Help - Front seats need to come out (S3)

[fasteddie]

Hi,

I hope someone can help, I am in the middle of removing the front passenger seat from my S3 becasue of a ball bearing carrier failure (both sides). I have removed the four allen key bolts holding the slide mech to the subframe. So the seat is lose, however I can not remove the electrical connectors underneath. I have removed the three rear connectors as they are fairly easy to remove. The three at the front are clipped in and look like they need a tool to remove them??? Is that the case? I also tried to remove the front two bolts holding the subframe to the floor to raise the subframe to give me better access to the connectors, however the subframe is fixed in such a way it can't be raised. It has to slide backwards first - and I can't move it back much. Any help on this would be great and the sooner the better as the seat is lose in the car only held on by some wires!

 

[FactionOne]

I found it easier to slide the whole seat plus its frame out of the rails - it's just a case of removing one bolt under the front of the seat and then getting those electrical conenctors out. You don't need a special tool to disconnect them to be honest, but a flat-head precision screwdriver (or two) certainly doesn't hurt when you're trying to un-hook the clips that lock the connectors together. Given that access/visibility is limited it can be a pain I know; but with perseverance and enough swearing at the clips you can get the connectors apart without any more complicated tools than that. I'm not certain (last time I had my seats out was 12 months ago), but the wiring might even allow you enough movement to slide the seat backwards (after removing that bolt) and tilt it upwards so you can get to the connectors properly.

You can download a PDF manual for the interior here - http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/macnee/downloads.html - (thanks to Khufu). If you jump to page 179 you're at the section for removing and installing a Recaro seat (which to be honest is no different to removing any other seat really); it's not too detailed but it should give a clearer idea of what I'm on about.

Hope that helps,

Regards,

Rob.

 

[Mo-S3]

You need to remove the front plastic cover and undo the 2 13mm bolts that hold the frame to the chassis. Then remove the plastic covers in the rear footwell to expose the slide rails. One cover is only clipped in and will lose its clip in the process.
Slide the whole seat back wards and the front frame will come away from the chassis allowing the seat to be tilted back on its rollers and thus enabling you access to the connecters underneath.
once these are disconnected wiggle the seat backwards and upwards so that the rollers come out of the tracks.
I would now say simply lift the seat out but i wont becasue its dam heavy so i suggest you get someone to help you.

 

[fasteddie]

Thanks all, the seat is out, however now the fun really starts. The reason the seat had to come out is the ball bearing carriers fell out of the back of the rollers and now the seat wobbles. I have looked at the manual but it is a little complex for my small brain. I can see that the roller mech is attached to a memory module. I can remove the tape that attaches to the roller at the front of the seat. However I haven't tried to detach the roller itself because of the "bowden" cable. The manual suggests I take this off. I cant understand how it says to do it, other than to remove enough plastic trim to cover half of Africa. Is this the only way and if I do go this route will all the plastic need replacing(ie will the retaining clips break etc)?

 

[fasteddie]

What I really want to know is what the bl**dy h$ll is stopping the bottom of the rollers sliding right off the top section? And I have removed the plastic lugs at the front, they still seize at some point and fail to come off? Is it possible to do this as the ball carries came out of there, i would like to replace them.

 

[Mo-S3]

can you post some pics so i can an idea of exactly which part your referring to ?

 

[fasteddie]

right then here are some photos if they help. I have seen the airbag light on now, I take it this will go away when I refit the seat???

first pic is a photo from behind the offending roller rail. two of these on the seat both need replacing

the next is the memory module, this device is attached to a "bowden" cable and looks attached to the rail, if this needs to come off the bowden cable will need to be removed and i am not sure I'l evver get it back on.

Bowden Cable

seat from underneath (all on the kitchen floor - the wife does not love me, the 3 year old thinks it a rocking horse that doesn't rock and i think the 3 year old better not try riding it again!!)

Cheers