Nathan Plemons

The side bolsters on my '92 sports seats quit working several years ago. I finally got the chance to look into it tonight. The bolster switch didn't feel real good to me so I pulled it out and carefully took it apart. Sure enough it was corroded up.



I cleaned up the contacts using some contact cleaner and 2000 grit sandpaper. I lubricated the rocker part of the switch with a quick squirt of PB blaster garage door lube. I put it all back together and it's working like new.

Hope it helps someone.

Nathan Plemons

Bump.... for the Monday morning crowd then I'll let it die.

Churchkey

Thanks for bringing it back to the top missed it the first time around.

Good to know that switch is serviceable.

IAFF alumni

Nice work!

TorchRedlt4man

Thanks very much!

GREGGPENN

That's the same basic design at the power window selector switch on my L98. I did a similar clean-up to make it work like new.

FWIW, any switch not operating correctly show be considered for this type of disassembly and renovation.

Bluefoot59

Addressed the same problem today in my '92 with Sport seats. For those who might be a little timid, these are the steps I followed: Release the clip at the front of the seat by pushing it down. That releases the lower seat cushion. You will see the switch at the front of the seat bottom. It needs to come out by going out through the front of the seat. I used a flat screw driver blade to push in one side of the flexible plastic clip on the inside of the plastic seat bottom to get one side pushed free from the clip. Then do the other side. Then follow the wires to where it plugs into an electrical connection. Pull the connection apart, and then pull the entire switch and wires through the hole in the seat bottom. Next is important. Take the switch inside or at least to a safe place where parts inside the switch won't be lost when you open it up. I used a small, thin flat blade screw driver inserting it at the rear of switch along the longer sides. First to one side, and then the other side. This releases the little tabs that hold the two switch halves together. Slowly try to pull the two halves apart. Be careful, besides the copper contacts shown in the picture above, that part rides on a little post, and below the post is a very tiny spring that fits into a hole. When I separated the switch on one seat, the post and spring stay firmly located in their hole. On the second switch, those two parts fell out. They are small and could be easily lost. If these small parts fall out, put them back in the rocker side of the switch. The spring goes in first, the post goes on top of the spring. Set the rocker side of switch aside. Focus on the copper contacts. If they look bluish/green, they are corroded. I simply put some 100 grit sandpaper on the table and rubbed the copper contacts back and forth until the copper color returned. Cleaning the six silver round electrical contacts inside the bottom side of switch is a little harder. Use a small piece of sandpaper folder so that you have a small flat section that can fit inside the recess of the bottom portion of the switch. Clean as best as you can, and I also used a small screw driver to scruff of the contacts. Blow out any remnants of the sandpaper and other gunk. Time to reassemble. The pair of copper contacts goes into the rocker side of the switch with the copper side facing up. The middle of this piece will fit onto the little stud. Make sure the direction of the copper pieces run in the same direction as the long side of the switch. (If copper pieces are at a right angle to the long side of the switch, then it will not work at all). Push the bottom piece of the switch into the front piece of the switch. It should click to together. You are essentially done other than putting the switch back into the bottom of the seat, and plugging in the wire loom to the connection that you had separated it from when the switch was removed. Cleaned both of my switches as noted, and my formerly non-functioning side bolsters work like a champ now. Electrical issues have always mystified me, but this was a simple repair that cost nothing.