Runaway power seat

[Kim]

I searched and found plenty of info on seats that will not move .... but could not find anything on a runaway seat.

My 00 Cab's passenger seat (fully electric) will occasionally began reclining on its own, and continue until it hits the limit, or until is jams against the Cab wind screen when its installed. Once it stops, it will respond normally to the electric switch and come back to an upright position.

Has anyone else experienced this? My car has never been to the dealer, and I hate to take it in with such a mysterious, some-time issue. That's like giving them a blank check. However, I'm actually afraid its going to ruin a $250 windscreen one of these times.

My only thought is to replace the electric switch on the seat .... on speculation that it is failing internally.

Edited November 21, 2006 by Kim

[Loren]

Check under the drivers seat for moisture - it is not too uncommon to have water (in a Cab) get to the control box under the seat.

Also, look for loose or frayed wires under the seat (also fairly common).

[Kim]

Check under the drivers seat for moisture - it is not too uncommon to have water (in a Cab) get to the control box under the seat.

Also, look for loose or frayed wires under the seat (also fairly common).

Thanks, Loren,

I'll do the "loose / frayed wire" search this weekend. Fortunately, no water under the seats. Been there/ done that when I first bought the car .... until I repaired the water drain tray and blew out the hoses to the rear wheel wells. Car is garaged, and has not been in any rain in a good while to boot.

[CosmosC4S]

I had that same "unexplained mechanical phenomenon" once when I got a brand-new remote key.

Everytime I disarm the car with this new key, the driver's seat would first move all the way back,

then the seatback tilts all the way down. I had to interrupt this process quickly by pressing any one

of the memory setting buttons, then it will stop.

The dealer couldn't program the key right (that's my belief) coz' my original key doesn't do that.

They blamed it on a faulty memory control module under the seat, quoted me $1000 to replace, with no guarantee that it will solve the problem. (WTF!?)

I chose to live with it as I'm the only driver, and I put the new key aside just as a spare.

My indy mechanic says he can try reprogramming the key,

or he could disable the key memory so it doesn't affect the seat when used.

I haven't gotten to that yet...one day.

Does yours only happen with a particular key? (mine does)

Does it only happen when you disarm the car? (mine does)

Does it happen when you open the door if the car is not armed? (mine does not)

[Kim]

I had that same "unexplained mechanical phenomenon" once when I got a brand-new remote key.

Everytime I disarm the car with this new key, the driver's seat would first move all the way back,

then the seatback tilts all the way down. I had to interrupt this process quickly by pressing any one

of the memory setting buttons, then it will stop.

The dealer couldn't program the key right (that's my belief) coz' my original key doesn't do that.

They blamed it on a faulty memory control module under the seat, quoted me $1000 to replace, with no guarantee that it will solve the problem. (WTF!?)

I chose to live with it as I'm the only driver, and I put the new key aside just as a spare.

My indy mechanic says he can try reprogramming the key,

or he could disable the key memory so it doesn't affect the seat when used.

I haven't gotten to that yet...one day.

Does yours only happen with a particular key? (mine does)

Does it only happen when you disarm the car? (mine does)

Does it happen when you open the door if the car is not armed? (mine does not)

I have a MY00: it does not have seats that respond to the driver's key ID.

My issue is with the pax seat, which is not part of the seat memory settings.

It happens at random times while moving on the road.