Rear Reclining Seats

[x5e53]

Hi All,

I am trying to retro-fit reclining seats to my BMW X5 e53 4.8 2004.
I have installed the motors and the swicthes (tail gate ones) but nothing happens.
The 30amp fuse is present in position 77 in the fuse box above the subwoofer.
I have read the Relay swicth only need to be installed if I also use the roof swicthes.

I have the pan roof - i am assuming I do not need to do anything with the wiring (that is if it even exists up there)?

Do the reaer tailgate switches light up when the headlights are on? Maybe power isnt going to them?
Does this feature need to be enabled?

Any suggestions will be a good start.

[x5e53]

Problem solved.
On each side where the wires for the motors are, I found 2 plug/connectors which looked similar to the plugs/connectors which appear at the back for the tail gate swicthes.
So I just plugged 2 extra switches in these (1  per side) and now it works. Must be so that the circuit is complete or something.

So even though I cant have the roof controls/switches because I have a pan roof, I still needed to plug the switches in. So now I have 4 swicthes in total, 2 which are hidden. 2 which are near the tail gate

[X5Sport]

I had the system fitted to mine, and I had a pano roof so I'm not sure why you can't have both.

There should be a switch for each passenger in rear of the car, and a switch at each rear quarter just inside the boot opening to adjust it when loading the boot.  No they don't light up (well mine didn't).

Should be a blue connector each side in the boot that the switches plug into.

[x5e53]

Yes just realised the C pillar (where the seat belt goes), there should be 2 swicthes here.
So i will move the switches up to this location.

[kkx5]

C pillar where they should be on facelift, but its not prewired, you have to retrofit the harness for it which is pain...but good luck

[X5Sport]

I thought Raj found it was wired in on his when he did it?  It was just plug and play.... ???

[kkx5]

Hmm, could be diff. harness on "is". Had no wires on my facelift 4.4...

[Raj]

[quote="X5Sport"]
I thought Raj found it was wired in on his when he did it?  It was just plug and play.... ???
[/quote]

You are correct Richard. I have found that facelift models seem to be pre-wired for everything lol.

When I fitted the reclining seats the wiring was present to the C pillars and rear boot.

As OP has found you have to have all 4 switches plugged in to complete the circuit or it won't work.

[kkx5]

No, they are not all prewired. I had no harness on my facelift 2005 4.4i

[X MAN]

[quote="kkx5"]
No, they are not all prewired. I had no harness on my facelift 2005 4.4i
[/quote]

Mine was pre wired 05 diesel. Kkx5 do you have the blue connectors either side of the boot ? If so yours will be pre wired. The wiring for switches that route to C pillars on facelift models is hidden behind the carpeted panels in the boot which are secured to the car using plastic rivets. To do a quick check for this wiring remove the rear seat bolsters and shine a torch in there.

[kkx5]

I retrofitted mine last year. Did have no wires at all. No blue connectors, nothing.

[x5e53]

OK so all switches fitted. Rear Tailgate ones working.
C pillar ones do not work, but without them, it breaks the circuit so even the tailgate ones stop working.

I have ensured the relay is in place.

Lost for ideas now on why it does not work.

[X MAN]

[quote="x5e53"]
OK so all switches fitted. Rear Tailgate ones working.
C pillar ones do not work, but without them, it breaks the circuit so even the tailgate ones stop working.

I have ensured the relay is in place.

Lost for ideas now on why it does not work.
[/quote]

C pillar switches for rear reclining seats are on the same circuit as the rear electric windows, if power to rear windows is cut from drivers door window switch so that rear passengers cannot operate the rear windows it also cuts power to the C pillar switches for rear reclining seats but your rear boot switches should operate regardless. 

Check the drivers door window switch if the green LED is on or off , C pillar switches should operate once rear windows have power.

[Raj]

[quote="X MAN"]
[quote="x5e53"]
OK so all switches fitted. Rear Tailgate ones working.
C pillar ones do not work, but without them, it breaks the circuit so even the tailgate ones stop working.

I have ensured the relay is in place.

Lost for ideas now on why it does not work.
[/quote]

C pillar switches for rear reclining seats are on the same circuit as the rear electric windows, if power to rear windows is cut from drivers door window switch so that rear passengers cannot operate the rear windows it also cuts power to the C pillar switches for rear reclining seats but your rear boot switches should operate regardless. 

Check the drivers door window switch if the green LED is on or off , C pillar switches should operate once rear windows have power.
[/quote]

This ^^. I fell foul of this and spent about 30minutes scratching my head thinking the switches were knackered until I hit the front driver window button. Suppose a bit like the windows you don't want the kids messing with them when you don't want them too lol

[x5e53]

Ive tried the window switch.
Thinking I should disconnect the battery for 20mins and reconnect?

Just like a PC, maybe needs a restart..lol