[LEDZEP]

Has anyone else had issues with inserting the movable tie-down rings into the aluminum floor track? Mine are super tight. It took me 15 minutes or more to finally get the first pair in, and I've given up for awhile on the second pair. Actually had to use a rubber mallot to bump them back to the "lift-out" position.

I have the same in the X5, and they slide effortlessly.

[Uppie]

I've not had any issues

[Powerrunner]

No issues here, I would suggest you address this with your dealer.

[Nahoa]

I'll try to double-check later, but I think there was something about the position of the chrome "loop" that either fixed or freed the tie downs to move. Unless there's another piece on there I'm forgetting -- had to position something a certain way to loosen them. Hope that fuzzy description helps!

[mibmwx3]

Yes, at first one side was too tight, now I can't slide on either side. Waiting to hear back from the dealer.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Nahoa

I'll try to double-check later, but I think there was something about the position of the chrome "loop" that either fixed or freed the tie downs to move. Unless there's another piece on there I'm forgetting -- had to position something a certain way to loosen them. Hope that fuzzy description helps!

The position of the chrome loop shouldn't make any difference, there is a button that you push in the center of the part that lowers a "T" so that the rings will slide freely. Releasing the button retracts the "T" and locks it in place between the continuous nubs on the underside of the track.

My problem is that I cannot get enough clearance to slide them with the button fully depressed (and I'm talking sore finger pushes). Seems like an out of spec system.

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by Powerrunner

No issues here, I would suggest you address this with your dealer.

[mibmwx3]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

The position of the chrome loop shouldn't make any difference, there is a button that you push in the center of the part that lowers a "T" so that the rings will slide freely. Releasing the button retracts the "T" and locks it in place between the continuous nubs on the underside of the track.

My problem is that I cannot get enough clearance to slide them with the button fully depressed (and I'm talking sore finger pushes). Seems like an out of spec system.

Same issue that I'm having. I don't see an easy way to fix, so am interested in what the dealer will come up with.

[LEDZEP]

I'll have to have mine back to service sometime in the near future anyway, so I will ask them to look at it. Actually, what I really want to do is stand there while they try to do it, and say "go ahead... give it a slide..."

If this is rampant, we could be looking at a SB recall issue here.

[Nahoa]

Yup, apologies for the misdirection. I'd forgotten about the button. Checked mine anyway just in case something were to be different. It wasn't. With button pressed they slide fine. Just realized I didn't test to see if they could go in the wrong way. The hinges of the hoops on mine are perpendicular to the track so that the hoops rotate along the track vice across it.

[Nahoa]

Originally Posted by LEDZEP

I'll have to have mine back to service sometime in the near future anyway, so I will ask them to look at it. Actually, what I really want to do is stand there while they try to do it, and say "go ahead... give it a slide..."

Just after receiving "the look" and "the explanation" by a technician convinced you clearly aren't cable of doing it correctly . . .

I recall re a previous car:

"The windshield washers aren't working."

"You have to pull back on the wiper stalk to activate them."

"Right, they're not working. They only dribble a small amount of liquid on the windshield."

"Well, you have to hold the stalk long enough to activate the washers."

"Right. You'll need to show me that"

"Hmm. It seems they're not working."

[LEDZEP]

Okay, so I took one of the tie downs from the X5 and tried it in the X3 - works perfectly. Took the one from the X3 and tried it in the X5 - no good. So the problem is the tie-down rings, not the track. This is good, as those are much easier to replace.

If you have the storage package and haven't yet tried them, you should - they need to be replaced if they don't work.

[mibmwx3]

Finally brought my car in to have this checked out. Both of my tracks need to be replaced. My fastening points work fine in another X3. BMW USA said that this part is not available yet. Nice. They have them for new cars but not for warranty work.

[Powerrunner]

So why are they replacing the tracks? Did they install the wrong tracks? Or did BMW get some that were out of specs? Seems like a QA control issue for such a simple feature.