52 13 400 Replacing Seat Cover For Left Or Right Front Seat (Normal/Semi-Electric)

Special tools required: 

• 52 0 050. See 52 0 050 PLIERS .

Necessary preliminary tasks: 

• Remove front seat. See 52 14 000 Removing and installing left or right front seat 
• Remove rear panel on front seat backrest. See 52 14 198 Removing and installing/replacing rear panel on left or right front seat backrest .
• Remove inner cover on front seat. See 52 14 041 Removing and installing inner cover on left or right front seat .

When replacing seat cover: 

If seat cover is defective, seat cover and padding with OC3 mat must be replaced together.

New seat cover is supplied with padding, OC3 mat and if necessary seat heating.

When replacing padding with OC3 mat: 

If OC3 mat or padding is defective, both parts may only be replaced together.

These must be fitted with the seat cover from the car.

After fitting seat cover, enable OC3 mat with BMW diagnosis system.

Enabling seat occupancy detector (OC3 mat): 

• Connect BMW diagnosis system
• Release seat occupancy detector
• Clear fault memory if necessary

Unhook seat cover (2) at all retaining points.

Lever out left and right clips (1).

Installation: 

If necessary, replace faulty clips (1).

Remove seat cover (2) with support.

If necessary, disconnect all plug connections.

Fig 1: Identifying Seat Cover And Clips

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Version with OC3 mat: 

• OC3 mat must not be kinked under any circumstances.

Detach all retainers in side area from longitudinal wires (1).

Pull trim wires (1) forward out of seat cover.

Carefully fold back seat cover and release retainers from cross - wires (2).

Remove seat cover from padding.

Fig 2: Identifying Longitudinal Wires And Trim Wires

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Padding (1) with OC3 mat (2).

Fig 3: Identifying Padding With OC3 Mat

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Installation: 

Bend new retainer (2) closed with pliers 52 0 050. See 52 0 050 PLIERS

1. Padding
2. Clips
3. Trim wire in seat cover
4. Trim wire in padding
5. Seat cover
   Fig 4: Identifying Special Tool (50 0 050)

   Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Remove trim threads (1) from seat cover (2).

1. (3) If necessary, cable for seat heating

Installation: 

Slide trim threads (1) into new seat cover (2). If necessary, cut mounting for trim threads.

Fig 5: Identifying Trim Threads And Seat Cover

Courtesy of BMW OF NORTH AMERICA, INC.