Seats, Seat Motors, Switches and Adjustments

Seat adjustment is accomplished through four basic components, the control switch, the motors, their mechanical connection drive cables, and the seat jacks or positioning devices.  Usually, the motors are rather robust and if actuating a switch makes no sound it is the switch. The switch simply reverses the polarity of the current to the motor to move the seat adjustment in one direction or the other so if it works in one direction or makes a noise at its end stop and makes no noise or movement in the other the motor is good to go and it is probably the switch. If a motor seems to run free or make a slipping or grinding sound it's the mechanical drive cable's end termination.

Here is a page on how to remove a seat without drama to service its under-seat components.

The switch can be removed and tested if desired at it connection pins with an inexpensive

continuity tester or the most basic inexpensive volt/ohmmeter, both just a few dollars at Harbor Freight.

 

For the basic standard sport seat with two rocker switch controls the wiring diagram shows which pins on the switch pigtail should be used for this testing, see attached.

• Pin 2, Red wire -plus power
• Pin 1, Brown wire ground - negative power
• Pin 5, Black/Violet to motor
• Pin 3, Black/Green to motor

• 

  Sport Seat Switch

  With the rocker pressed in one position Pin 2 connects to  Pin 5 AND Pin 1 connects to pin 3
• When the rocker is pressed in the other position Pin 2 connects to Pin 3 AND Pin 1 connects to pin 5 reversing the direction of the motor and so the direction of the seat height.
• When the rocker is in the center neutral position no connections are made.

Spot Seat
Pigtail Pinouts 

For the Comfort Seats, with the three switches, they can be tested in a similar way by consulting the seat wiring diagram "Sheet 7 Seats" on this  page.

Part numbers for replacement parts can be found in the Seat Catalog on this page.

The basic rule is if no sound in one or both rocker positions it is probably the switch.

If it makes continuous free-running sounds or grinding slipping sounds and doesn't move it's the cables.

 

If the cause points to the switch try just hosing the switch out with spray electronic cleaner. If the root cause is simply a dirty contact it may begin to work properly.