2012 135 i convertible rear headrest

[Jim90046]

Hi all ! What the heck is going on with the rear headrest ? I just traded in my 2009 128 i convertible for a 2012 135 i convertible and the rear headrest will not go all the way down flush with the seat . Now I know they did as my 128 did because I hated them up because it restricted my view ! If you know the answer please do tell ! And if you have a solution like maybe cutting the metal bars down I am so ready to do that ! Thanks people , Jim

[Pangloss]

Originally Posted by Jim90046

Hi all ! What the heck is going on with the rear headrest ? I just traded in my 2009 128 i convertible for a 2012 135 i convertible and the rear headrest will not go all the way down flush with the seat . Now I know they did as my 128 did because I hated them up because it restricted my view ! If you know the answer please do tell ! And if you have a solution like maybe cutting the metal bars down I am so ready to do that ! Thanks people , Jim

Whoa Nellie! That's not just a metal bar, it's an explosive-charged emergency roll-bar system that automatically deploys if your car overturns. The headrests fly off and that metal bar shoots up to protect your head. So I wouldn't go hacking at that metal until you've done a LOT of research on those components. :-)

FWIW the headrests don't interfere with my rearward view at all, though I have heard other people say they have this problem.

[Jim90046]

NO bro not the roll bar system ! LOL ! I found out what BMW North America did ! They put a plug on the outside bar in each rear headrest . I would never mess with the roll bar system . I just cut off about 2 inches of the outside headrest bar and now they go all the way down and you would never know it was done as it locks in place just as before and now they go all the way down to meet the rear seats . You would never know it unless you pulled the headrest out of the auto .European models don't have this restriction its only USA models I found out ! I was told by BMW it was some part of a lawsuit agreement because of a rollover accident and that is why USA models have this plug to keep the headrest from going all the way down . Some off you might be thinking why did I cut off part of the headrest bar and not try and remove the plug ! I was not about to tear my rear seat apart in an attempt to do so ! Again fellow Bimmer lovers the headrest still functions just like it did except the headrest gos all the way down ! I also heard this was happening to the new 3 and 5 series so if you are going crazy wondering why you can't get your headrest down , Now you know ! Peace , Jim

[Pangloss]

Cool. Any chance of some pics? :-)

[Jim90046]

Sure ! I'll download em and post soon ..Jim

[Jim90046]

Mmmm . How do I post pics ? Don't see an option ?

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by Jim90046

Mmmm . How do I post pics ? Don't see an option ?

Click on ADVANCE Mode to post (not quick post) then use the "paper clip" icon to upload the photos from your pc. Make sure the photo files are between 200kb and 400kbs in size. That is it!

[Section147]

Jim90046...this has been making me crazy since I picked up my vert as well. When looking from the rear of the car, it was always
like, "why doesn't that guy put his headrests down?" Very troubling, aesthetics-wise. More importantly, with them only being able
to be lowered halfway, the visibility out of the small rear window with the top up was ridiculous.
It appears that the idiot lawyers (don't get me started) decided that it would be "safer" to have them obstructing the rearward view
of thousands of us here in the states to keep the sue-happy populace at bay.
And I still don't get how the "plug" they inserted has any benefit whatsoever. The roll-bar system is gonna deploy no matter what!

Anyway, a buddy took care of this lunacy for me with his Sawzall, a polishing brush and three minutes of his time. I would suggest
this "conversion" to anyone with a newer 1 vert.

ADDENDUM: Sawing the rear headrest posts may result in reducing or removing their intended safety function for rear-
seat passengers. Perform this mod at your own risk!

[Pangloss]

Thanks! I see what you mean, it doesn't completely drop them below the shelf, but I could see where that would open up some of the rear view in the left and right lower areas of the mirror.

[American Phaser]

Jim, thanks for starting this thread. Not being able to lower the headrests has been driving me crazy since I bought my 135i convertible a few weeks ago. I decided to take the seat apart and see what was happening. I'm happy to report that I was able to fix the problem at its source. My adventure is posted here in the DIY section.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804

[VMRWheels]

Originally Posted by American Phaser

Jim, thanks for starting this thread. Not being able to lower the headrests has been driving me crazy since I bought my 135i convertible a few weeks ago. I decided to take the seat apart and see what was happening. I'm happy to report that I was able to fix the problem at its source. My adventure is posted here in the DIY section.

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804

Great write up. Looks extremely straight forward to anyone who is looking for more visibility.

