Driver's Seat Recline Problem (SOLVED)

[RCA1186]

I've got a problem with the recline on my driver's seat. Pushing the button forward or back you can hear a weak motor sound but no movement. Can you just replace a motor on these? Or is it just stuck and kind of needs to be disassembled and cleaned/greased up a bit maybe? Anybody done it before?

[sall]

Could be the motor or the actuator? I have not had the pleasure...

Power Recliner Motor Replacement - Front Seat

Power Recliner Replacement - Front Seat

[kbpickle]

Not sure if this is the same as your problem:

At ~80,000 my '99 seat back stopped working. I could feel and hear the motor energize and just a little bump on the seat back. But no movement either way.

On the output shaft from the motor there's a white nylon gear. Mine was cracked in two, but still attached to the shaft. My mechanic could not fix just the gear itself, and the individual parts are not available. We installed a new assembly, motor, shaft, and gear. All good now.

Ken

[RCA1186]

That does sound similar to what it's doing. I'm at 88K miles now haha. Do you know where he sourced the part kbpickle?

Also, much appreciated sall, I'm going to look into it more in depth once the warm weather gets more consistent.




EDIT: Seeing as the motor itself is $142 on Rockauto, I may just look into grabbing one from a salvage yard and hope for the best. Luckily right now its stuck in the normal position haha.

[sall]

No problem. Might be a bit difficult to get one at the yard out, but as long as you can get to the seat mount bolts should be okay. Might be doable with the seat in place, I don't know for certain.

[RCA1186]

Ya the seat comes out rather easily otherwise, just gotta find one that has it raised up haha.

[human]

I had a similar problem on the first of the two '97 Olds LSS's I had. The wires to the recline motor were broken off right where they entered the motor. I had to remove the motor and take it apart to re-solder them. Somehow I managed to get the wires reversed so I had to push the switch forward to recline it and back to move it more upright but I never bothered to fix it. I was just glad it worked.

If you're planning to replace the motor with one from a boneyard and you can't find a classic Aurora from which to harvest, I think Olds Eighty-Eights, Ninety-Eights and a lot of Cadillacs from the '90s used the same or a similar mechanisms. The motor is actually located under the seat pan and fairly easy to get to once you get the seat unbolted. I'd suggest harvesting a motor from the passenger side seat as it's likely to have gotten less use than the driver's side.

Daily Driver: 2011 Impala LT
Weekend Toy: 1995 Aurora

[sall]

Buyer's Guide : ACDELCO 22138358 Seat Motor
BUICK CENTURY 1986-1996
BUICK ELECTRA 1985-1990
BUICK ESTATE WAGON 1988-1989
BUICK LESABRE 1986-1999
BUICK PARK AVENUE 1991-1996
BUICK REATTA 1988-1991
BUICK REGAL 1987-1996
BUICK RIVIERA 1985-1999
BUICK ROADMASTER 1991-1996
BUICK SKYHAWK 1985-1987
BUICK SKYLARK 1986-1997
BUICK SOMERSET 1986-1987
BUICK SOMERSET REGAL 1985
CADILLAC ALLANTE 1993
CADILLAC BROUGHAM 1987-1992
CADILLAC CIMARRON 1985-1988
CADILLAC DEVILLE 1985-1999
CADILLAC ELDORADO 1985-2002
CADILLAC FLEETWOOD 1985-1988
CADILLAC SEVILLE 1985-1997
CHEVROLET ASTRO 1988-1989
CHEVROLET BLAZER 1995-1999
CHEVROLET CAMARO 1985-2002
CHEVROLET CAPRICE 1987-1996
CHEVROLET CAVALIER 1985-1987
CHEVROLET CELEBRITY 1986-1990
CHEVROLET EL CAMINO 1987
CHEVROLET IMPALA 1994-1996
CHEVROLET LUMINA 1991-2001
CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO 1987-1997
CHEVROLET S10 PICKUP 1995-1999
GMC JIMMY 1995-1999
GMC SAFARI 1988-1989
GMC SONOMA 1995-1999
OLDSMOBILE 88 1992-1999
OLDSMOBILE 98 1985-1996
OLDSMOBILE ACHIEVA 1992-1998
OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1995-1999
OLDSMOBILE BRAVADA 1996-1999
OLDSMOBILE CALAIS 1985-1987
OLDSMOBILE CUSTOM CRUISER 1987-1992
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CALAIS 1988-1991
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CIERA 1986-1996
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS CRUISER 1987-1990
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SALON 1987
OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME 1987-1997
OLDSMOBILE DELTA 88 1986-1989
OLDSMOBILE FIRENZA 1985-1987
OLDSMOBILE LSS 1996-1999
OLDSMOBILE REGENCY 1997-1998
OLDSMOBILE TORONADO 1985-1992
PONTIAC 6000 1986-1991
PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 1987-1999
PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1985-2002
PONTIAC GRAND AM 1985-1998
PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 1987-1996
PONTIAC J2000 1985
PONTIAC SAFARI 1987-1989
PONTIAC SUNBIRD 1986-1992



I'd venture to say the yard has one of those vehicles haha.

[RCA1186]

Mar 11, 2016 15:58:46 GMT -6 kbpickle said:

Not sure if this is the same as your problem:

At ~80,000 my '99 seat back stopped working. I could feel and hear the motor energize and just a little bump on the seat back. But no movement either way.

On the output shaft from the motor there's a white nylon gear. Mine was cracked in two, but still attached to the shaft. My mechanic could not fix just the gear itself, and the individual parts are not available. We installed a new assembly, motor, shaft, and gear. All good now.

Ken

I want to send a late thank you to you Ken, I finally decided it was time to tear into the seat and fix this problem. It turned out that one of the teeth on the nylon/plastic gear had sheared off and was stuck inside the gear housing. The worm gear threads were also binding/seized. Removing the broken tooth and re-greasing both gears and manually turning it seems to have set it right. All in all about an hour or less with seat removal and troubleshooting. Not too bad!

[kbpickle]

If I may respectfully quote Marc, "OK!"

[emarkay]

Also the worm gears and linkages may be gummed up - that is my issue. Need to take out seat and turn upside down and WD40 the heck out of them!

[inicyt]

i had the issue on my 98 where it would move back but not foreword i still havent fixed it i actully happend to pick up another 98 thats completely fine and even has the original car phone (it doesnt work but its original and can be fixed)