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How to Remove your Seats...

Shipkiller
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How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Shipkiller » Sat May 03, 2008 3:29 am

I have a AirBag light on my car and have troubleshoot the problem down to either the passenger seatbelt latch or pressure pad in the passenger seat.

So the only way to troubleshoot further is to remove the seat. Removal of the seat took only 15 minutes...
I had the seat already out of the car when I started to take pictures....

Safety Note: First and foremost, you must DISCONNECT the battery before you disconnect ANY connectors under the seat....
All YELLOW colored connectors in the car are for the AirBag system. This is all part of the Byteflight Safety system. Some of the Byteflight cabling are Optical Fibers so be VERY careful about bend radius's on your cables.

But before we disconnect the battery we have to be able to move the seat laterally (forward and backward) to access the mounting bolts. Since I have power seats, you need power for this...

The first thing is to remove the seatbelt from the upper guide.
Remove your head rest.
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You must use a no. 20 torx bit to remove the torx screw on the inside side of the guide.
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Then slide the belt out of the guide.
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Now position the seat fully UP and as far forward as you need to get to the back two mounting bolts. In the picture one of the bolts is already removed. The bolt to the right is seatbelt mount. This must be removed also to completely free the belt from the seat.
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With the two rear mounting bolts removed and the seatbelt removed from the seat, position the seat to the rear so as to allow you room to get to the front mounting nuts. The front nuts have plastic caps on them. Just pull them off. Save for reuse.
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Remove the two nuts.
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NOW you have to remove power from the car. Use a 10mm wrench (spanner) or socket.
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Some say remove the negative (black) cable, some say the positive (red) cable. Up to you. I remove the positive and put the plastic cover back over the terminal.
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Now that the seat if loose from the car, tilt the seat back to allow easier access.
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That's the connector you have to disconnect. There are NO optical fiber cables in this connector.
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Now pull/slide the connector lock to unlock the connector. See the difference between the two pictures.
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Moving the lock/unlock portion also starts to slide the connector out of the housing. Remove the connector from the housing.
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Now remove the seat from the car.
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Now you can see all the dirt you could not get before.
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Installation is just reverse.
Put the seat back into the car.
Connect the yellow connector. Remember, sliding the connector lock back into place will draw the connector into the housing, securely locking it into place.
Now loosely put the front nuts on.
Reconnect the battery.
Move the seat forward.
Put the rear bolts in place and tighten all down.
Slide the seat belt in the upper guide and then attach to the seat and rebolt..
Put the headrest back on.

Thats it.
Drives 2008 Z4MC (His) & 2003 Z4 Roadster (Her's)

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2 Zero
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by 2 Zero » Sat May 03, 2008 3:46 am

I never could figure out how to get that connector undone I just moved the seat around hanging by the wires. Thanks for the pictures! Next time I will be able to get them all the way out.
Out driving my car!!
See ya on the road!!

Shipkiller
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Shipkiller » Sat May 03, 2008 3:48 am

Almost all big connectors in the car have a latching system like that one...
Drives 2008 Z4MC (His) & 2003 Z4 Roadster (Her's)

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WaZZZZman
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by WaZZZZman » Sat May 03, 2008 3:59 am

Thanks so much. I don't need to do that, but know how when the time comes. Great photos as well. :)

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Citation 650
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Citation 650 » Sat May 03, 2008 4:50 am

So did you determine why the AirBag light was on?

AndyCEB

Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by AndyCEB » Thu Nov 11, 2010 8:26 pm

Nice write up :thumbsup: any idea of the torque settings when re-mounting the seat and seat belt?

Also its a minor point :oops: but I would strongly recommend removing the negative terminal of the battery. Its a negative earth car so no harm done with the negative terminal flapping around/touching body work. On the other hand if you touch the body work or any brackets with your spanner while undoing the positive terminal you will cause a dead short, same effect if you let the positive terminal hit any bolts or body work.

navid.v
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by navid.v » Mon Apr 11, 2011 8:57 am

just to say thanks,I used this guide Saturday :)

couldn't be more to the point :thumbsup:

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by seanodwyer » Mon Apr 11, 2011 10:57 am

Thanks for the write up. But, where did you get the Z4 sticker between the seats?
2005, 2.0L E85, Toledo Blue. Mods: Stubby, ZHP gear knob, cruise control, AUX, Cup Holders, De-badged, Brodit Iphone 4 holder, OEM hood cover, Black Grilles, OEM mesh windblocker, Nokia CK-100 car kit, tinted rear lights, ACS pedal set and loads of TLC

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by ZED_NOT_ZEE » Mon Jun 06, 2011 7:05 pm

Should also mention it's easier to position the seat all the way down + forward slightly, and have your roof open before disconnecting the battery terminal. Makes removing the seat easier. Especially import on Coupe's with fixed roofs.
Z4 3.0i SMG - Sport/Prem/Nav. Gray on Red (year-round beater)
e46 M3 SMG II - Cold/Heat/Lux. Black on Black (summer beater)
e36 M3 5-Speed - Cold/Lux. Black on Black (winter beater)
Suzuki GS500F - No options. Black/White (city beater)

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Shooter » Tue Oct 18, 2011 9:57 am

Hi all !
Well, i wanted to clean the car last week-end, so i took the driver seat out of the car, but without reading this guide.
So i didn't disconnect the battery. What was i thinking... now the airbag light is ON ! :headbang:

Any advice on why and how to get that light off is welcome.
Image Roadster, Monaco blue. Stubby | ZHP Knob | M3 CSL brake discs | M3 CSL brake calipers | M3 CSL exhaust manifolds | Goodridge SS brake lines | Tuned exhaust silencers

navid.v
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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by navid.v » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:16 am

Shooter wrote:Hi all !
Well, i wanted to clean the car last week-end, so i took the driver seat out of the car, but without reading this guide.
So i didn't disconnect the battery. What was i thinking... now the airbag light is ON ! :headbang:

Any advice on why and how to get that light off is welcome.
a visit to indy or bmw dealer is the way to reset and get rid of your airbag light :wink:

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Greeno » Tue Oct 18, 2011 11:56 am

Shooter wrote:Hi all !
Well, i wanted to clean the car last week-end, so i took the driver seat out of the car, but without reading this guide.
So i didn't disconnect the battery. What was i thinking... now the airbag light is ON ! :headbang:

Any advice on why and how to get that light off is welcome.

You've joined a very exclusive club :oops:
"Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the obedience of fools"

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Shooter » Tue Oct 18, 2011 12:10 pm

Greeno wrote:You've joined a very exclusive club :oops:
Strangely, it doesn't feel so nice to be part of that club...
Image Roadster, Monaco blue. Stubby | ZHP Knob | M3 CSL brake discs | M3 CSL brake calipers | M3 CSL exhaust manifolds | Goodridge SS brake lines | Tuned exhaust silencers

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Dr _Rod » Fri May 25, 2012 1:32 pm

Hi Can see no Images on your guide ? could you please upload images ?thanks
Alan

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Re: How to Remove your Seats...

Post by Greeno » Fri May 25, 2012 2:08 pm

Haven't seen shipkiller for a long time.

Pics are ok on my phone. suspect it is you...
"Rules are for the guidance of the wise and the obedience of fools"

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