oi-punx

Yesterday the right switch on my driver's side power seat went out. I have two 2-way adjustable switches and when I pressed the rear-most switch to adjust the seat I saw a tiny wisp of smoke come out from beneath the button. I attempted to remove the switch to clean it, but noticed it was tie-wrapped to the bottom of the seat where it is attached to the harness. It appears that the seat must come completely out to change this item. I can hear the motor clicking when I press the switch, but it won't move, leading me to believe the switch is bad, not the motor. Has anyone changed this item? Should I attempt to clean it, or just replace it? Any tips or advice is appreciated. The car is an '87 951.

kevin Dubois

actually, i had a problem similiar to yours. one of the switches on the driver side only work occasionally. i was cleaning my car once, and i took the seats taken out to clean under then (pretty easy to take them out) while i had the seat out i decided to fix the switch. well, i got it out and found the problem (it was a while ago that i did this), if i remember correctly my problem was there were some ball bearings with tiny springs to keep them in place. well one of my springs was out of place causing the ball bearing to make contact occasionally. well, in trying to put it back in place i dropped one of the springs and could not find it back. it is a pain in the *** to try and fix the switch (that much i remember), so my recommendation is just replace the entire switch. i am looking for one as well right now to replace my broken one, and i'm pretty sure they are not that expensive (provided someone has one to sell me, hint hint).

oi-punx

Kevin,

I've been doing some research on this topic and found this page:

<a href="http://homepages.apci.net/~slyjay/Page6.html" target="_blank">http://homepages.apci.net/~slyjay/Page6.html</a>

It sounds like the problem I was having with my window switches. Those were an easy fix, but this looks a little more detailed because of the tight space. Cost on a new switch is around $73, new from Partsheaven in my neck of the woods. I'm sure it can be found cheaper. Good Luck

Rick Veague

Both the switches on my seats were fried, and I ended up replacing both. You need to pull the seats to get at them, which is quite easy (a pair of bolts on each side in the reat and one on each side in front, accessable through the channel the seat slides in). Once you get the seat out, switch R&R is both obvious and easy.

I ordered replacement switches through Eurowebparts.com, $39 each. I thought about trying to repair them, but figured in the unlikely event I was successful, it would never last anyway.

Good luck!

bs

all right, i don't have much to go on here, but here are a few "random" thoughts:

if you press a switch, and the state of something controlled by that switch changes enough that it makes a click, then some manner of information about your pressing of the switch has been comunicated to the object. ie, if you hear noise from the motor when you press the switch, then the switch is not completely dead.

also, for the cheapskates out there a switch is just a simple electrical device and if you can find one with the right number of contacts in the right orientation then any ol switch like that will work if you don't want to pay porsche many tens of dollars for one that fits well and looks nice.

Ben, wondering why he should stat at work since his boss just left

kevin Dubois

you know, i was thinking the same thing that the switch was a seperate unit from the facing, and that i could just pop the actual switch off, and replace. well, when i took it all apart, it turns out that it is all one unit, and i'm pretty sure that radio shack doesn't have a switch like this one. (unless of course you really mean that you would put a radom rocker switch in, no matter the fit) i think when i get back home i may try locating a new spring for the switch because 40 dollars for that switch is more then i'm willing to spend. But thanks anyway for the links in case i do need to buy a new one.