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Thread: Headrest cable repair oddity?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    191

    Default Headrest cable repair oddity?

    This weekend I had to repair a passenger side seat that had become twisted. No problem. I also had to balance out the rails that had gotten out of wach due to the seat. No problem. After getting the seats back in the car I decided to repair the headrest. I can hear the motor running but no movement in either driver or passenger seat. So I removed the back of the seat as instructed. Removed the 8mm screws (what a PITA). I could barely get the motor off the cable because the cable was sticking into the motor a good inch and a half. Really no need to repair. The issue was that there was no cable in the portion of the mechanism that made the seat move. so i pushed the cable back and placed it back in the motor and secured the motor to the bracket. Yes! Finally after three years the headrest operated properly.

    Filled with pride over my accomplishments of the day (I had also completed my application of Leatherique), I returned to play with the headrest once more before repairing the driver's side. Nothing... well I be darned (not the exact word I used at the time but you get my drift). So I removed the screws, tilted the motor enough to remove the cable and like a bad magic trick, the cable had returned to the original length making the headrest inoperative. Well I'll be a son of a gun. Has anyone else experience this oddity? Anyone have a solution?

    Thanks in advance,

    David

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,839

    Default

    shorten the cable sheath.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Mississauga, Ont.
    Posts
    55

    Default

    Yes, i had the same thing happen to me.

    I just snipped a small section of coat hanger (~1/4") and inseted into the motor socket before putting the cable back in.

    This keeps the cable from slipping back out of the other end.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Posts
    4,150

    Default As Jeff said , you just shorten

    The sheath, you remove the cable end from the motor like so

    Then you take the cable out of the housing like so

    Then you take the end off of the cable, i use a 8 mm open end wrench to push against the metal end of the cable jacket to remove it... you can heat it slightly with a lighter to get it off easier if you want.

    Then you cut off about 3/8 of an inch off the black jacket end and reassemble , when you do this the ends of the cable will stick out of each end further, allowing the drive end to engage more solidly in each end. You may have to heat the metal end up slight to push it back onto the black jacket all way before you put the cable back in.


    Quote Originally Posted by dternst
    This weekend I had to repair a passenger side seat that had become twisted. No problem. I also had to balance out the rails that had gotten out of wach due to the seat. No problem. After getting the seats back in the car I decided to repair the headrest. I can hear the motor running but no movement in either driver or passenger seat. So I removed the back of the seat as instructed. Removed the 8mm screws (what a PITA). I could barely get the motor off the cable because the cable was sticking into the motor a good inch and a half. Really no need to repair. The issue was that there was no cable in the portion of the mechanism that made the seat move. so i pushed the cable back and placed it back in the motor and secured the motor to the bracket. Yes! Finally after three years the headrest operated properly.

    Filled with pride over my accomplishments of the day (I had also completed my application of Leatherique), I returned to play with the headrest once more before repairing the driver's side. Nothing... well I be darned (not the exact word I used at the time but you get my drift). So I removed the screws, tilted the motor enough to remove the cable and like a bad magic trick, the cable had returned to the original length making the headrest inoperative. Well I'll be a son of a gun. Has anyone else experience this oddity? Anyone have a solution?

    Thanks in advance,

    David

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eastern Tennessee USi
    Posts
    14,839

    Default

    There is also the optional method used by BMW dealers, cut the sheath somewhere handy in the middle, shorten and reassemble with 2 clamps and a piece of hose.
    The method Bill suggests is much more professional.
    95 E34 530I V2.37
    ===========
    Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

    John F. Kennedy

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Melbourne Australia
    Posts
    326

    Default

    had this problem myself, hadnt got around to looking for a fix. thanx for the info. now have somthing 'fun' to do on the w'end
    1994 540i Auto

    live fast; die sideways
    13.3 @ 104mph (not in the 540)
    15.4 @ 150 Kph in the 540 (24/9/07)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Texas
    Posts
    191

    Default

    I figured since there was so much of the cable exposed, that removing more was not necessary. Also there seems to be a three inch splice in the middle of the cable. The person responsible placed a peice of tubing with a few clamps to hold it in place.

    I'll go out and give the cable a little snip snip.

    Thanks everyone for the help...

    David

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