[DarkTrigger]

Passenger Seat (mild rust)

Drivers Seat (no rust)

[atomicS]

My May build has rust on both passenger and driver seat bases. very unacceptable. Hope they will replace them.

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by DarkTrigger

Passenger Seat (mild rust)
Attachment 796850
Drivers Seat (no rust)
Attachment 796849

Well, I can see one red rust spot on your driver side seat. Better to keep an eye on it.

[DarkTrigger]

I think the rust is fine. Actually, light rust is fine as it passivates the surface.

[BMWrules7]

Originally Posted by SwampCat84

June Build... The dealer is replacing my seat frames...

Ive had the car for three weeks...

Not for nothing, but i notice some kind of electronics in a white plastic case under your seat. This reminds me of a problem experienced in some data centers in the past.

Well, computer room floors are basically large steel tiles set on a bunch of stringers in the shape of a grid. Plus, the floors of the data center are pressurized so as to distribute air conditioning by inserting a floor tile with ventilation holes.

In general, most data centers maintain up to 50% humidity to reduce static electricity.

Anyway, the computers (IBM) started to fail. Nobody could figure out why. Then, it was finally discovered, that these iron whiskers were being found inside the circuit boards of the failing computers. These iron whiskers were shorting out the circuit boards wreaking havoc.

It turns out that the iron whiskers formed from rust under the steel floor tiles. The top of the tile is some kind of beautiful white material that can reduce static. The entire grid is bonded to the building ground. But, the underneath part of the floor tile looks exactly like the bottom of your rusted seats.

See where I am going with this?

Maybe the rust is harmless from a structural standpoint, but could the iron filings released from the oxidation start to land on the various circuit boards placed throughout the BMW? Maybe the rust is harmless, but maybe it is causing these goofy problems with windshield wiper fluid showing low when full...

Okay, maybe that's extreme. But, what about the longer term effects of little iron particles floating throughout your car and landing inside your car's sensitive microcircuitry???

Just a thought and a reason to make BMW fix the problem.

[SwampCat84]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

Not for nothing, but i notice some kind of electronics in a white plastic case under your seat. This reminds me of a problem experienced in some data centers in the past.

Well, computer room floors are basically large steel tiles set on a bunch of stringers in the shape of a grid. Plus, the floors of the data center are pressurized so as to distribute air conditioning by inserting a floor tile with ventilation holes.

In general, most data centers maintain up to 50% humidity to reduce static electricity.

Anyway, the computers (IBM) started to fail. Nobody could figure out why. Then, it was finally discovered, that these iron whiskers were being found inside the circuit boards of the failing computers. These iron whiskers were shorting out the circuit boards wreaking havoc.

It turns out that the iron whiskers formed from rust under the steel floor tiles. The top of the tile is some kind of beautiful white material that can reduce static. The entire grid is bonded to the building ground. But, the underneath part of the floor tile looks exactly like the bottom of your rusted seats.

See where I am going with this?

Maybe the rust is harmless from a structural standpoint, but could the iron filings released from the oxidation start to land on the various circuit boards placed throughout the BMW? Maybe the rust is harmless, but maybe it is causing these goofy problems with windshield wiper fluid showing low when full...

Okay, maybe that's extreme. But, what about the longer term effects of little iron particles floating throughout your car and landing inside your car's sensitive microcircuitry???

Just a thought and a reason to make BMW fix the problem.

Interesting point... and they most certainly ARE fixing the issue... I told them if they didnt they could have their **** car back and Id walk... They are replacing the seat frames as soon as they come in...

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by BMWrules7

Not for nothing, but i notice some kind of electronics in a white plastic case under your seat. This reminds me of a problem experienced in some data centers in the past.

Well, computer room floors are basically large steel tiles set on a bunch of stringers in the shape of a grid. Plus, the floors of the data center are pressurized so as to distribute air conditioning by inserting a floor tile with ventilation holes.

In general, most data centers maintain up to 50% humidity to reduce static electricity.

Anyway, the computers (IBM) started to fail. Nobody could figure out why. Then, it was finally discovered, that these iron whiskers were being found inside the circuit boards of the failing computers. These iron whiskers were shorting out the circuit boards wreaking havoc.

