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BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2013 6:33 pm
by a4drk
The electric seat on my 335d Coupe is twisting when you move it forward & back
One side isnt moving - it pivots & twists
The seat is out & the motor is off it
There are 2 flexible drive shafts which pop into either side - one is 100mm & the other is about 200mm
(200mm one is fine)
Pic below of the broken 100mm one.
There is a 3mm square end which pops into the motor & the cog on the runner
BMW dont sell these separately -you have got to buy a complete new subframe / runners for the seat @ £700 !
I'm was thinking if this could be repaired ? - Brazed maybe ?
Or does anyone know of anywhere that makes / supplies these ?
It needs to be flexible as the seat goes up & down too
any help much appreciated
Thanks
David

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Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:41 am
by Doc883
a4drk wrote:The electric seat on my 335d Coupe is twisting when you move it forward & back. One side isnt moving - it pivots & twists
BMW dont sell these separately -you have got to buy a complete new subframe / runners for the seat @ £700 ! Thanks David
Sorry can't help on your seat problem but the complexity of modern cars has to be a real worry for future owners years down the line.
My brother in law had a Tdv8 RR Sport that cut out on the Stonehaven by-pass. Aberdeen LR had the car for weeks trying to diagnose the fault including hoisting the body off the chassis

In the end an expert from the factory was shipped to Aberdeen to help. Luckily for him he had a LT extended warranty as the bill was north of £10k. The car broke down again days later with same symptons so he rejected the car and LR took it back.
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:23 pm
by a4drk
I found the company who makes these for BMW.
The are based in Switerland & are called
www.suhner-transmission-expert.com
Basically I got an email back from them saying that they are contracted to only make & sell them to BMW !!!
anyway, also found another place.
not heard back yet
http://www.biax-flexwellen.de/en/Einsat ... eugbau.php
theres a photo there of exactly what i'm after - so fingers crossed
and also fingers crossed its going to cost me less than £700 !
David
BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:21 am
by Sanjøy
Breakers?
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 8:43 am
by a4drk
Tried that Sanjoy ,
Sent enquiries thro all the major breaker website / search engine websites
Thinking of getting something made - along the lines of a thick piece of cable
And welding 2 blobs on each end and filing it down to fit
Where's Rich from Preston ? This is up his street....
David
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:32 am
by Sanjøy
It looks like the flexy stuff you get with power screw drivers if that helps at all ?
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2013 9:34 am
by a4drk
Yeah, got one of those, but I think it needs to be thinner
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:36 am
by ryallm
Can't help you on the problem, but curious to know how you like the 335d. Been pondering buying a 335 or 330d (later 245 version) for a while now.
Mark
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:44 am
by BiggestNizzy
Scrappies ?
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:58 am
by a4drk
@mark - remember the 335d only comes in auto (with the flappy paddles)
The 330d comes manual and auto
This is my first auto that I've owned & love it.
335d is 286bhp & 428 lb ft torque
However the 330d is still a quick car too - the newer 245bhp with a remap takes it up to 335d figures
Still gets 35mpg horsing it !
If you want a shot of it you are more than welcome
David
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:27 pm
by a4drk
I think Ive sorted it !
I had some 10mm Twin & Earth Cable - which is the heavier than normal stuff you use for electric showers (for 10.8kw)
anyway, cut a bit off & cut 2 strands off
Each strand is about 1.5mm thick
Then i dipped it in flux & coated it in solder. I filed it down on a bench grinder till it fitted in the motor.
When i got to the other end, I took the sleeve off & just removed the 2 unused strands.
sleeve back on and soldered & filed.
It fits in & the turns the motor & its flexible !
Car is booked in on Monday to get put back together - so fingers crossed - i'm £700 better off for 15mins work.
David
Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:54 pm
by j2 lot
Well done- got to love Heath Robinson fixes that cost nothing but ingenuity and save £££££

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Sun Apr 28, 2013 11:16 pm
by neil
Top bodging!

Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 9:41 am
by Dominic
neil wrote:Top bodging!


Re: BMW Electric Seat Broken - Flexible Shaft
Posted: Mon Apr 29, 2013 12:09 pm
by ClarkyBoy
Cracking engineering there,
well done
glad to see there are still people out there with some ingenuety
(and hopefully there are a good few spellists out there that can deciper my spelling

)