Motorized passenger seat in 01 GLE getting stuck...
07-02-2015, 05:39 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 10
Motorized passenger seat in 01 GLE getting stuck...
Hello everyone! I just bought my neighbors' 2001 Maxima GLE with 119K miles. It's been garaged and they have taken great care of it.
Today I tried to move the passenger seat forward, and it wouldn't move (I wasn't sitting in the seat, I was standing outside the car). I did some searches and read about the problems other forum members have had, and these are the facts that are probably relevant:
The seat was frozen in the all-the-way-back position. The seat back still tilted forward and backward, but the seat would not slide forward and backward.
The switch moved fine, and I tried jiggling it, but that didn't work. I did not hear any sounds when I tried moving the seat. I didn't hear the motor straining or anything like that. It was as though the switch was having no effect at all.
Here's what I think is really relevant: After reading a few posts, I went back and jiggled the whole seat and then tried to move it. It moved both forward and backward. Then I moved it all the way back and it froze again. Next I tried jiggling the whole seat again, and that didn't work. I sat in the seat and moved my weight around, and was able to get it to move again. Again it worked until I put it all the way back, and then it froze in that all-the-way-back position.
I have all of the service records for the car. My neighbor had the driver seat motor and seat track assembly replaced 40K miles ago (three years ago) at the dealer for $450. He didn't know the passenger seat had an issue. I rode in the car a lot while he owned it and it always worked fine. He is tall and his wife was short, so they adjusted the seats quite a bit (more so the driver seat than the passenger seat, however).
Given the exact problem I'm experiencing, can anyone tell me what is the likely cause, and what my options are to fix it? Thanks!
Today I tried to move the passenger seat forward, and it wouldn't move (I wasn't sitting in the seat, I was standing outside the car). I did some searches and read about the problems other forum members have had, and these are the facts that are probably relevant:
The seat was frozen in the all-the-way-back position. The seat back still tilted forward and backward, but the seat would not slide forward and backward.
The switch moved fine, and I tried jiggling it, but that didn't work. I did not hear any sounds when I tried moving the seat. I didn't hear the motor straining or anything like that. It was as though the switch was having no effect at all.
Here's what I think is really relevant: After reading a few posts, I went back and jiggled the whole seat and then tried to move it. It moved both forward and backward. Then I moved it all the way back and it froze again. Next I tried jiggling the whole seat again, and that didn't work. I sat in the seat and moved my weight around, and was able to get it to move again. Again it worked until I put it all the way back, and then it froze in that all-the-way-back position.
I have all of the service records for the car. My neighbor had the driver seat motor and seat track assembly replaced 40K miles ago (three years ago) at the dealer for $450. He didn't know the passenger seat had an issue. I rode in the car a lot while he owned it and it always worked fine. He is tall and his wife was short, so they adjusted the seats quite a bit (more so the driver seat than the passenger seat, however).
Given the exact problem I'm experiencing, can anyone tell me what is the likely cause, and what my options are to fix it? Thanks!
07-02-2015, 07:02 PM
#2
the seats experience 2 problems. The gears that drive the seat on the tracks strip. If this were to be your problem, the motor still spins and you would hear gringing.
The other problem is the motor itself. The brushes hang up in their guides and don't make contact with the commutator. If this is the problem, the motor is "dead" and there is no sound. Tapping on the end of the motor will free up the brushes for a while, but the cure is to open the motor up and clean the brushes.
If you do this, search for the procedure on how to line up the 2 tracks before re-installing the motor.
The other problem is the motor itself. The brushes hang up in their guides and don't make contact with the commutator. If this is the problem, the motor is "dead" and there is no sound. Tapping on the end of the motor will free up the brushes for a while, but the cure is to open the motor up and clean the brushes.
If you do this, search for the procedure on how to line up the 2 tracks before re-installing the motor.
07-02-2015, 10:05 PM
#3
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 10
the seats experience 2 problems. The gears that drive the seat on the tracks strip. If this were to be your problem, the motor still spins and you would hear gringing.
The other problem is the motor itself. The brushes hang up in their guides and don't make contact with the commutator. If this is the problem, the motor is "dead" and there is no sound. Tapping on the end of the motor will free up the brushes for a while, but the cure is to open the motor up and clean the brushes.
If you do this, search for the procedure on how to line up the 2 tracks before re-installing the motor.
The other problem is the motor itself. The brushes hang up in their guides and don't make contact with the commutator. If this is the problem, the motor is "dead" and there is no sound. Tapping on the end of the motor will free up the brushes for a while, but the cure is to open the motor up and clean the brushes.
If you do this, search for the procedure on how to line up the 2 tracks before re-installing the motor.
How hard is it to do this? I'm pretty handy and have done a lot of work on cars, but not so much recently. Thanks again!
07-03-2015, 08:36 AM
#4
There is no definite answer. It probably depends on how worn down the brushes are. The longer the brush, the less likely it will jam.
I have bad gears but haven't changed them yet. Reading the other guy's how-tos make it sound like the hardest task is getting the seat out.
I have bad gears but haven't changed them yet. Reading the other guy's how-tos make it sound like the hardest task is getting the seat out.
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