It turns out that the iron whiskers formed from rust under the steel floor tiles. The top of the tile is some kind of beautiful white material that can reduce static. The entire grid is bonded to the building ground. But, the underneath part of the floor tile looks exactly like the bottom of your rusted seats.

See where I am going with this?

Maybe the rust is harmless from a structural standpoint, but could the iron filings released from the oxidation start to land on the various circuit boards placed throughout the BMW? Maybe the rust is harmless, but maybe it is causing these goofy problems with windshield wiper fluid showing low when full...

Okay, maybe that's extreme. But, what about the longer term effects of little iron particles floating throughout your car and landing inside your car's sensitive microcircuitry???

Just a thought and a reason to make BMW fix the problem.

+1. Excellent post!

Some people (especially BMW sales guys) are saying that surface rust is NORMAL and has no harm to the cars, but it's all BS!

I never had seen any other brand new cars (even crappy cheap Korean cars) with surface rusted parts inside the car!
Outside the car may be possible to surface rust, but inside? Hell no!

Cannot understand why BMW sales/service guys just admit that BMW seat supplier made a small mistake to skip the supposed 'rust prevention coating' on the metal frames before seat assembly....
Is it really hard to accept their minor mistake in quality control of BMW?

I'm pretty sure BMW's F30/F20 is the world's first car in the whole 100 years of auto mobile history selling the new cars with rusty seats.

[shivaswrath]

wow lots of people....

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by BimmerHJ

+1. Excellent post!

Some people (especially BMW sales guys) are saying that surface rust is NORMAL and has no harm to the cars, but it's all BS!

I never had seen any other brand new cars (even crappy cheap Korean cars) with surface rusted parts inside the car!
Outside the car may be possible to surface rust, but inside? Hell no!

Cannot understand why BMW sales/service guys just admit that BMW seat supplier made a small mistake to skip the supposed 'rust prevention coating' on the metal frames before seat assembly....
Is it really hard to accept their minor mistake in quality control of BMW?

I'm pretty sure BMW's F30/F20 is the world's first car in the whole 100 years of auto mobile history selling the new cars with rusty seats.

To be honest I don't think I ever looked under the seat for rust until now. I will check my dad's E46 323i next time I'm there.

Spoke to a service advisor who hadn't heard of this issue and recommended not doing anything until BMWNA acknowledges the problem.

[jtuds]

I would like to know if this is an issue in other series

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by jtuds

I would like to know if this is an issue in other series

1 series has the same issue.

http://f20.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=743476

[odessa91]

Both seats and hinges are rusted. Production date 08/2012. Per other forums research, all F30 produced before November 01, 2012 have seats rust issue, plus BMW replacing seats in South Korea it is info from other forums.

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by odessa91

Both seats and hinges are rusted. Production date 08/2012. Per other forums research, all F30 produced before November 01, 2012 have seats rust issue, plus BMW replacing seats in South Korea it is info from other forums.

I emailed BMW Germany about it as my local dealer said there's no Technical Bulletin and wouldn't do anything until.

Unbelievable. or... unglaublich!!!!!

edit: the Internet is a good thing for this sort of stuff.

[diesel86]

Mine has some light surface rust, but nothing to the extent of what I've seen in the above pictures.

[DaaamnGina]

Yes. Picked her up in Munich during Oktoberfest.


img0001 by DaaamnGina, on Flickr


img0002 by DaaamnGina, on Flickr

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by DaaamnGina

Yes. Picked her up in Munich during Oktoberfest.


img0001 by DaaamnGina, on Flickr


img0002 by DaaamnGina, on Flickr

Seat frame looks bad.
For hinge picture, which side is that? Driver or passenger side?
I have similar rusty hinge on the passenger side seat.

[live4wknds]

Just returned from visit to my dealer with mixed results...

Short story- I'll be returning to have the BMW rep take a look, in January.

Long story- SA takes a look, sees rust, and has shop foreman take a look.
SA and shop foreman try to tell me it was 'normal'.
I challenged foreman to show me another car with the same rust.
After looking at a few cars, he tells me 3 other F30's on the lot have the rust.
I tell SA that's because it's the same part that didn't get the proper rust protection. I tell SA/foreman to show me a any other non-F30 with the same type of rust as on my seats.
SA goes to talk to Service Mgr.
Service Mgr tells SA to have me return when BMW engineer makes his next visit.

