Recline not working on electric seat

[hogweed]

Got a little bit of panic on here – I reclined my (electric) front passenger seat way back to lay something down on it from the front footwell, and now it won’t go back up again – seems dead. Can’t be sure, but I suspect the switch may have broken. Still slides back and forward OK with the other switch.


It’s in for its MOT on Friday first thing, and here they have specialist MOT centres, where you sit in the passenger seat while the tester drives it over rollers etc; I’m sure they’d fail it if I was lying down beside the guy…


Anybody come across the problem before, or can tell me which wires to short under the seat to get it back up again? Wouldn't want to fire an airbag or something…


Thanks

[hortonds]

This is a document I drew up when faultfinding on mine. Hope it helps you as well.

IGN on
Test thick wires on the loom plug
Black = earth
Yellow = earth
Orange/Yellow = 12v
Orange/Green = 12v
Orange/white = 12v

Thin Slate/Grey = earth

this is how my wiring loom works out
driver seat

pin 1 thick yellow=heated seat=Earth to Thin Yellow
pin 2 thick orange/white=heated seat=Live to Thin orange/white

pin 3 thick black=earth to same
pin 4 thick orange/yellow=live to same
pin 5 thin purple/grey=live to Thin brown/white
pin 6 thin red/white/=k bus to Pink
pin 7 thin black/grey=logic earth to same
pin 8 thick orange green=live to same

SEAT SWITCH
At the module connector.
Using a suitable 12v supply and earth, and wires with probes suitable to hold in pin sockets (twisty bits of wire, matches, or cocktail sticks at your own risk
Connect Black pin to earth.

Momentarily Connecting 12v to Yellow/White pin , OR (not both) 12v to White/Yellow pin , will directly power the motor to move the seat forward/back, this will allow access to the seat mounting bolts. Momentarily Connecting 12v to the Yellow/Pink and Pink/Yellow pins will adjust the backrest if needed

Black = Earth
Yellow/White = Forward
White/Yellow = Back

Yellow/Pink = Backrest
Pink/Yellow = Backrest

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by hortonds

This is a document I drew up when faultfinding on mine. Hope it helps you as well.

D’you know, I was just searching in vain through likely looking threads when I found yours. Thanks so much.

Just one problem though… I can’t get to the wires. I’ve unbolted the seat and put it on its side (it’s still attached to car via some wiring which was replaced to put the airbag light out, and looks like he’s soldered them rather than used connectors).

Anyway, where do you access the yellow/pink and pink/yellow wires please? And any idea how to get the hard plastic side cover (with the switches in) off so that I can access the back of he switches?

Again, many thanks

[hogweed]

Okayyyy… stumbled on another thread which told me how to get the (valance?) off the seat. So I identified the pink/yellow and yellow/pink wires; got the battery charger out; stuck a straightened paperclip in each hole (-ve to black, +ve to y/p then p/y); nothing


Am I doing something stupid here?


The switch is definitely broken, so it’d be a bit of a coincidence if the seat back motor had packed in at the same time…


Are battery chargers “clever”, ie will only put current out if they see something that looks like a battery?

[hogweed]

Hhmmm, made a bit of progress - got the switch pack out. And indeed, the switch shaft is broken.


Anybody got one? Passenger side, non-memory?


Odd thing is, though, I tried the paperclip trick again using leads from the battery, and still no joy - put my meter on the terminals, and seems open circuit. Or maybe my paperclips aren't getting in.

[hogweed]

Well now, that was interesting, and it’s amazing what you can achieve when you're desperate – I consulted the MOT spec, and found that passenger seat incapable of being secured in upright position is a major fail.


So… I managed to get the switch pack out, and opened, as previous post – as I had nothing to lose (it’s bust, after all), I shaved the top off the recliner switch with a Stanley, and found two microswitches inside, actuated by rotation of the (broken off) switch stalk. I figured what the hell, let’s just plug it back in, and move the switches manually.


Oddly, the switches appeared to both be normally closed, rather than open. I opened one with my little fingernail, and… the seat back started to rise like a mummy out of its tomb in an old Ealing “B” movie. Awesome!


So now I can pass the MOT. Off to eBay now for a replacement switch

[hortonds]

Hello Mate,
I have spare switches if you fancy coming to Dunstable.
I'll even make you a coffee

Ahhh ... just seen where you are.
Make me an offer if you can't find any and I'll post it to you.

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by hortonds

Hello Mate,
I have spare switches if you fancy coming to Dunstable.
I'll even make you a coffee

Ahhh ... just seen where you are.
Make me an offer if you can't find any and I'll post it to you.

Damn - you beat me to it, depriving me of the opportunity to make a witty comment about driving over from Belfast


That's very kind of you though - I don't see many switches about. And yours is the passenger seat, non-memory OK?


PS tell you what, getting the that rear Torx back in again is a bit of a {censored smiley}

[hortonds]

I'll have a check what I have left when I get home.

Not sure if I still have a passenger one I definitely have a drivers side one but that'll be useless to you.

The rear torx I find is easier if you don't tighten up the front ones all the way so that you have some wiggle room before nipping them up.

[hogweed]

Originally Posted by hortonds

I'll have a check what I have left when I get home.

Not sure if I still have a passenger one I definitely have a drivers side one but that'll be useless to you.

The rear torx I find is easier if you don't tighten up the front ones all the way so that you have some wiggle room before nipping them up.

Aye cheers Yes it took me a while to figure out the simple logic of putting the rear one in first! But even then... what a design