triscot

I am rebuilding the power seats on my 1985 corvette and am stumped by the wiring between the seat back switch connection and it's relationship with the lumbar and bolster switch connection. In testing I only get power to the bolster and lumbar switch connector when the the seat back switch is "on". I have compared the wiring between four different seat bases and they are all the same. Incoming power goes to the seat back switch connector, and no power goes to the bolster and lumbar switch connector unless the seat back switch in a "on" position. I have attached photos to help explain what I hope is something simple that I am missing.

This car has never had all seat functions in working condition, so I don't know what is correct.

triscot

Just to clarify, does anyone know where/how the power leg connects for the bolster and lumbar switch connector?

Moneypit81

Did you ever find/get an answer to this question. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to help a friend with his '88 convertible.

Mac

mark970

could this be as simple as a switch with bad contacts not allowing power to "go" to....??

i have a video about rebuilding a switch on my 92...not sure if this applies or not

Moneypit81

Thanks, I really appreciate the quick reply. I cleaned both switche contacts (bolster & back position) today and got same results. These 2 switches can interchange at connector but get same results: power only for back position and none to bolster switch unless you power the back position switch. While holding that down in either direction you then get power to lumbar and bolster switches.

Any other thoughts or insights are greatly appreciated. I'm stumped although I am not that familiar with sport seats. My '81 gives me no help with this problem on a friend's '88.

mark970

i dont know much about electrical systems and your car is a little older than mine and has different switches. i did all i am capable of doing other than...wishing you good luck!

Moneypit81

I did forget to mention there is what I suppose is a "littlefuse" attached on rear of the
back position switch. Maybe that is the culprit. I am ordering new switch to try that.

Moneypit81

Thanks

triscot

I have not solved my wiring problem. In my case all the switches are new, and both seats have the same issue. This makes me think it is something simply. What I tried to show/explain in my original post was that power was not going from my "Seat back switch connector" to the "bolster control connector". If I supply power to the bolster control connector everything works!, same on both seats. What I don't understand is how the power is supposed to route within the Seat back switch so the other switches get power.

Moneypit81

We have exactly the same problem. This all started while putting new leather seat covers on which included new lumbar bladders, of course. All switches were checked before removing seats and all did work then but now we have the same problem as you have. Based on your reply I now believe the problem must be the black or grey connectors where green & blue wires should transfer power for other switches. If new switch does not fix this issue I will be clipping blue and green wires and then going direct to main power feed (black & orange wire feeds). If I do that I will fuse it like other switch.

Whatever the end results I will post back.

Thank you very much for your reply.

Mac

triscot

A couple of thoughts: I don't think a new switch will fix problem. I purchased two new switches, one for each seat, and it did not help me. In my situation I started with two seats that were in such rough shape that I bought couple of used ones off ebay and then had them reupholstered. So I was able to review the wiring on four seats! All the same. I have had numerous purchases of "OEM" electrical parts where it turns out after I get the part that the connector is wired for say 1988, even though part was advertised as 1985 - X. Sunvisors are a good example. The 85 pigtail is different from later models. So maybe the the 85 switch is unique from later models? and the power leg does go through the switch? Since the power leg in the seat back switch connector is not spliced to either the blue or green wire I guess one must assume the connection must be made within the seat back switch??? Which makes no sense; your seat back switch fails therefore all other seat functions fail??

Splicing the power leg to the lumbar inflate connector, and the bolster connector would not be hard....but really? There must be something we are both missing.

triscot

One other note. The picture I posted from FSM, at the beginning of this thread seems to show the power junction is done before the switch.

Moneypit81

C1 & C3 would be the two larger connectors ( black for back position motor plus switch & grey for bolster switch plus motor) with the main feed being 2 wires (1 orange & other being black with orange line) that goes to the black connector (C1) which should send power back to the grey connector (C3) via blue wire and green wire. When I do visual inspection of this setup I see exactly what it is in fact doing, which is not functioning without pressing the back position switch. I'm not an electrician or engineer but I sure would like an explanation of how this could possibly work ( although it did function until we reinstalled the seats after new covers added).
This is I'm sure the same thing that you were illustrating in your first photo above.

Sure hope someone here will join in to educate me on what I don't understand about this setup.

Thank you for your replies, hopefully we can get to the bottom of this headache soon.

Until then, good luck. I will post if I find the answer.

Mac

Moneypit81

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Simple, GM not bright: unplug your purple/black connector and also your orange/black connector (those will be the medium size connectors). Now re plug them in this fashion: orange/black (main power supply) plugs into blue/green connector of same size, be sure to match polarity i.e. Orange mates to blue & black mates to green. Then plug orange/black that comes from your large black plug/outlet to your black/purple seat back motor, again match polarity ( black side to black and orange side to purple.

I know, you would think black/orange to black/orange but that would be too reasonable.....right?

I will try to post a picture later.

Good luck!

Moneypit81

Trying to upload photo!!

triscot

I knew there was a simply explanation. THANKS!!!!!

PS I my case when I started the seats were missing all/most of the switches. So the remove and replace in the same position didn't work for me.

Moneypit81

Glad I could help. It is exactly what the diagram was showing but those dang things are not that clear to me sometimes.