The driver's seat of my 2011 MCS has a lot of play in the seat back. When I sit down or brake, it's very noticeable. It seems like there is a huge gap between the notches in the adjustment and it drives me crazy. The car only has 35,000 miles and the passenger seat is nice and tight. Has anyone else had this issue?

 

Yes... Probably everyone! :(( I always thought they had fixed the seats in the later models, as I have an early 07 with the plastic backs.

I have spend many hours on the issue and there isn't a permanent cure for it, unless you get a new seat frame. The problem is the "easy-entry" mechanism not the backrest adjustment. Over time the single point of contact gets warn and the seat appears to be loose. Actually, all easy-entry seats (even my dad's Audi A5) has some small play in it. However in the MINI the problem is accentuated by the spring, as most other cars do not have a spring for that function. So when you brake, you have both the inertia and the spring action acting on you.

A band-aid to reduce the looseness is to wrap another metal part around the locking pin and so make it thicker. But the pin is welded in place, so you cannot do it really right. I used the metal blade spring from a set of older wipers I had. But it is really difficult to access and fix it.

If you find a more permanent solution please let it be known... If there was an adjustment somewhere, but I couldn't find anything. Everything appears welded in place.

 

I figured that some sort of pin that rode in the notches for seat adjustment had become worn. There has got to be a design flaw in that mechanism because my passenger seat is nice and tight. Clearly some part of the mechanism is wearing down.

It sounds pretty irritating to work on. I'm a little bit wary of taking the seat apart, especially since I'm still under warranty. I want to tear the seat apart, but my reasonable side says leave it alone. I wonder if the dealer will replace the frame for me?

 

Some other forum member did try that... I don't remember who it was, but the dealer told him it was "normal".

In any case you should try and insist on it. Even my sister's Fiat 500 has a better reclining mechanism than this. But you are absolutely right, this is a design flaw.

 

Any update on this loose seat back issue? Both of mine have 2-3" of play and is unpleasant when braking hard or going around a corner.

 

The dealer replaced mine under warranty with no trouble.

 

Thats good to hear, did they provide any details of what the issue was? Mines out of warranty :(

 

I'm not sure. Some or all of the seat frame was replaced.