Rocking Seat Fixed - New Issue
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 533
Likes: 47
From: Tucson, AZ
Rocking Seat Fixed - New Issue
All,
I had some interior work that I needed to get done on my Camaro by the local interior shop, so I figured why not drop the C5 off as well and get my annoying rocking seats fixed. I picked up the kit online and had the shop fix both seats, which went well except now that everything is reassembled they cannot get the power controls on the driver's seat to work. They worked perfectly when I dropped the car off, and the passenger's seat controls work fine after reassembly. Any ideas on something simple that may cause this? The shop is being great and really spending a lot of time trying to figure this out, so I figured I would ask you guys and see if you had any suggestions to point them in the right direction. Thanks!
Tommy
I had some interior work that I needed to get done on my Camaro by the local interior shop, so I figured why not drop the C5 off as well and get my annoying rocking seats fixed. I picked up the kit online and had the shop fix both seats, which went well except now that everything is reassembled they cannot get the power controls on the driver's seat to work. They worked perfectly when I dropped the car off, and the passenger's seat controls work fine after reassembly. Any ideas on something simple that may cause this? The shop is being great and really spending a lot of time trying to figure this out, so I figured I would ask you guys and see if you had any suggestions to point them in the right direction. Thanks!
Tommy
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,967
Likes: 8
From: knoxville tennessee
All,
I had some interior work that I needed to get done on my Camaro by the local interior shop, so I figured why not drop the C5 off as well and get my annoying rocking seats fixed. I picked up the kit online and had the shop fix both seats, which went well except now that everything is reassembled they cannot get the power controls on the driver's seat to work. They worked perfectly when I dropped the car off, and the passenger's seat controls work fine after reassembly. Any ideas on something simple that may cause this? The shop is being great and really spending a lot of time trying to figure this out, so I figured I would ask you guys and see if you had any suggestions to point them in the right direction. Thanks!
Tommy
I had some interior work that I needed to get done on my Camaro by the local interior shop, so I figured why not drop the C5 off as well and get my annoying rocking seats fixed. I picked up the kit online and had the shop fix both seats, which went well except now that everything is reassembled they cannot get the power controls on the driver's seat to work. They worked perfectly when I dropped the car off, and the passenger's seat controls work fine after reassembly. Any ideas on something simple that may cause this? The shop is being great and really spending a lot of time trying to figure this out, so I figured I would ask you guys and see if you had any suggestions to point them in the right direction. Thanks!
Tommy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
I just did that fix, it could be several things, check to make sure its plugged in first.
The most likely issue is the one I briefly had.
The new washers that go into the screw drive whose failure was the cuase of the rocking can easily be wedged in out of center with the grey metal insert that the screw drive goes through. This cuases a pinching of the screw drive the moves the seat back and forth, and makes it too hard for the motor to move the seat.
The second likely issue is the little flexible metal insert the has the square ends that connect the motor drive at the end of the seat rail to the screw drive that moves the seat back and forth, there are two of them and I had my seats completely back together before I realized I forgot to put one of em back in, if one or both were not put back in properly the seat will not move.
can you hear the motor working at all when you try to use it?
Also, does the seat move up and down?
The most likely issue is the one I briefly had.
The new washers that go into the screw drive whose failure was the cuase of the rocking can easily be wedged in out of center with the grey metal insert that the screw drive goes through. This cuases a pinching of the screw drive the moves the seat back and forth, and makes it too hard for the motor to move the seat.
The second likely issue is the little flexible metal insert the has the square ends that connect the motor drive at the end of the seat rail to the screw drive that moves the seat back and forth, there are two of them and I had my seats completely back together before I realized I forgot to put one of em back in, if one or both were not put back in properly the seat will not move.
can you hear the motor working at all when you try to use it?
