Electric front seat problem

[Pueblo_Boy]

The plastic part with all the controls on my driver's electric seat has become mostly detached from the underside of the seat. Whilst everything still works, the seat resets itself everytime I switch off, and also moves of its own accord at times, probably because the buttons are pressing against the chassis (and my heavy backside probably doesn't help much either..). Of course, my airbag warning light is a constant feature as well.

I was wondering how to fix this. Would a straight replacement seat be the easiest choice (mine are black leather, btw)? Is it an easy job to do? I don't have diy expertise, sorry to say, although I will be attempting to fit a new pollen filter and air filter soon...or maybe the garage can do those whilst replacing some bushes next week...

If a "new" seat is the best way to go - does anyone have one please? Surely, others have had a similar problem, how did you deal with it?

[marinabrian]

Very easy to fix John

The part which has failed I've pictured here, the pillar with an M6 bolt cast into it.......




Remove the seat from the car, take out the two self tapping screws securing the skirt to the seat base, and when you remove it and turn it over you will see this......



Remove the two plastic wedges pictured here, along with the other not in shot, and your prize will be able to work free of encumberment, for the next part

Now here is a picture of an unbroken part for some reference.....



So how do we approach the repair?

You will need an M6 machine screw at least 50mm long, three penny washers, and two M6 nuts.

Place a washer on the screw, push it through the hole in the plastic, another washer on the opposite side of the plastic, then run a nut up and secure it tightly.

Now wind a nut onto the thread until it's upper face is 25mm from the plastic face.

Refit the refurbished plastic to the outer skirt, using the plastic wedges.

The broken part of the pillar can be removed from the seat frame, and a washer placed on the screw between the nut, and the seat frame, and the original nut tightened onto the protruding screw.

In addition if the self tapping screws at the rear of the outer skirt have pulled through, you may need to drill new holes in both the skirt and the frame to secure it.

Sound difficult? nope it's fiddly, and a little time consuming, but only about 20 minutes more than replacing the entire seat, and considerably cheaper

Have fun

Brian

[Pueblo_Boy]

Wow! Is there anything about our cars you don't know how to fix?

I have no tools or car repair expertise to speak of, and no garage to park the car in to do the job (see, I'm making excuses already!). But I have plans for this car, including fitting some beautiful new fake leather carpets, should they ever turn up from China, after getting the car as mechanically up to scratch as I can. I am even going to refurbish all 5 alloys, doing only 4 seems somehow not quite right!

So the plan is to fix the MOT advisories first, then the alloys, then get the seat repaired at the same time as fitting the new carpets. I also need to fix a bodge job on my sat.nav/music system, stop some rust from developing on one of the front wings (very small bubbling now evident). Maybe even find out how to fit the oversized horn I bought, but that hardly matters. Then I will be even more proud of my car, with good reason.

All of this on my shoestring minimum state pension, but hey, I love a challenge!

Thank you Brian for coming to my aid, you're a very nice man! (even if your Mum says you're a very naughty boy )

[Devilish]

This may help also

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/s...hlight=valance

[BoroRover]

Originally Posted by Pueblo_Boy

Wow! Is there anything about our cars you don't know how to fix?

I have no tools or car repair expertise to speak of, and no garage to park the car in to do the job (see, I'm making excuses already!). But I have plans for this car, including fitting some beautiful new fake leather carpets, should they ever turn up from China, after getting the car as mechanically up to scratch as I can. I am even going to refurbish all 5 alloys, doing only 4 seems somehow not quite right!

So the plan is to fix the MOT advisories first, then the alloys, then get the seat repaired at the same time as fitting the new carpets. I also need to fix a bodge job on my sat.nav/music system, stop some rust from developing on one of the front wings (very small bubbling now evident). Maybe even find out how to fit the oversized horn I bought, but that hardly matters. Then I will be even more proud of my car, with good reason.

All of this on my shoestring minimum state pension, but hey, I love a challenge!

Thank you Brian for coming to my aid, you're a very nice man! (even if your Mum says you're a very naughty boy )

He is truly, an amazing guy.

[Pueblo_Boy]

Thanks Devilish for the extra info. Tbh, I will probably try to get a garage to do this for me, or somebody useful with their hands, unless I can persuade my nephew to lend me a hand - he at least has space on his driveway. Astraeus helped me out before with a few jobs, maybe once lockdown is over, he'll be able to once more. Needs doing before the MOT in July to get rid of the warning light, plus I will feel safer running around with an airbag that might work should it need to!

[Devilish]

Originally Posted by Pueblo_Boy

Needs doing before the MOT in July to get rid of the warning light,

Nothing to do with the SRS system, if it is the airbag warning light you are referring to. The majority of the time it is a under seat connector, but it could be a sensor or SRS component.