[angler]

just picked up my new convertible last Friday. I could not understand why the rear headrest wouldn't go down. At first I thought I was being stupid and was missing something. Finally realized they just wouldn't go down! They look bad sitting that high up plus you can't see out the back window, WTF? So did the search on the forum and came up with this thread. Thank you, as I took the car to a friend who has a body shop. Within 3 minutes and I do mean 3 minutes he cut the bar on the button side 2 inches, quick polish, and back where they belong. Guess what I can see out the back window, what a novel concept. Better then new! So thanks again for the info that is what makes forums like this great.

[Section147]

Originally Posted by angler

Guess what I can see out the back window, what a novel concept. So thanks again for the info that is what makes forums like this great.

[MotoWPK]

It is a mystery to me how preventing the headrests from going all the way down was a response to a rollover accident suit. However that occured, it seems a completely illogical response.

The headrests can still be removed, and by preventing them to go all the way down owners' are motivated to do just that to prevent the significant obstruction to the rear view (which is a safety hazard). So, how is having no headrest better than a headrest that goes all the way down?

We picked up our new '13 128i vert about a week ago and it took me less than 24 hours to pull the headrests. Thanks to the posters here who've explained in detail two methods how to resolve the issue and keep your headrests. While the cutting the left post seems simpler, I prefer the more involved method of removing the rear seat and removing the stopper - it essentially returns the vehicle to it's original spec. From the great writeup provided on this, it appears pretty straightforward. Think I'll try it tomorrow.

[Bob Z.]

Was removing the rear seat difficult so that the stopper can be removed? I think I would rather do it that way vice cutting something.

[MotoWPK]

Bob Z, I'm going to be using the instructions nicely documented by American Phaser here: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804

Be sure to also look through his referenced link:

http://www.mods4cars.com/sms/db/smar...stall_1/en.php

It has a picture of the removed headrest bracket (at the top of the rear seat) that illustrates the tabs you need to manipulate to pull the brackets.

While at first I had some trepidation about pulling out the rear seat of a brand new car, from the instructions it looks quite straightforward. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I'll have direct experience confirming same!

[angler]

Originally Posted by MotoWPK

It is a mystery to me how preventing the headrests from going all the way down was a response to a rollover accident suit. However that occured, it seems a completely illogical response.

The headrests can still be removed, and by preventing them to go all the way down owners' are motivated to do just that to prevent the significant obstruction to the rear view (which is a safety hazard). So, how is having no headrest better than a headrest that goes all the way down?

We picked up our new '13 128i vert about a week ago and it took me less than 24 hours to pull the headrests. Thanks to the posters here who've explained in detail two methods how to resolve the issue and keep your headrests. While the cutting the left post seems simpler, I prefer the more involved method of removing the rear seat and removing the stopper - it essentially returns the vehicle to it's original spec. From the great writeup provided on this, it appears pretty straightforward. Think I'll try it tomorrow.

I agree, who could possibly think that obstructing the back window of the car could be a good idea? It's already a small view to begin with and with the headrests where they are you can't see squat! With the headrests all the way down now its driving a completely new car.
Lets us know how the process goes. For me it was much easier to cut the posts since they still work and the headrest locks in at all different heights.

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by MotoWPK

Bob Z, I'm going to be using the instructions nicely documented by American Phaser here: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804

Be sure to also look through his referenced link:

http://www.mods4cars.com/sms/db/smar...stall_1/en.php

It has a picture of the removed headrest bracket (at the top of the rear seat) that illustrates the tabs you need to manipulate to pull the brackets.

While at first I had some trepidation about pulling out the rear seat of a brand new car, from the instructions it looks quite straightforward. Hopefully by the end of tomorrow I'll have direct experience confirming same!

MotoWPK,

Do let us know how it goes. I'll be looking at the same thing when my car comes in in about a month. I was going to do the seat removal, but remove the brackets with vice grips instead of using a saw and having to cover everything. I hope it is quick, appreciate hearing your experience.

Thanks.

[MotoWPK]

Well first step was a fail.

To be able to stand/kneal on the vehicle's floor while removing the headrest brackets, I started with removing the rear seat bottom. Lifting up on the front edge, the clips towards the center of the seat readily released as expected. But...those near the corners of the seat bottom did not. I tried placing my hands immediately in that area and applying as much force as a I felt safe, but concluded the front corners of the seat bottom are secured by hidden fasteners (at least that's what it feels like).

