the rear) gives extra room to pull upward on the headrest...changing the trajectory from straight into the headliner or pano sunroof...toward the open space of the rear passenger area. :)

I will give that a try first, I was trying to pull on it but couldn't get it to budge. Then I realized they were power.

Thanks

Hmmm...hopefully some e70 owners that are reading this thread and have not yet said anything...if you know that there's something additional needed to remove the headrest...please jump in.

I say this because at some point "active headrest" came into play (either as a feature of the comfort seats or standard option at some point in the production run)...and if you have active headrest...the rear seatback may need to come off to facilitate headrest removal

Please chime in if anyone has more info. :)