kurt/seattle

The driver's seat in my '99 Avant is loose. I've checked the archive and it looks like I may need to replace the nylon track bushings. I'd like to do it myself. Anybody have any experience with this, or any pointers?

Thanks for the help.

2.7tDallas

and that involved a lot of $$

LMGotts

'01 passenger side...whole seat frame as well...warranty work, probably $$$...

DWP

Mine was a warranty job. Sorry - no details.

BryanR2.7T

Are you guys on the large side or what? What breaks on the seat?

LMGotts

Passenger side seat had "rocking" motion as delivered from the factory.

RCGigHarbor

Hello,

I believe I've got a similar problem: The driver's seat in my '02 2.7T (with Sport) rocks slightly and has since delivery in February of 2002. I mentioned it during my first visit to the dealer (in April) and they claimed it was within Audi specs (this is not the dealer from whom I purchased the car. They're in California and I had it shipped from them to Washington State). I recently had my first scheduled service and didn't mention it again, as there doesn't seem to be any way to recreate the rock when the car is not moving. It only happens when I brake, and then it's only a slight rock - but somewhat annoying. Were you able to recreate the rock when the car was not moving? Was it obvious that it was rocking when moving the seat by hand? It's a minor thing, but the passenger side doesn't rock and while the rocking hasn't worsened, it's really annoying.

Thanks!

LMGotts

The passenger seat rocked from day one...though I probably didn't notice it until day three...

I never had the car serviced at the place I bought it as we had a falling out last second (the sale price of the car mysteriously changed between my ordering the car and when I took delivery) and they were pretty far from me anyway - a closer, better dealer is where I took it for service.

Anyway, my service rep recognized the problem as it could indeed be felt while the car was parked. I believe that you should get your service writer to drive with you and to acknowledge the problem so that you can have it in writing that the issue exists.

My first try at getting it fixed resulted in that recognition of it being an issue by the service writer, and the car being returned to me with some statement to the effect of the seat being normal/within tolerances...complete B.S. and really pissed me off as the thing rocked a lot!...and normal seat rocking on <I>any</I> vehicle should be zero!

Second trip they gave me another song and dance, saying that they tightened everything up...blah, blah; I'm certain that they didn't do anything as it was exactly the same.

Third trip they kept it several days and said they were working on it (uncertain what they were trying to do to fix it) and when I picked it up it was ever so slightly less motion...but still there. I think this is the visit that they "tightened things up" a little.

At this point it had become an issue that I really felt that I was being jerked around by the dealer (I had other issues too with this "better" dealership, such as them telling me at the 5k service that they don't rotate the tires until the 10k service and at the 10k service saying that it'll be &amp;#36;80 if I want it done, since they had rotated them at the 5k service...pretty outrageous and yet another example of shockingly shoddy a near-dead dealer network unable to boot-strap itself to life again...but enough on <I>that</I>!)

So back in at the 20k service and I was more firm about them fixing it...and they did by replacing the seat frame. Unfortunately, I sold my car at the exact same moment...my buyer actually met me at the dealer (when I went back to have the shipping spacers removed from the S6 that they forgot to take out upon delivery...but really, seven or eight people go over every new car, so there's no way that could happen...I guess I inserted some old spacers that I had at home...lame) to take delivery of the car from me.

I never even had the car with the fixed seat, though my buyer says it's fixed now, thank-you-very-much.

The good thing is that it never cost me anything - it was all warranty work. As well, the dealership reps were always very friendly and courteous. The downside was that they could have easily fixed it the first time saving me from over a week without my car, several long inconvenient trips, and the cementing of my belief in their almost universal incompetence.

/endrant

2.7tDallas

I suggest you writre a letter to the GM of the dealership, certfied, return reciept, stating that the loose seat is a safety issue as you feel it could cause loss of control of the car, and that you do not feel the seat will perform to specification in the case of an accident. Mail a copy to the service manager and the service advisor also. Then call the Audi 800#, open a service issue, get a incident #, and fax a copy of the letter, referencing the incidnet number, to Audi.

I gaurentee they will fix it.

My 2000 needed seat frame repair by in idependetn ship, sho ripped the elather on the seat, so I got a new lower leather out of the deal

kurt/seattle

Well, I dove into the seat last night and found part of the problem. It's hard to explain, but there is a round steel tube that is close to the bottom of the seat that is kind of the main pivot point for the up/down tilt motion. On the inside end is a permanent cap. On the outboard end is a metal end cap screwed in to hold everything tight. This had backed off enough so that the pivot point was sloppy.

There is a hole in the motor bracket through which I could slip in a .25" allen and tighten the end cap back up. This was not really the right tool, as the end cap had a hole for a tool that was neither hex not torx. I might try to source the correct tool and do it again.

Lot's of trim removal and contortions. Not real fun.

There's still a slight rock, but it's miles better than it was. Thanks all for the input, and I wish I could be more specific about the repair.

Kurt