Annoying Klonk Noise from Driver's Seat While Turning

[Victor]

Any quick turn to right or left produces a Klonk! sound that I feel must be coming from my driver's seat, most likely the seat back. I've looked under the seat and don't see anything that could be responsible. I'd like to take off the rear cover of the seat, but don't know if it's possible without asking for trouble putting it back.

Ideas appreciated. Thanks!

[shogun]

go to my website below, on left see under other diy links>>>private repair links>>Gale has many pics of seat disassembling and repair

[Victor]

Found an e32 pix there which shows the seat back cover can be removed by pulling from the bottom, then lifting upward. Will try and report back. Thanks! (Can't imagine what's loose enough to make the Klonk I'm hearing, but who knows ...).

[myles]

I think I get the same thing. Is it a sideways movement at the lower back? not a forward/back or up/down like shogun's repair link.

It never used to happen when I had manual seats, but since I've fitted the electric seats I've noticed it happening.

Years before I had the electric seats I remember seeing an E32 fan site that had details of this repair, but I've never been able to find it again. I remember that the fix was to use one or two plastic zip tie between some of the moving parts at the back of the seat to take up some of the excess movement.

[Victor]

Thanks Myles - I've tried to pull off the seat back by starting at the bottom but couldn't. Nearly pinched my fingers off, too, as the springs are so strong. Pulling from the upper portion at the sides seems more promising, but since that's not how it works on the E32's, I'm reluctant to force it.

Yes, it's a sideways movement which seems to Klonk at the lower back. I can generate it by turning the steering wheel from side to side at 30 mph.

My seats are electric too. Can't imagine what they didn't tie down well, but if we can figure out how to get the seat backs off, maybe we'll see.

[myles]

This is for standard seats, I'm not sure about the sports seats.

Some seat backs have a screw on either side near the bottom, some dont have them. Mine do. If you've got them, remove them. Sitting in the back seat use both hands with your finger tips curled under the lower edge of the seat back and firmly push upwards and pull the lower edge back towards you. Once the lower clips have come undone pull the seat back down towards the floor to unhook it from the top. That should be it.

[Victor]

No set screws. I checked out realoem.com and see what you're saying about how to remove them makes perfect sense. The bottom clips are of a different design from the top.

I angled the seat back forward, sat in the back, had thin rubber gloves on, tucked my fingers into the bottom and pulled toward myself ... No frekin' way. I grabbed the sides, which flexed frightfully, wiggled, jiggled, and yanked. No go. I'm sure I put over 50lbs of force into it, but it's just not coming.

So, I'm resigned to living with this additional example of German engineering ... Not to mention the Knocking from some part they didn't secure. GRRRRR. Thanks for your help though. End of story.

[genphreak]

Just remove the seat, and turn it upside down. Remove the back. You'll find the culprit- and it will be easy to fix. 3 torx screws and the seat and seat belt are out. Electric is much harder, you have to undo an electrical plug :) (and they are heavier to lift!) The plug takes care and patience tho- and plenty of it. And you need to be careful maneuvering the seat to avoid the door, scratching paint et al.

[Victor]

As hard as I was pulling, I'm not sure I'd manage to remove the back any easier if the seat was out of the car. I also have a forward and back free play in the seat though. If that could be addressed with the seat out I'd have double motive. The seat moves like a rocking chair just a little backward and forward. If that's not an easy fix, I'm going to wait until my indy looks at the seat back. Many thanks!

[genphreak]

everything is easy once it is out. Search for my recent thread on fixing seats and you will see and be motivated. Just need the right torx socket to undo the fasteners...

But here's a major motivator: Ask how much your indie would charge to do what you can do easily!!! :)

[Victor]

What does one have to do to solve the rocking forward-n-back? (If you have a link for the fix, so much the better)! It seems like something's just worn. In that case, I wonder if the part is still available. I guess my seat's a rockin' and a knockin'.

[genphreak]

I've never seen this before in an e34. It is rare as the seats are strong and very well constructed.

Perhaps a weld has broken- if so removing makes fixing that easy. The answer is to search the at the source of the problem... ;)

You saw this recent post about seats (http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/5-series-bmw/43653-worn-out-seats-heres-cheap-bu-effective-fix.html)?

[ScottyWM]

I've had what sounds like the same clunk for years now. I've had the seat back off probably about 3-4 times and never found anything that I thought could be the cause! It doesn't clunk at every turn, but every once in a while - maybe once a month I get it. Mine is more of a feeling in the back rather than a noise though. I figure if that's the worse thing going on with the car I'm doing pretty damn good.

[Victor]

Got the seat backs off! Received help from my indy. Trick was to pull from one side first, doubling the force I was applying when trying to pull both seat back bottom corners simultaneously.

Good news is I fixed my headrests, which now go up and down. But the KLONK is still hidden from view somehow. Really annoying... I need to get someone to sit in the back seat while I weave the car back and forth to create the noise... Unless, of course, anyone else has actually solved this problem and can tell me the likely suspect part.

[John B.]

Should be easy enough to tell if the problem is in the base. Just sit in the seat, grab the front lower edge & see if you can move it up & down. I had a clunk in the seat base when I first got my 535i that took a while to track down. The source was the mounting stud just under the outside front of the seat. Look for the stud with a lock nut on top of a larger adjusting nut. You want to remove any freeplay/slop in that assy. Seat has to come out to access both nuts but once I adjusted that assy. my clonking seat was fixed.

[Victor]

I definitely have play in the fore-aft dimension, much like a rocking chair with about a half inch of movement. I assumed it was unrelated, since the noise is produced upon turning left and right suddenly. But I'll check! Even if just the fore-aft problem can be solved by tightening a nut, I'll be thrilled.

Many thanks! Vic