Seat Back Help
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: LBL TN
Seat Back Help
Driver's side seat back won't tilt forward. It just stop tilting. It's a 81 with 6 way electric position. Everything electrically works but it won't tilt forward. I know someone out there has the answer. Please help this poor miserable soul. Thank you. :seeya
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 230
From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Re: Seat Back Help (N5OMU)
Excuse a dumb question, but have you inspected the connection between the latch release and the latch mechanism? The latch mechanism is the only component preventing the seat back from moving forward. It would appear that the release and latch are no longer connected.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: LBL TN
Re: Seat Back Help (Oldman)
There is no latch release to inspect. Or at least any I can find. The seats just lay over forward by pushing them at the top. They are hinged at the side and that's where it is binding. They have some type of quick lock built into them to stay upright in case of an accident. Or at least that's what the owners manual says. I can understand your idea of inspecting the release latch. It just doesn't have any.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 3,842
Likes: 230
From: SANTA CRUZ CA
Re: Seat Back Help (N5OMU)
...There is no latch release to inspect...
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: Baja Oregon
Re: Seat Back Help (N5OMU)
I assume what you're saying is that your forward POWER tilt function does not work. In other words the seat moves back and forth and the REAR tilt function is OK.
If that's the case, you probably either have a bad connection in the pigtail under the seat, OR there's a problem with the power seat track itself (broken or stripped track gear). I'd take the seat out and check the connector first - remove the 4 seat bolt nuts under the car and it'll come right out. If the track gears are shot, check some of the local or online junkyards that specialize in Corvettes. :flag
If that's the case, you probably either have a bad connection in the pigtail under the seat, OR there's a problem with the power seat track itself (broken or stripped track gear). I'd take the seat out and check the connector first - remove the 4 seat bolt nuts under the car and it'll come right out. If the track gears are shot, check some of the local or online junkyards that specialize in Corvettes. :flag
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: LBL TN
Re: Seat Back Help (Touringpro)
Guess I ain't making myself clear. Seat back will not fold down. Passenger side works okay. No external latches. They just fold forward and lay over the seat. Nothing electrical involved in this. Driver's side is caught somehow in the upward position and will not fold down. :banghead: I thought maybe there is some easy fix for this. Surley I'm not the only person that has had this happen. Oh Crappola, what if I am. :sad: Thanks for the input. :flag
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 330
Likes: 0
From: Baja Oregon
Re: Seat Back Help (N5OMU)
Ok, I see what you mean. This happened to me last month when I had the seats out of my car to replace the foam and covers. Try this first: Lift up on the seat back while at the same time try to fold it forward. This worked for me after a couple of attempts.
If that fails, you'll probably have to replace the seat hinges, because that's where the hangup is occuring.
(de WR6P)
[Modified by Touringpro, 9:04 AM 4/13/2003]
If that fails, you'll probably have to replace the seat hinges, because that's where the hangup is occuring.
(de WR6P)
[Modified by Touringpro, 9:04 AM 4/13/2003]
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 399
Likes: 1
From: LBL TN
Re: Seat Back Help (Touringpro)
Touringpro Thanks for your patients. I got it to work again. I took a tiny blade screwdriver and stuck it down into the hinge. Whatever the hangup was, it released itself. Sometimes the simplest things are the most frustrating. :banghead: Thanks again for your input.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,507
Likes: 114
From: St. Louis Mo
Re: Seat Back Help (N5OMU)
The same thing happened to me and I also was able to get it to work for awhile with the help of a screwdriver, just to have it quit working again. I finally just took the hinge off, cleaned it and oiled it and it has worked perfectly for the last year. BTW those hinges are hard to come by..............LT