Also, does the seat move up and down?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 533
Likes: 47
From: Tucson, AZ
Additional Info
Hey all! Thank you for the inputs thusfar. The shop was completely out of ideas, and the seat was stuck in a position that I could drive the car (albeit uncomfortable), so I picked it up and figured I could troubleshoot it further at home or (gasp) take it to the dealer. Here is some more info to perhaps give a better clue:
The seat does not move up or down, nor back and forth, but the controls for the lumbar and side bolsters still work. I don't hear the motor trying to move the seats when I attempt to move it any of the inoperative directions. Oddly enough the teloscopic steering wheel does not work either. Pressing the memory button does nothing except change the radio stations/AC settings. The mechanic also noted that what he called the 'memory box' (the control box underneath the seat itself into which the connections meet) smelled burnt out and he suspected that was the culprit.
Hopefully this helps, and if not, thank you to everyone who had some input to this point! On the bright side, the seats don't rock anymore!
Tommy
The seat does not move up or down, nor back and forth, but the controls for the lumbar and side bolsters still work. I don't hear the motor trying to move the seats when I attempt to move it any of the inoperative directions. Oddly enough the teloscopic steering wheel does not work either. Pressing the memory button does nothing except change the radio stations/AC settings. The mechanic also noted that what he called the 'memory box' (the control box underneath the seat itself into which the connections meet) smelled burnt out and he suspected that was the culprit.
Hopefully this helps, and if not, thank you to everyone who had some input to this point! On the bright side, the seats don't rock anymore!
Tommy
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,240
Likes: 1
From: Orange County California
Hey all! Thank you for the inputs thusfar. The shop was completely out of ideas, and the seat was stuck in a position that I could drive the car (albeit uncomfortable), so I picked it up and figured I could troubleshoot it further at home or (gasp) take it to the dealer. Here is some more info to perhaps give a better clue:
The seat does not move up or down, nor back and forth, but the controls for the lumbar and side bolsters still work. I don't hear the motor trying to move the seats when I attempt to move it any of the inoperative directions. Oddly enough the teloscopic steering wheel does not work either. Pressing the memory button does nothing except change the radio stations/AC settings. The mechanic also noted that what he called the 'memory box' (the control box underneath the seat itself into which the connections meet) smelled burnt out and he suspected that was the culprit.
Hopefully this helps, and if not, thank you to everyone who had some input to this point! On the bright side, the seats don't rock anymore!
Tommy
The seat does not move up or down, nor back and forth, but the controls for the lumbar and side bolsters still work. I don't hear the motor trying to move the seats when I attempt to move it any of the inoperative directions. Oddly enough the teloscopic steering wheel does not work either. Pressing the memory button does nothing except change the radio stations/AC settings. The mechanic also noted that what he called the 'memory box' (the control box underneath the seat itself into which the connections meet) smelled burnt out and he suspected that was the culprit.
Hopefully this helps, and if not, thank you to everyone who had some input to this point! On the bright side, the seats don't rock anymore!
Tommy
Hate to be a negative belly, but I bet they didn't line the new washers up correctly and burnt out the motor, would be easy to do if you were in a hurry and being careless...I would take it apart and see if the screw drive can turn freely through the mechanism, and if its jammed have a heart to heart with the shop....is an expensive- ish fix and a bad seat position may get anoying fast.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 533
Likes: 47
From: Tucson, AZ
UPDATE: Thanks everyone for the help, finally figured out what happened. Apparently, when installing the rocking seat washers, the shop broke the switch on the side of the seat to the point where it was pinned in the down position. This caused the module underneath the seat to run continuously, burning it out and eventually draining my battery to the point where the column locked up. Pretty awesome.
Anyway, I took it to the dealer and they fixed the switch, so now my only issue is a burned out seat module. The dealer said that in order to fix this, they had to replace ALL four modules (2 under the seat, 2 in the doors) with about $1200 in parts because they must be compatible with each other. I was skeptical of this, so I told them to leave that alone.
I see that I can find power seat modules on eBay for about $50, can I just buy one and throw it in there myself or does some sort of programming really need to take place?!?
Anyway, I took it to the dealer and they fixed the switch, so now my only issue is a burned out seat module. The dealer said that in order to fix this, they had to replace ALL four modules (2 under the seat, 2 in the doors) with about $1200 in parts because they must be compatible with each other. I was skeptical of this, so I told them to leave that alone.
I see that I can find power seat modules on eBay for about $50, can I just buy one and throw it in there myself or does some sort of programming really need to take place?!?