By way of investigating I inserted my fingers down between the side of the seat bottom and side panel and felt a wire, which causes me to wonder about wiring the to seat sensors? There is nothing in the write ups that makes any reference to having to disconnect any wiring, but it must be there - right? EDIT - Just looked at American Phaser's pic's again and I can see wires left and right in the area I felt them, but the photo shows they go under the carpet rather than connecting to the seat. I'm guessing this must be where the seat sensors are located.

A couple of questions to all who have completed this procedure -

1) Did you do it on a 2013? If it was a 2012 I'm wondering if there has been a model year change or, even if you did do it on a 2013 if there's been a mid-year change? (And one way to answer that would be for anyone who did do this on a 2013, what was your production date?).

2) Did you find something different with the clips near the seat bottom corners that required a different technique other than just pulling up? The pictures that show the seat bottom removed clearly show clips along the front edge that are all the same, but the ones at the corners are not releasing the same as those towards the center.

Of course I can use the alternate method of cutting the left headrest posts, but before giving up on this, my preferred, method, it would be very helpful if those who've done this can provide some insight as to why the front seat bottom is not releasing as has been described.

[MotoWPK]

Further to my previous post describing an inability to release the seat bottom from the outer clips, I'd PM'd American Phaser and he replied that the outer clips were more difficult to release and that you may have to pull forward on the seat bottom.

I tried again and, after releasing the two inboard clips, inserted my fingers under the front edge where I could feel the inboard clips, then ran my hand outwards feeling for the outer clip. I couldn't find it. While not conclusive, this in conjunction with being unable to release the outer clips with what seemed like a reasonable force reinforces my suspicion that something may be different here on the 2013's (mine's a 128i) compared to American Phaser's 2012. Can't imagine why BMW would change it, but that's my impression.

Plan B - Last night it occured to me that perhaps I didn't need to remove the seat bottom to access the seat back retaining nuts and remove it.

First, I removed the rear headrest brackets as described by American Phaser in http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804. I had some interior automotive tools that are plastic wedges and wedged these under the bracket while I inserted a small screw driver and released the clips (see also http://www.mods4cars.com/sms/db/smar...stall_1/en.php for a picture of the bracket that shows the clips). While I'd exepected this to be fiddly, applying upward pressure on the bracket the clips released easily and stayed released, and the bracket then pulls right out.

Secondly, I felt between the bottom edge of the seat back and the rear edge of seat bottom and readily found the nuts that secure the bottom of the seat back. Pressing down on the seat bottom in this area I could easily see them and there is ready access for a socket and extension drive. See picture 5 of American Phaser's write up for indication of the location of the nuts. At each nut is a bracket extending down from the seat back that fits over a stud the nut engages.

To protect the seat bottom while I turned the nut and when I pulled the seat back bottom forward to move its bracket away from the studs, I inserted a towel between the seat bottom and back, passing under the nut and bracket. Conveniently, the nuts are captured in their washers which helps to avoid dropping the washer as you pull the nut away from its stud (after unthreading).

I removed the nuts with a socket drive and extension, then pulled the bottom of the seat back forward to move the bracket off the stud (I did one side at a time). Once done, simply lift up on the seat back to disenage a tang on the seat back that engages a slot right in the middle of the left and right structure that holds the headrest brackets (not apparent from the picture, but that's what the open slot in the middle of the bracket in photo 6 of http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showt...php?p=12291804 is for).

Using a vice grip to clamp one of the vertical legs of the stop immediately below the weld attaching it to the rest of the headrest bracket structure (refer again to photo 6 of the above link), I twisted it back and forth for a about 30 seconds till the weld broke. I then clamped the other leg of the stop just below its weld and bent it side to side and within about 15 seconds it broke off. Applied some black marker to coat the exposed bare steel at the breaks.

Reinstall the seat back by lifting it into place a couple of inches above its installed location with the top edge pressed against the rear bulkhead, then pushed the bottom edge of the seat back in way of the bracket left and right and then pushed the seat back down. Reach down and feel for each bracket and manipulate it to fit over its stud and tighten.

Reinsert the plastic headrest brackets and press to rengage their clips.

Reinstall the headrests, pressing down while pushing in on the button on the left side (I found it took moderate force to push the headrest all the way down) and enjoy.

I had previously removed the rear headrests because I found the degree to which they blocked the view to the rear a safety hazard. That they look better down is a bonus and now it looks finished and as intended.

Once again, thanks to American Phaser for his write up and pictures - they were invaluable.

[Kouper]

MotoWPK,

Thanks for the update and details - glad you were successful! I will have to try this in a few weeks when my car arrives. I'll be curious to see if rear seat bottom is as difficult to remove.