Troubleshooting my Driver side Pwr operated headrest...
 

My drivers side headrest which is power operated now no longer moves with the press of teh button. It worked fine before and symptoms were intermitten operation then it just stopped. Now everytime I press the button, All i hear is a faint "click" and thats all. Is it stuck or is it broke for good?> I would appreciate your feedback. Thanks

I had same problem on my 380SE. I took seat back off but everything looked fine. I then reached under the seat and moved around the wiring and lo and behold the headrest started worikng fine. Occasionally it still will balk but usually I just put slight pressure on it and it goes up or down. Not a very technical soluation I know but sometimes just moving things around seems to help.

Make year model? Assuming SL? :confused:

This seems to be a frequent problem, usually results from people manually pulling the headrests up and down. Usually, the gear on the motor has just been pulled off track, which is why you still hear it running with no results.

Fairly easy fix, did it on mine by taking off the back seat covers and reseating/resecuring the gear.

I saw a DIY article somewhere on this problem once, maybe on Rik Johnson's site, but I can't really remember. Perhaps someone who knows could post the link.

John

Its a 560SEL. Funny thing is that I had it all the way in the UP position. I tired moving wires around under the seat and I also tried jiggling the headrest lightly and I still get nothing. Btw, I even removed the headrest and then put it back into place and still the same and i just hear a "click"

Do a search on "headrests"...

...if your mechanism is similar to that of the W124 series, there is a $18 part that you can replace that will fix this issue.

I had the same problem with my E-320 headrest. It turned out that the motor electrical contact is not good. If you take off the seat's back, wiggle your motor around until you can get use the switch to move it up and down (get someone to help with the switching). I used electrical tape to force the contact. I've been working fine for two years now.
There may also be a plastic piece that hold the headrest gear being broken, you can use a couple of tie wrap to hold it in its place.

Good luck
JeffreyP

Checked my headresty again today. Since it was all the way in the UP position I pushed the button down and well the darn thing moved! Well moved down but wont move up now. I now have iut all the way down and it is stuck again! Bummer... Im going to try opening the seatback and looking at the motor. Is there anything I should look out for when taking the seatback apart in my 560SEL with leather and heated seats/.?

We don't have the same car, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was similar in design. Try this link...

http://v12uberalles.com/power_head_rest.htm

Hope it helps.

I opened the seat back and started to gently move wires around. I also went under and started to gently wiggle wires around. I then tested the button again and the thing finally moved up and down as it is supposed to. I even tested it for a good five minutes up and down pausing, doing random movememnts. I then clean up and install the seatcover again. After that itest the thing again and it moves for a sec then stops in position and all i hear i "click" again. This is pissing me off. Its like there is something making teh motor stick or liek the electrtical connection is spotty.

power headrest clicks
 

I have a similar car 85 W126 300SD with 95000 miles and my passenger side power headrest does the same click as yours. This car was my Dad's and I'm trying to keep everything working. So far, I've been under the seat and realize the clicking is a relay - black in my case - 6 posts - vertically mounted just behind the three removable wiring connectors (under carpet). I've removed all and cleaned with contact cleaner. Still clicks. My headrest is all the way down - hard down. I think its jumped the limit switch somehow and am trying to see if I can get it to move up. Does anyone know how to jump the switch and which connection would do this? A few months ago when trying to do this, I was running the entire seat back and forth and suddenly the headrest did move up and then worked fine in the middle type positions until ran down hard again by an energetic 12 yr old. Now clicking again. This seems to be a common problem. Anyone else solve this?

UPDATE: Got my headrest moving for a week then it goes back to being stuck again with a "click". I checked the fuses and they are fine. Everything on the seat works. Im thinking there is something dirty in the relays? So now that it is stuck in the UP position all the way. Btw, sometimes if it is in the UP position all the way and I press the switch, it will move down, but not up. This means the motor is working but something is preventing it from going up

update power headrest fixed
 

As stated previously, 85 300SD 95000 miles with click on relay under seat. The middle two wire connector under the carpet is the power from the door mounted headrest switch. My multimeter showed voltage both directions when the headrest switch is activated. That led me to take the back off the seat - two screws at the bottom. Couldn't see anything wrong with the wiring on the left side mounted motor but scared to remove it. Still thinking it was bound/limited, while I was sitting in the backseat, I pulled slightly towards me on the vertical mounted black bars that connect the chromed bars from the headrest to the plastic gear mechanism - while triggering the switch. Headrest moved immediately back up - WORKING! Now realizing this is stuck - not burned out - I liberally used my White lightening (bicycle gear wax lubricant) and dribbled it down the openings at the upper side of the holes in the two black vertical supports that hold the bars from the headrest. The lubricant ran out the bottom so all is lubed. Now headrest moves way faster than the drivers side leading me to believe it is dry too.
Lack of lubricant is likely why these headrests stop moving! If your mechanism is clicking and not moving, try this trick before taking off the carpet springs etc. Its less than a 5 minute job. :sun_smile
Harold in Sequim

hey, did your trick harold and still no budge. I even tested the relays and they came out excellent. Its just stuck and will work when it feel like itm LOL Well im still trying everything I can.

How do you take the seat back cover off. I have never done it and don't want to break anything.

D Rider