Drivers seat track problems
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Drivers seat track problems
Hi guys,
I just bought my first C5. It is a 1998 coupe with 75,000 on the clock. I had the car inspected and all is well with the exception of the drivers seat track having too much play in it to pass inspection. The dealer wants close to $900 to replace it. My question is how tough is it to take the drivers seat out and put in a different track then put your seat back in place?
While I am asking the questions, I have some grinding in the gears while shifting. I have driven a stick my whole life so its not user error. When you go from 1st to 2nd, sometimes it simply won't go to 2nd. Same going to 4th, it will make the grind noise even though the clutch is fully depressed. Any idea if I am in transmission hell?
Thanks guys as always,
Paul
I just bought my first C5. It is a 1998 coupe with 75,000 on the clock. I had the car inspected and all is well with the exception of the drivers seat track having too much play in it to pass inspection. The dealer wants close to $900 to replace it. My question is how tough is it to take the drivers seat out and put in a different track then put your seat back in place?
While I am asking the questions, I have some grinding in the gears while shifting. I have driven a stick my whole life so its not user error. When you go from 1st to 2nd, sometimes it simply won't go to 2nd. Same going to 4th, it will make the grind noise even though the clutch is fully depressed. Any idea if I am in transmission hell?
Thanks guys as always,
Paul
Pro
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 728
Likes: 4
From: knoxville tn
the rocking seat is a very common problem. its not the seat track exactly, its the seat adjuster. there was a tech. service bulletin on this problem. if the search feature is working properly you'll find many, many post about rocking seat. mine was replaced twice under warranty but its still there. doesn't seem to get any worse. the price given by your dealer was about right. I believe they charged GM about $875 the last time they replaced mine. yours must be real bad to fail inspection. 
as far as the transmission problem you could try changing your transmission fluid to mobile- one or one of the other synthetic (sp) fluids to see if that corrects the problem. it would be a fairly cheap fix. worth trying.
as far as the transmission problem you could try changing your transmission fluid to mobile- one or one of the other synthetic (sp) fluids to see if that corrects the problem. it would be a fairly cheap fix. worth trying.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,592
Likes: 3
From: St Louis MO
I have a '98 with the "seat slip". It's only about 1/8 inch or so, if I hit the brakes hard. What puzzles me though is why yours is being rejected on the safety inspection, unless it is slipping a huge amount. Never had an inspector check "seat slippage.
Cheers
Cheers
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,036
Likes: 9,798
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
There was a quick fix posted the other day that didn't take much effort at all. They tilted the seat bottom back and disconnected the seat track drive so they could adjust one side a little forward and the other side a little back. Then they reattached the seat drive and bolted the seat back down with no seat rock.
Bill
Bill
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Thanks
This is great advice, thanks. I will run a search and find the documentation you are talking about. I think the strategy I will follow is to simply spend another $75 and bet that a gas station won't flunk the seat. I think it was a slow day at the local chevy dealer and they were looking for work.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 235
From: North Carolina
Originally Posted by Webineer
I think it was a slow day at the local chevy dealer and they were looking for work.
That's a swell dealership to work with, ding's you on a state inspection on something that they are fully aware is screwed up hardware from the beginning. I'd look for another dealership, trying to hit you up for work on something that is a known TSB on a state inspection is
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
From: Bethalto Illinois
[QUOTE=Webineer]Hi guys,
I just bought my first C5. It is a 1998 coupe with 75,000 on the clock. I had the car inspected and all is well with the exception of the drivers seat track having too much play in it to pass inspection. The dealer wants close to $900 to replace it. My question is how tough is it to take the drivers seat out and put in a different track then put your seat back in place?
My seats needed the rocking seat fix also.
