Slow/stop power front seats

scskydivin

SCCoA Member
I took out my front seats today to grease the track & gear. I did find the typical stale Fritos, quarters & a thousand tiny leaf particles. The seat came out easily. I cleaned up the entire area under the seat. I did not take the seat apart. I greased the track, gear & teeth with all purpose grease. I put the seat back in the car, held it up at a 45 degree angle, hooked up the wires, and operated the switch to check operation before bolting it down.

The seat would move 1/2 way forward, the motor would wind down, then stop. No movement forward or backward. If I waited 10 mins, it would move backward or forward about half way again, wind down & stop. Then no movement for about 10 more mins. It's like it is powered by a set of AA batteries that are about dead. No up/down or tilt. Just forward backward. It will click with every switch, it just won't move. The bolster motor works fine.

Do I need a new drive motor? Are they available?
 
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most likely the cable(s) are binding - you can try greasing them like an older speedo cable but the motor(s) might be too weak now - is it "better" with the engine running?
 
most likely the cable(s) are binding - you can try greasing them like an older speedo cable but the motor(s) might be too weak now - is it "better" with the engine running?

I didn't think the seat motors had cables. Aren't they direct drive?
 
It looks direct drive to me. I just went out there and tried it again with the engine running (just in case). No difference. Went back & forth for short durations of an inch or so then came to a stop. It worked for less than a minute. Waited 5 mins, then it did the same thing.
 
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Some are cable some are direct drive - if they're direct drive then a bunch of rags should be laid on the carpet around the seat area and all the pivoting joints of the scissor mechanism sprayed with WD-40 and the seat made to go up and down and back and forth with the car running - after a few movements there needs to be a rest period as power seat motors draw a ton of current
 
I would pull the seat again and see if there is debris on the teeth in the tracks. Maybe clean the tracks real good, lubricate with lithium grease and see how that works. Also don't rule out a bent seat track, weak motor, etc.
 
You don't want to use lithium grease cuz it's seriously messy - WD-40 is wiser

With it running again...take digital multimeter and make sure you at LEAST 12 volts to the main connector going to the seat

Seat track motors really don't wear out as they see minimal duty - it's usually either not enough power to the supply point, a poor ground, or the commutator bars on the armatures of the motors are heavily glazed and need to be polished/sanded but first things first...power and ground to the seat then power and ground integrity to each motor
 
You don't want to use lithium grease cuz it's seriously messy - WD-40 is wiser

With it running again...take digital multimeter and make sure you at LEAST 12 volts to the main connector going to the seat

Seat track motors really don't wear out as they see minimal duty - it's usually either not enough power to the supply point, a poor ground, or the commutator bars on the armatures of the motors are heavily glazed and need to be polished/sanded but first things first...power and ground to the seat then power and ground integrity to each motor

Lithium grease is what is recommended. Wd-40 is a terrible lubricant and is way too thin for an application like a seat track and dissipates too quickly. Wd-40 would help as a penetrating oil to loosen a rusty bolt, etc. but it is a terrible lubricant. Wd-40 is actually designed as a corrosion preventative used on the first atlas missile and actually stands for water displacement 40th attempt.

Btw- I did instruct to remove the seat.
 
I have checked all this on my car trying to figure out the problem and I believe your motors are just weak. Whether there is a bit of binding in the track or not, they are made to move a 250 pound guy, if they can't move just the seat something is either bent causing a bind, or the motor is weak.

I haven't tried to take apart my motors yet, but that is my next guess for mine. I was thinking high resistance in their or the brushes are wore out. I read a thread a while back where someone took his all apart and had the motors rebuild, maybe he will chime in.
Chris
 
I am also thinking that the motors are weak. There is nothing in the tracks, and nothings bent. It moves fine for 10-15 seconds. That's with me outside of the car. I'll take the seats back out after St. Louis gets out of the freezer. It is quite cold here and my garage space is a bit limited.

I have been looking for a thread that explains taking the motors apart for a rebuild with no results, yet.
 
the seats are direct drive, both fore and aft and up and down. and yes lithium grease is recomended. wd 40 won't stay on, you can use it if you want to re spray every so often and enjoy the smell. clean off all old grease and relube with lithium. i rigged up a bypass and operated mine on the garage floor. i also doubt that the motors wear out. more likely they bind up and get hot. that will make them weak or it will burn them out. also the nylon slides may be worn.
 
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