Nuevo EK (2003) - Rotating Driver Chair?

Hello All,

I have just purchased a 2003 Auto-Sleeper Nuevo EK.

I say "just purchased", actually bought it in February - about a week before the lock-down! Have only just been able to start using it!

I've never owned a motorhome before so I am really new to everything but have taken it out to Wales and Norfolk so far this month and gradually getting to grips with everything.

I still have so many questions though and stumbled across this forum so I'm hoping you guys may be able to help with some of these and maybe eventually I'll be able to help others too!

The first question I have, is there an idiot proof guide or step-by-step sequence for rotating the driver seat? I can do the passenger seat quite easily by simply lifting a leaver but cannot for the life of me work out to do the driver seat!

If anyone is able to advise I would be truly grateful :)

Best,
kroma

Hi Kroma,
it varies by van but some you have to release the handbrake (so make sure you are on the flat and put the van in gear.
Sometimes you have to pull the seat forward and backwards as you turn to avoid the steering wheel, sometimes you need to roll the back of the seat forward to get it past and put it back once turned.
Mostly trial and error.
It dose become second nature in time but some days when your tired it can be a trial.
Pete

Thanks so much for the reply - I had heard about having the handbreak off and putting it in gear, I did try that once before but still had absolutely no joy with rotating the seat. 

Do you think there should be a catch or a lever somewhere still as I cannot see one at all - or you think it may just be a case of moving the seat back and forward until it starts to rotate? 

I think I need an idiot-proof sequence of steps if possible - I know it does rotate because I've seen photos from the dealer before I bought it of my actual van with both seats swivelled!

Hi Kroma,
there should definitely be a catch usually on the side of the seat on the inside edge.
its l shape, perhaps someone has removed the swivels, this is done sometimes as some people find the seating position is to high?
You could ask the previous owner perhaps.
Pete

Put the seat fully forward, that should expose the seat plinth. Any sign of a matching swivel as on the passenger seat?

I can't see any reason why the two cab seats wouldn't be identical and if you know they both swivel from photographs there has to be a swivel mechanism on both. If you've already swivelled the passenger seat, then the driver's should be identical. On some vans one or other seat sometimes doesn't swivel because of nearby intruding furniture  but if it's already been seen to swivel that can't be the case here.
The forward and backward and handbrake manoeuvres have nothing to do with making the seat swivel. They're how you need to do things once you've released the swivel mechanism and have the seating twirling around.

The catch on my 2004 van, in plain sight. Maybe your orange knob has broken off.
Al.

Thanks so much for your replies everyone!

I've had another look for a catch but still not managed to find one.  The only thing I can find is two large grey curved-plastic levers, one at the back and one at the front on the road side of the seat, both have an icon of a seat and an arrow on but when I left both of these nothing much happens!  Perhaps they are intended to lift the seat up and down?  They certainly don't control the angle of the back or the position of the seat sliding back and forth - as there are separate dials/levers for these functions.

I've attached a few photos of my driver seat from the road side and in front of it. If anyone can spot anything I'd appreciate it!  Otherwise maybe I'll have to take it back in to the dealership to get them to show me how they did it! 

One more from the road-side, one from the passenger-seat-side, then a photo from the dealership website before I bought it!!!

steamdrivenandy wrote:I can't see any reason why the two cab seats wouldn't be identical and if you know they both swivel from photographs there has to be a swivel mechanism on both. If you've already swivelled the passenger seat, then the driver's should be identical.

The lever on the passenger seat is really obvious and right at the front on the centre, very simple and easy to use.  It's not there on the driver seat!  For some reason they are different... I can't figure it out at all :(

Could the dealer have removed the swivel for some reason? The swivel plates on my old Transits were much clearer to see and were of the type that had a control arm in the middle of the back. They had to be unlocked every quarter turn. The seats always rocked a bit on the central spindle, whereas seats without the swivel are fixed and don't have that ever so slight wobble.

The big grey knobs to make the seat go up and down and  forwards and backwards might only work when you are sitting on it as your weight activates then.
It looks like the orange switch has come off to make it swivel. Is there a plastic orange bit in the glove compartment that has come off and just needs pushing in again on the front of the seat when in the forward position? I can not think why the dealer has removed the swivel mechanism

Kroma
looking at your picture the grey control at the front and back change the angle of the base

I cant see a swivel  plate below the seat runner

Looking at my van I'd say that your van doesn't have the swivel driver's seat.
Are you sure the pic from the dealer is actually your van and not a generic pic he maybe mixed up from another van?
From what I've been told the swivel on the driver's side was an optional extra when these vans were made.
Al

well done bikeralw your picture clearly shows what I could not see in the other picture below the seat runner the extra plate fitted so he has not got the swivel fitted and the front runner bolt came down to the base frame in the picture from the front

Interesting discussion.  The key question now is Do you really want a swivel ?  If you do there are two possible routes.  Tell the dealer to provide what his advertising shows.  Trade Descriptions etc etc. Or fit one yourself.  I fitted one to a Warwick Duo recently.  Took me about two hours.  Less than £100. Keith

It makes you wonder why a swivel wasn't fitted as standard. I mean the object of them is to provide comfortable additional seating space in the habitation area and/or enable side benches to be used as single beds. Normally the only times they're not fitted is when they abut habitation furniture or would swivel into an area that makes them unlikely to be used. Neither applies to a Nuevo EK and the passenger side swivel shows how useful they can be. A perverse bit of standard spec.

agreed, no swivel plate on your seat..... 
so, is the dealer interior photo really 'your' van, or another similar one?
if its yours then the seat has been altered, although why this should happen i cant say....
more likely is that is a similar van (or stock photo) and yours never had a swivel, but as the advertising photo clearly shows a rotating seat i would ask the dealer for one...
good luck.

Thanks for your responses everyone, so looking at the picture in closer detail it does appear to be of another van after all!  The differences are very small and as I said I haven't used mine much so far, but I still feel a little stupid for not seeing this!  I believe they had several of these in at one time and must have just used the same photo and description for each...  Luckily I have the webpage listing for it saved offline so I can refer them to that if needed.  I've been in touch so will see what they say now.  I'll provide an update on this for anyone curious.  Really want to get this sorted so I can have the option for two single beds.  Thanks again everyone, thought I was going mad not being able to rotate it when everyone made it sound so simple!!!

the simplest answer would be for the dealer to swap your seat for the one in the photo, if the upholstery/condition is the same etc.
good luck.

Better to get the dealer to fit a swivel. As far as I remember it fits below the seat slide - and needs to because of the shunting needed when turning it.

Another easy check, with both seats facing forwards, they will both be the same height, if the driver seat is lower, then no swivel!!
The swivel assy is roughly 50mm high.

When I had the 2002 Nuevo, I thought about adding a swivel to the drivers seat, being being not very tall it would add another 30/40mm to the height, so would change the driving position as I had the seat as low as it would go, because the battery was under the seat, using a lower seat base was not an option.