The SA seemed sympathetic to my concerns, especially when I told him I had read on this forum that BMW AG had (I assume) their source for the seat frame correct the part by applying rust protection. I say I had mixed results because both SA and foreman seemed a little too eager to dismiss the rust as normal. I'm also not feeling warm fuzzies about warranty coverage. The SA didn't seem too sure if either the rust warranty or the basic car warranty would cover the seat frame. However, I left with a somewhat positive feeling, sensing the SA was in my corner. I'll have to wait and see what the BMW rep has to say.

[BimmerHJ]

Originally Posted by live4wknds

Just returned from visit to my dealer with mixed results...

Short story- I'll be returning to have the BMW rep take a look, in January.

Long story- SA takes a look, sees rust, and has shop foreman take a look.
SA and shop foreman try to tell me it was 'normal'.
I challenged foreman to show me another car with the same rust.
After looking at a few cars, he tells me 3 other F30's on the lot have the rust.
I tell SA that's because it's the same part that didn't get the proper rust protection. I tell SA/foreman to show me a any other non-F30 with the same type of rust as on my seats.
SA goes to talk to Service Mgr.
Service Mgr tells SA to have me return when BMW engineer makes his next visit.

The SA seemed sympathetic to my concerns, especially when I told him I had read on this forum that BMW AG had (I assume) their source for the seat frame correct the part by applying rust protection. I say I had mixed results because both SA and foreman seemed a little too eager to dismiss the rust as normal. I'm also not feeling warm fuzzies about warranty coverage. The SA didn't seem too sure if either the rust warranty or the basic car warranty would cover the seat frame. However, I left with a somewhat positive feeling, sensing the SA was in my corner. I'll have to wait and see what the BMW rep has to say.

Yours look terrible... They must be replaced IMHO.
Mine has a few red spots on both sides, and hinge on passenger side has little bit of rusts.
When my dealer took some photos yesterday to send them to BMW Canada, the shop foreman told me that it's covered under 4 year warranty so don't worry and let's keep an eye on the rust to see if it's spreading out or not.
So, I am watching my rusty spots every week or two...

[justinnum1]

Yep, just looked and mine had it, both front seats. Not horrible but more like a bunch of rust spots. Will see what i can get the dealer to give me.

[live4wknds]

Originally Posted by BimmerHJ

Yours look terrible... They must be replaced IMHO.
Mine has a few red spots on both sides, and hinge on passenger side has little bit of rusts.
When my dealer took some photos yesterday to send them to BMW Canada, the shop foreman told me that it's covered under 4 year warranty so don't worry and let's keep an eye on the rust to see if it's spreading out or not.
So, I am watching my rusty spots every week or two...

Too bad you're not my SA.

[DaaamnGina]

The photos are of the driver side.

Originally Posted by BimmerHJ

Seat frame looks bad.
For hinge picture, which side is that? Driver or passenger side?
I have similar rusty hinge on the passenger side seat.

[snowghost]

Originally Posted by live4wknds

Just returned from visit to my dealer with mixed results...

Short story- I'll be returning to have the BMW rep take a look, in January.

Long story- SA takes a look, sees rust, and has shop foreman take a look.
SA and shop foreman try to tell me it was 'normal'.
I challenged foreman to show me another car with the same rust.
After looking at a few cars, he tells me 3 other F30's on the lot have the rust.
I tell SA that's because it's the same part that didn't get the proper rust protection. I tell SA/foreman to show me a any other non-F30 with the same type of rust as on my seats.
SA goes to talk to Service Mgr.
Service Mgr tells SA to have me return when BMW engineer makes his next visit.

The SA seemed sympathetic to my concerns, especially when I told him I had read on this forum that BMW AG had (I assume) their source for the seat frame correct the part by applying rust protection. I say I had mixed results because both SA and foreman seemed a little too eager to dismiss the rust as normal. I'm also not feeling warm fuzzies about warranty coverage. The SA didn't seem too sure if either the rust warranty or the basic car warranty would cover the seat frame. However, I left with a somewhat positive feeling, sensing the SA was in my corner. I'll have to wait and see what the BMW rep has to say.

Who is your dealer?