rear seating area questions

[adashio]

i have three issues relating to the rear seating area.

1. the rear ashtrays near the door handle refuse to open, wont budge at all, im assuming their ashtrays anyway

2. how do i remove the back seat to check to see weather i have an alarm system or not? its a 1995 520i so i dont know if it was standard or not

3. the rear windows will not open at all. ive tried the front switches are rear switches and they both wont open. the front windows work perfectly!

thanks...this site is excellent!

[dennyg]

i have three issues relating to the rear seating area.

1. the rear ashtrays near the door handle refuse to open, wont budge at all, im assuming their ashtrays anyway

2. how do i remove the back seat to check to see weather i have an alarm system or not? its a 1995 520i so i dont know if it was standard or not

3. the rear windows will not open at all. ive tried the front switches are rear switches and they both wont open. the front windows work perfectly!

thanks...this site is excellent!
I will give you the obvious simple answers that you probably know already but in case you don't: window switches have a small quarter inch square button in the middle of the four window switches. This is the child proof button press it and your back windows should work. On ash trays you have to push in and not pull out.........but you probably know both of these right?

[dennyg]

Back seat has two metal spring posts holding seat down. Just have to lift and jerk straight up and the seat should pop out.

[BMWCCA1]

Try having someone hold down on the switch for the rear window on the front console while you smack the ever-loving crap out of the door panel near the motor. I like to do this with the door open to get a better swing at it. Use the bottom of your hand made into a fist. Or try slamming the door if you don't want to hurt your hand. Or a rubber mallet. The hand always works best for me. And don't give up after one try, even if you hurt your hand. Use someone else's hand, if you must. The back windows just don't get used as often as the fronts and it usually just takes a sharp whack to bring them back to the land of the living. Then try and use them occasionally to keep them limber.