Seat Tilt Problem on '04 (I've done my research)
 

My driver's seat will only tilt back to the straight up & down postion and will not recline further back beyond 90 degrees. The inboard tilt lever doesn't funtion at all. The outboard lever (easy entry labled "push") works to tilt the seat forward, but then going back it stops at the straight up position. The levers are still parallel to each other. If there weren't, it would be a symptom listed by a service bulletin that "the mechanism has been twisted out of shape" and needs replacing. That doesn't seem to be the case in my situation.

I have looked at all the previous threads on NAM & Mini2
https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9867&highlight=seat+recline

https://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4350&highlight=seat+recline

and the factory reset procedure, and the Bentley Manual but none of these helped. The closest dealer is a 600 mile round trip that would eat my back up sitting in that driving position that long. I worked on the seat for 3 hours last night but still can't get it to tilt back.

Does anyone have any ideas!?!?

What a pain! I had a problem with the passenger seat not sliding forward automatically to let my daughter out of the back. Dealer had to fix it. So I can't help you much but I understand your plight.

How far did you go during your 3 hours of working on it? Did you take the seat all the way out so you could poke around underneath?

I plan to take the seat out this Saturday. I have the procedures in the Bentley manual. I want to make sure I won't have any air bag light problems once I put the seat back in. I am going to look at past post on the forums tonight about that topic.

As Professor Farnsworth would say, "Good news everone"!

My driver's seat is fixed and now tilts back!!!

I removed both covers from the backs of the the driver and passenger seat and proceded to do the "what is not right with this seat" by comparing it to the good (passenger) seat. After alot of observation and poking around at a few springs I would still keep trying the previously posted dealer fix of...

>>>>
1. Ensure that the inboard and outboard levers are parallel with each other. If they are not parallel, the operating mechanism has probably been twisted out of shape, and the backrest frame (part number 52 10 7 111 527 left/528 right) will have to be replaced.

2. From outside the car, move the seat into the full easy entry position by pressing down the outboard lever and sliding the seat into the full forward position. The easy entry position is the home position for the inboard and outboard backrest latch mechanisms.

3. Sit in the other front seat, pull up on the inboard operating lever of the seat being worked on, and move the backrest to the fully reclined position before releasing the lever.

4. The backrest should now move to the desired position and latch in place when the inboard lever is operated.

>>>>>

Now I would like to improve on these directions and what worked for me....

1. Unchanged
2. Push the seat all the way forward on the bottom rail using the floor lever. Then push the outboard lever (reads "push" on it") and tilt the seat forward. This means the seat is already to the front and will stay there and not slide back on the floor rails for the next step.
3. Sit in the BACK seat and pull up (toward you) on the inboard lever of the seat back and RAPIDLY tilt the seat back toward you with some moderate force. This will get it past the stuck position.

Now as to the amount of force I used. Keep in mind I have been driving my MINI with the seat in an uncomfortable postion for a week, I have spent two nights in the garage working on it and I had taken appart the back covers. I was getting frustrated and a 600 mile round trip to the dealer was looking like reality.

Start with a force you are comfortable with and repeat applying more force each time till it works to free the stuck seat back.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the info, Chris. I'll have to (gulp) try the 'big hammer' method tomorrow and see if I find success.

In all of your disassembly, did you ever find out WHAT actually got stuck that you were able to get past? Success is good, but knowledge is better.
My 'stuck' seat is the passenger one, so I'm not quite as 'motivated':wink: as you.
Congrats on getting 'past' the problem!

I thought I found a piece of metal that was not "seating" correctly (compared to the working passenger seat) and took picutes of that, but later found out if I leaned with some body weight on the top of the seat the metal tab would then line up correctly. It was about two mins later that I tried the dealer fix with more force that worked.

What was actually wrong? I don't know. All I know is I interupted the memory feature while I was cleaning the inside of the car and for that I was punished. :smile:

After just getting my car back from the body shop I am now in this driver's seat predicament. My driver's seat was stuck in the 'way back' position.

