TORN CARPET FROM SEAT REARWARD MOVEMENT

[r44raven]

Attached is a pic of the rear part of the propshaft tunnel, from which can be seen a tear in the carpet, just below the midway point of the seat belt carrier. This is caused when the driver's seat is moved towards its maximum rearward position. The cut is so deep it actually digs into the metal of the tunnel.

I am wondering if this is because the rear part of the seat is too low? I have removed the seat (for other purposes), and it is obvious that the seat had been removed by a PO - not least because the carpet under seat was very clean, and not covered with the usual detritus of a 27 year old car! When I removed the seat, there were no spacers under where the rear bolts hold the seat to the floor, and I am wondering if in fact, there should be some spacers to lift the rear part of the seat just a few centimetres upwards - which I think could prevent the seat runner fouling the carpet? When the seat was previously removed, were these spacers (if any) lost?

Raising the height of the seat electrically doesn't help.

I've searched the EPC, but can find no obvious reference to a spacer when studying the seat section.

Or maybe the seat can be turned clockwise slightly - but again I don't think the fixings allow for this?



Can anyone suggest the cause, or a possible cure?

 

[2phast]

Don't have an answer for you but my 500E had the same problem, so your problem is not unique

 

[195910]

The Driver seat is tilted towards the drive shaft. Check lift mechanism on the right side of the seat bench, motor might run but not turning the cable.

 

[DerFuror]

I inherited the same anomaly with my 500E. I recently watched the full seat travel motion. The seat assembly is firmly mounted to floor & all adjustment controls appear to function properly. Unloaded, there is no carpet contact. Although I haven't further tested, I'd assume seat slide rail corner contact is made while the seat is loaded with an occupant in conjunction with making other seat & back adjustments, and/or the foot of a rear seat occupant may cause the tunnel carpet to rise. Carpet on the less-used passenger side is fine.





Sheesh! Camera flash sure makes the interior look filthy...

 

[195910]

Did you check the seat bench lift mechanism ? 1 in the front and 2 in the back section, check the 2 in the back that can move independently from the from by pressing the rear section of seat bench button up/down.

I have seen this on a couple of cars so I thought I mention it

 

[silver_diesel_benz]

I can’t speak for a 500e but I just put my Sportline drivers seat in my 300d and my 300d seats did have spacers underneath the back, I cant remember if my seat donor car did or not. But if your seats don’t have spacers maybe you can get some to put under there.

 

[silver_diesel_benz]

I can’t speak for a 500e but I just put my Sportline drivers seat in my 300d and my 300d seats did have spacers underneath the back, I cant remember if my seat donor car did or not. But if your seats don’t have spacers maybe you can get some to put under there.

Just installed my passenger seat so had a chance to take a picture of what I meant. I dont know if these are “spacers” but I’d check to see if your seats have them, if not maybe they’d help.

 

[nocfn]

On the C126, these are very thin but larger aluminum rectangles. When I rebuilt the floorpan with Dynamat, these things looked to me as washers to hold the carpet snug to the floor around the bolt hole as well as a washer for the mounting.

 

[LWB250]

The brackets pictured in the previous post are just that, they're used as hold downs under the bolts that secure the seat tracks to the floor. Same as what @nocfn described, only on the earlier models like the W123 and W126 they're just rectangular "washers" that go under the bolts. The older ones are designed to fit inside of the seat tracks.

Have you checked the power movement bits of the seat, that is, have you checked to see if the rear of the seat moves as a unit when raising and lowering? If I recall, there is a rod that joins the two side's gear mechanism for raising and lowering the rear, and if it's out of contact or damaged on one side, one rear corner can move while the other does not. The seat will have a noticeable lean if this occurs, believe me.

Dan

 

[r44raven]

Did you check the seat bench lift mechanism ? 1 in the front and 2 in the back section, check the 2 in the back that can move independently from the from by pressing the rear section of seat bench button up/down.

I have seen this on a couple of cars so I thought I mention it

All parts of the seat bench lift mechanism work properly, so I don't see that being the issue.

Just installed my passenger seat so had a chance to take a picture of what I meant. I dont know if these are “spacers” but I’d check to see if your seats have them, if not maybe they’d help.

It seems to me these spacers could be the answer. I don't suppose anyone has a part number for them? I've searched the EPC high and low, and can't find them anywhere!

I inherited the same anomaly with my 500E. I recently watched the full seat travel motion. The seat assembly is firmly mounted to floor & all adjustment controls appear to function properly. Unloaded, there is no carpet contact. Although I haven't further tested, I'd assume seat slide rail corner contact is made while the seat is loaded with an occupant in conjunction with making other seat & back adjustments, and/or the foot of a rear seat occupant may cause the tunnel carpet to rise. Carpet on the less-used passenger side is fine.

View attachment 102718

View attachment 102717

Sheesh! Camera flash sure makes the interior look filthy...

That's an interesting angle. I need to get my 500E out and check the situation when my driver's seat is loaded/unloaded.

Thanks for all you guys input!

 

[r44raven]

Just thought I'd write the finale to this post, particularly as some members here (DerFuror and 2phast) had posted that they had the same problem. I managed to get some seat spacers (thanks to Captruff!), and put three on each side, beneath the rear seat mounts of the driver's front seat. Problem solved. I'm able to adjust the seat both to its lowest position, and most rearward position, and the seat rail no longer gouges into the transmission tunnel.

I've now got to find some way of repairing the damaged carpet.