W126 Orthopedic Seats

[stu@selip.com]

Hello All,

Working down the short list of annoying problems, I have non-functioning orthopedic seats in my 1991 560sel. They simply stopped functioning recently with no particular preamble to the failure. Is the air pump for these driven by the vacuum pump under the rear seat or is there a pressure pump specifically assigned to this task? If this latter proposition is the case, which fuse might be a possible culprit, and where would that pressure pump be found?

Thank you, in advance, for your insights.

-Stu

[drew1967w]

Is it just your lumbar support that is not functioning? or is it the entire seat (recline, front/back, height) as well?

[stu@selip.com]

Seat positioning controls are fine. So is seat heater. Problem is isolated to lumbar inflation on both front seats.

-S

[albert champion]

v interesting. i have a 1986 560sel with orthopedic seats. there is nothing pneumatic about them.

was an air bladder added at the end of the model run?

[Merc380SE]

On my 420SE ( euro ) the pump for the orthopedic seats is combined with the central locking vacuum pump located in the spare wheel compartment, right aft corner.
the gray colored line is for the seats.
When I got the car the fitting for the seat line was broken off at the pump and the pump ran continuously.
Took a while to figure out what the noise was.

As an aside does anyone know if the ortho function can be retro fitted to existing heated electrically operated seats?

Where do the ortho controls sit?

Cheers
Matt.