I tried all versions of the fixes and ended up in the back seat. While pulling the inboard lever up I slammed my entire massive 150 lbs.:lol: forward into the seat back. Now it's stuck in a more drivable position. Looks like I'll be begging some dealer tomorrow to help me out.

This is kind of a let down as my car's been in the shop for 4 weeks for roof paint and various interior tid bit replacements ( see 'custom roof color' thread- and I've been missing my baby.
At least I can drive it now in some position other than the " 'sup homes?" gangsta recliner mode:cool: .

I never thought I'd miss my 89 SAAB 900 Turbo after all the headaches it gave me but I long for those simple wheel-knobs that never stuck---ever.

The MINI seats are a perfect example of over engineering a simple mechanism into a nightmare. Come to think of it. My classic Mini seats never stuck either...go figure.:wink: Ya hear that over there in Germany?!!?

Thanks to all who took the time to post fixes here.

For some reason,,, my first thought was ( in reguard to the distance to dealer)......

I thinking of a old old Saturn commercial were some poor dood lives in some fishing town in Alaska, and has a seat problem,, and some Saturn guy flys in with a new seat to replace the broken one since he was so far from a Saturn dealer.:roll: NNNNAAAA .... not gonna happen for ya

Chris, I realise this thread happened ages ago, but I'd like you to know that your solution saved me a trip to the dealer...

There was lots of yelling and swearing going on at my place today!

thanks!

Hi, I have the drivers seat sticking in the "rear seat exit/entrance" mode. I have to give it a big jerk for it go back, there is some kind catch that is causing this I can feel it but cannot locate it. I think its in the pivot. I will have to drive to Chicago, Patrick or Jacobs, that makes a whole day for me.:mad:
They willl need parts. I'm not going to all this trouble for them to send me home ,so I can come back.

Seats fixed
 

Knauz fixed both seats under warranty, had the new replacement seat frames in stock, and now the seats work great:grin: .:thumbsup:

Seat Tilt Problem - Another Fix
 

I had the same problem on my 2004 MC w/sport seats. I tried the fixes posted here, but no luck. I called the dealer, Baron Automotive in Merriram, KS, and here's what they suggested:

1. Put the seat in a fully reclined position
2. Slide the seat forward a bit so the seat back is not resting against the bottom of the rear seat.
3. Kneel on the bottom of the afficted seat bottom, facing the rear of the car.
4. Pull up on the inside handle, and keep it pulled up through the next step.
5. From the kneeling position, drop your weight onto the seat back. It's a short, sharp impact that's needed, not a sustained push.

My wife is 5'2", 100 lbs., and she did this no problem. I kept the inside handle pulled up, and she basically just dropped her shoulder into the headrest, sort of like a dead fall. As soon as her shoulder hit the headrest, we heard a click and the seat was fixed.

Thanks to Tradd Dozier at Baron for this tip. It almost makes up for the time they overfilled the oil by half a quart.

Marty

Can't get the passenger seat to even recline..fix for that?

Memo to Courtois - You're lucky to have Mr. Dozier as your service advisor. He was at MINI of Sterling, took care of my '04 MCS, and we miss him.

Just adding my issue to see if anyone has had this happen. My drivers seat will tilt forward and back just fine, but My Drivers seat will raise but will not lower to the lowest position. I can get 2-3 pumps on the up side then it will lower the same 2-3 pumps, but then it stops.

Any ideas? I don't really want to go too the dealer for this, but I may have to! Its just over 50,000 so it is not under warrantee!

The shoulder slam described by Marty worked well for me. My driver seat would not fully recline like it should. I just lifted the inside/inboard recliner handle and gave the seat a rather hard hit with my shoulder. Sounded like it broke, but the loud click seemed to restore the mechanism to normal. Thanks everyone.

i brought my car to the dealer for this same problem and all the SA did was body check my seat until it clicked back into place. Not really the solution I was looking for, but it did do the trick