Help! Power seat problems 300SDL - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

LUVMBDiesels · #1 01-06-2010, 05:56 AM

So my daughter who is 17 and going on 2 1/2 got in the passenger seat of the SDL the other day and started playing with the power seat running the back up and down. I told her to stop as I knew the switch was flaky and the last time she did this it took me a couple hours of cajoling the seat until it came back into a usable position. Well she would not stop and now the seat is almost horizontal and will not go back up!

Is there a way to jump the contacts on the seat itself to bring it back upright without removing the door panel and messing with the switch? I would really not take the door panel off in under 20 degree weather!

Thanks in advance - and yes Lisa is gong to be buying me a new switch once I get around to replacing it...

daw_two · #2 01-06-2010, 06:59 AM

Your daughter sounds like the protege of a woman I work with......a bunch of us went to lunch in the summer, 2008 and she was horizontal by the time we got back to the office. I remained the perfect gentleman.

To answer your question; yes, you can.......but you might have better luck spraying contact cleaner into the switch and working it back and forth.

GOOD LUCK with your daughter and the switch.

LUVMBDiesels · #3 01-06-2010, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

Your daughter sounds like the protege of a woman I work with......a bunch of us went to lunch in the summer, 2008 and she was horizontal by the time we got back to the office. I remained the perfect gentleman.

To answer your question; yes, you can.......but you might have better luck spraying contact cleaner into the switch and working it back and forth.

GOOD LUCK with your daughter and the switch.

Thanks for replying...

Can I spray contact cleaner into the switch with it still in the door?
Where are the terminals located on the seat itself. If they are accessible I will jump it so it runs vertical this afternoon

I do not understand some females and their cat like ability to relax anywhere...

My daughter has always been 'hard' on mechanical things. Of course this has led to her having to learn how to fix things too...

daw_two · #4 01-06-2010, 08:05 AM

The main PLUG is on the floor in front of the seat. If the seat is horizontally moved all the way toward the back it will be accessible. LOOK at your DRIVER's seat to find the exact location.

Does the passenger seat memory work? If you, you might find that pressing the 1 or the 2 on the door returns the seat to a previously stored position --- I've had luck doing this in the past.

Access to the switch is QUITE difficult without removing the door panel. Let me look at my switch on the way to work in 3 minutes and I'll post once I get to work.

LUVMBDiesels · #5 01-06-2010, 08:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

The main PLUG is on the floor in front of the seat. If the seat is horizontally moved all the way toward the back it will be accessible. LOOK at your DRIVER's seat to find the exact location.

Does the passenger seat memory work? If you, you might find that pressing the 1 or the 2 on the door returns the seat to a previously stored position --- I've had luck doing this in the past.

Access to the switch is QUITE difficult without removing the door panel. Let me look at my switch on the way to work in 3 minutes and I'll post once I get to work.

The memory worked for a while, but it does not any longer. I forgot to reset it after changing the car battery

I will look at the floor tonight. The seat moves forward and back OK, the only issue is the seat back recline. If I can get it upright I will reset the memory and it should be OK until I can get the door panel off when it warms up.

Thanks!
Joe

daw_two · #6 01-06-2010, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUVMBDiesels

The memory worked for a while, but it does not any longer. I forgot to reset it after changing the car battery

I will look at the floor tonight. The seat moves forward and back OK, the only issue is the seat back recline. If I can get it upright I will reset the memory and it should be OK until I can get the door panel off when it warms up.

Thanks!
Joe

Joe --- resetting the memory will NOT help you get the seat up.

If a previously stored position had the seat position UP, then pressing the button would bypass the seat reclining switch on the door and the seat would move to the "stored position".

You should be able to remove the seat "buttons" and be able to get (spray) some contact cleaner into the switch without removing the door panel.

Good Luck.

LUVMBDiesels · #7 01-06-2010, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daw_two

Joe --- resetting the memory will NOT help you get the seat up.

If a previously stored position had the seat position UP, then pressing the button would bypass the seat reclining switch on the door and the seat would move to the "stored position".

You should be able to remove the seat "buttons" and be able to get (spray) some contact cleaner into the switch without removing the door panel.

Good Luck.

Right, I understand. I meant that once I get the seat up I will set the correct position into memory.

Thanks for the help!

LUVMBDiesels · #8 01-06-2010, 02:44 PM

HOORAY!

A little contact cleaner sprayed into the switch and it is working again!

I reprogrammed the memory to bring the seat back up all the way just in case it happens again

I would have been removing the plugs under the seat and trying to jumpstart the motor if you had not come up with the cleaner idea. Thanks daw_two!