I beleive adjusting one track forward or aft could put the seat in a bind so i did mine the hard way, works perfect now.
see this:::
http://robbs.js-x.com/ken/vette1/
Norm
I just bought my first C5. It is a 1998 coupe with 75,000 on the clock. I had the car inspected and all is well with the exception of the drivers seat track having too much play in it to pass inspection. The dealer wants close to $900 to replace it. My question is how tough is it to take the drivers seat out and put in a different track then put your seat back in place?
My seats needed the rocking seat fix also.
I beleive adjusting one track forward or aft could put the seat in a bind so i did mine the hard way, works perfect now.
see this:::
http://robbs.js-x.com/ken/vette1/
Norm
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 1,660
Likes: 9
From: Charlotte, NC
I second the notion to replace your transmission fluid. I had trouble getting into first gear sometimes at a stop. A couple of weeks after changing the fluid and I haven't had another problem in approximately 20k more miles. 
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Update
"I second the notion to replace your transmission fluid. I had trouble getting into first gear sometimes at a stop. A couple of weeks after changing the fluid and I haven't had another problem in approximately 20k more miles. "
I took the car to another garage and had it inspected for a second time. This go round the seat was identified again so I am going to have to bite the bullet and get workin on it. The really bad news was that I asked them to change my transmission fluid with a top of the line synthetic. The shop called to tell me that when they drained the oil they only got about 4 oz. They filled it with 3.5 quartz. I guess that explains the oil drip I saw in my garage. This is going to get mighty expensive. I will never again buy a car on ebay without a full on site inspection with a trained mechanic. DUUUUUGH:NO Sh..T:
I took the car to another garage and had it inspected for a second time. This go round the seat was identified again so I am going to have to bite the bullet and get workin on it. The really bad news was that I asked them to change my transmission fluid with a top of the line synthetic. The shop called to tell me that when they drained the oil they only got about 4 oz. They filled it with 3.5 quartz. I guess that explains the oil drip I saw in my garage. This is going to get mighty expensive. I will never again buy a car on ebay without a full on site inspection with a trained mechanic. DUUUUUGH:NO Sh..T:
Drifting
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 1,328
Likes: 3
From: Las Vegas Nevada
Seems that if you took all the play out you are causing seat binding on both tracks in either direction.
This fix "pre-loads" each track but on opposite sides, so in reality there is less total binding.
In any case, it works great and is quick:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1355638
This fix "pre-loads" each track but on opposite sides, so in reality there is less total binding.
In any case, it works great and is quick:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1355638
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore Maryland
Norm,
I cannot thank you enough for the link you sent me for the rocking seat issue. I took the seat out of the car yesterday and followed the instructions line by line. Not being a mechanic in any sense of the word, I was a little aprehensive to go that deep in the disassemby of the seat itself but I did it with the help of a friend. The directions were dead on and the result is I saved $1000 I would have had to pay to have the seat fixed.
Thank you so very much, I love this forum!!
I cannot thank you enough for the link you sent me for the rocking seat issue. I took the seat out of the car yesterday and followed the instructions line by line. Not being a mechanic in any sense of the word, I was a little aprehensive to go that deep in the disassemby of the seat itself but I did it with the help of a friend. The directions were dead on and the result is I saved $1000 I would have had to pay to have the seat fixed.
Thank you so very much, I love this forum!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 2,456
Likes: 8
From: Cockeysville Maryland
Cruise-In IV Veteran
Daytona Jam 1 Veteran
glad you found a fix for your seat problem!
About your tranny issue. This may sound dumb but part of what you describe with your grinding 1/2 and into fourth sounds like the "skip shift" feature installed on our cars for the EPA and to meet fuel efficiency requirements.
If it is the skip shift you can buy a part from a forum vendor to fake out the computer and eliminate the skip shift.
Just a thought
About your tranny issue. This may sound dumb but part of what you describe with your grinding 1/2 and into fourth sounds like the "skip shift" feature installed on our cars for the EPA and to meet fuel efficiency requirements.
If it is the skip shift you can buy a part from a forum vendor to fake out the computer and eliminate the skip shift.
Just a thought
