Seat removal :scm no comm"
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: Whitesboro Texas
Seat removal :scm no comm"
I'm working on some electrical bugs and am getting a no communication alarm from the drivers side seat. I looked under the seat to locate the harness plug and saw the plug with all the wires cut but one. Then I noticed a black wire that had been cut that someone had attempted to splice and it was apart. It was for the telescopic steering wheel.
Anyway: Can anyone give me an idea how to manually move the seat forward so I can reach to two rear seat bolts? I've tried "customizing a 15mm wrench, multiple swivel sockets and I cannot find a combination that allows me access to the bolts.
Thanks
Rick Perkins
Anyway: Can anyone give me an idea how to manually move the seat forward so I can reach to two rear seat bolts? I've tried "customizing a 15mm wrench, multiple swivel sockets and I cannot find a combination that allows me access to the bolts.
Thanks
Rick Perkins
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I can't imagine why someone would cut those wires but those are the source of the issue without a doubt. I don't know how you could manually move that seat. Is there any way possible that you can get those wires connected again with butt splices? With the seat back, you might have enough clearance on the front of it to block it up where you can work on the wires. The connectors are mounted on the on seat side and I think they are easy to disconnect them from the seat bracket to get them down there.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,063
Likes: 9,825
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
If the seat is all the way back it would be very tough to get anything into the bolts. If there is some room between the seat and the upright panel you could try a flex ratchet (combo wrench with open end on one end and a flexible head on the other with ratcheting box wrench in it). The other thing you could do is try and get access to the seat motors from the front of the seat and see if you could turn them (or the seat drives) by hand.
A last resort would be to raise the car and drill out the rear seat bolts from the bottom of the car.
Bill
A last resort would be to raise the car and drill out the rear seat bolts from the bottom of the car.
Bill
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 140
Likes: 1
From: Whitesboro Texas
What I've done so far is unbolt the front of the seat and rais it enough to get the plug out. I went ahead and cut the last wire to do this. I then soldered new longer wires on the plug to try to splice in. Who ever cut the wires left about 1/4" of wire from the plug. I think I may buy a few aligator clips and try to clip on to the wires coming out of the harnes. I can't get my hands back quite far enough to trip more of the ends to connect. I'll just have to be careful not to let any of clips touch together.
I looked under the car and found where the seat bolts come through. I really don't want to drill them out.
I've found a few issues with this car that make me scratch my head as to why the previous owner did what he did. It will be worth the work in the end.
Thanks
Rick
I looked under the car and found where the seat bolts come through. I really don't want to drill them out.
I've found a few issues with this car that make me scratch my head as to why the previous owner did what he did. It will be worth the work in the end.
Thanks
Rick
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,063
Likes: 9,825
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Which side of the plug are the wires cut? The harness side (coming up through the carpet) or the seat side? Have you disconnected the plug from the seat frame. This allows a little more movement of the plug for you to work with.
Bill
Bill
