BMW Z3 seat play and rattling

The cause is usually worn-out rubber bushings in the seat mounting. When the bushings give way, the seat develops play. The fix is to replace the bushings with new ones, for example Delrin plastic bushings or a ready-made repair kit.

Four bushings are needed per seat, which means one set per seat. For two seats you therefore buy two sets. It is worth checking the seller's fitment claim before ordering.

A typical fault is wear in the rubber bushings of the nuts on the adjustment threaded rods, which gives the seat play. The bushings are replaced with washers made of hard plastic and sanded to the right thickness. The washers should not be made too tight, because then the nut cannot settle into alignment.