Byron in MS

I have an '01 996 Turbo and today, I moved the power seat forward to replace the rear floormat. When I released the adjustment switch the seat continued to move forward. I heard the fuse pop when it reached the end of its travel and it would not move after that. I replaced the fuse and it blew again immediately when I tried to move the seat. Long story short, the seat bottom and back are all the way forward and I cannot get in the car at all. Furthermore, I cannot remove the seat as I can only access the two rear mounting bolts! HELP!!

mikes_996

must be a short somewhere in the wires... check to make sure none of the wires are exposed and touching metal otherwise its a no go...

mudbuddha

+1 on checking for exposed wires...Usually there is a plastic cover in front of the bottom seat cushion. Pop that off and there should be a mechanism from which you can use a hex driver to manually crank the seat forward of backward. Good luck.

Hurdigurdiman

Take the fuse out and see are you able to remove the switch from the side of the seat. Seems like the forward contacts are still bridged someway causing the fuse to blow as the seat comes to the end of its forward run. There are 3 adjustment levers on the side of my seat. Seat forward/back...seat tilt forward/back and then the 3rd is the lumber adjustment switch. Under my seat I see what looks like plugs. Can these be unplugged and then maybe the seat could be pushed back. Not sure. Have you tried replacing the fuse and pushing one of the 3 pre set driver position buttons on the bottom of the drivers door? Maybe one of those will put the seat back into a normal position. Anyway good luck. I don't envy your task.

Byron in MS

Thank Hurd.....I have removed the switches from the side of the seat. They are micro switches and are not serviceable. I can hear a clicking from under the seat as in a relay. Oddly, the switch activates the relay clicking whether the fuse is in or out? I have looked everywhere for a way to access a cable or gear to manually roll the seat back. I have looked for a release mechanism and cannot get the seat to budge in reverse. I did manage to get it to move more towards the front!!! I tired whacking the seat rail with a hammer while activating the switch in reverse. Now I have resorted to disassembling the seat completely!!!

Macster

Checked my Turbo factory manual reference and found nothing on how to move a seat that doesn't move. The seat removal procedure assumes the seat can be moved to either end of its travel to access the seat rail bolts to remove the seat.

Sincerely,

Macster.

SSST

It almost sounds like a wire got caught in the mechanism and created a short when the gears ran over it.

If that's the case, if you can find the offending wire, perhaps you can get two ends, jump it and get the seat moving again.

Hurdigurdiman

did you try any of the pre set second and 3rd driver buttons to see if the seat goes to one of those positions before taking the seat out. Other than that, I would try a new forward and revers switch on that seat. The one on now sounds like its stuck in the forward position. If you do see and can reach a relay then change that before taking the seat out. