If pulling up on the tilt lever won’t release the seatback, the cable(s) may need adjustment (or they may have broken). There are (2) cables which are secured to the outer release lever with separate thru-type bolts. Remove the rear cover from the seatback with a Phillips screwdriver and the cables will be revealed. The inner (tunnel side) cable is a long one that is routed around a plastic pulley and down to the locking cam assembly.
The outer cable is short and follows the outer seat rail. Use needle nose pliers to hold the cable while adjusting the small 10 mm nut and bolt assembly. It takes a few tries to get both adjusted correctly. Lubricate the pulley and locking cam parts with light grease before re-installing the seat back cover.
Last update: 2007-07-06 06:08
Author: Jim Gerock
If the top portion of the panel is difficult to pull upward after all the perimeter pins have been pulled out, simply use a long, thin screwdriver and small hammer to tap the metal clips upward (with the panel). Mine were seized and would not budge, even after tapping the ends with a hammer and block of wood.
Lie underneath the open door with the panel swinging outward and tap on the clips. It worked beautifully!
Remember to put anti-seize paste where the clips slide on the metal door frame before re-installing the panel for the next removal.
Last update: 2007-06-10 19:19
Author: Jim Gerock
By Eric Tangen
Last update: 2007-01-02 10:03
I have adapted a 320i door stop mechanism to my 2002. Any 2002 owner will tell you that their door stops are a poor design. The later door stop design is entirely different and appears much sturdier. It also gives a better feel to opening and closing the door. The only special tools required are a bench grinder and a Dremel tool or electric drill. Remove the old door stop. Remove the pin which anchors the door stop to the bracket on the door frame. Work the pin upward until it is inside the door stop arm bushing. Using a 5/32 diameter punch, gently hammer the pin upwards from the bottom. Using the punch on the exposed pin end will cause it to mushroom. Remove the door panel, the two 10mm bolts holding the door stop, and remove the door stop. Save the pin and the bolts. Remove the nylon bushing which the pin from Step 1 passes through from the end of the old door stop arm with a quarter-inch punch and pliers. Overzealous use of the punch will cause the nylon to mushroom. Grind the height of the bushing end of the new door stop arm to that of the corresponding height on the old door stop arm. File the outside diameter of the nylon bushing from Step 2 so it can fit inside the new door stop bushing. Press this bushing into the new door stop. Install the new door stop using the pin and bolts from the old mechanism.
There are two detent positions on its arm. Move the arm to the less extreme detent. Install from the inside of the door, with the detents facing the inside of the car. Two modifications are required during installation. First the door stop must be shimmed away from the door about a quarter inch. I installed flat washers to do this. Secondly, the door stop arm rubs against the outside edge of the rectangular cutout in the door, so I removed about an eighth of an inch of metal from the door with my drill. I could have dispensed with using the old door stop pin and used the newer pin but I chose not to because this would require enlarging the holes in the door stop bracket on the door frame and I did not want to do irreversible work on the car The above procedure results in the door being held open by the less extreme detent on the 320i door stop arm; the further detent is beyond the swing of the door. Consequently, the door has free play beyond its stopping point. You could disassemble the door stop arm from its mounting bracket and remove metal at the second detent if you wanted a door that could be held open in two positions.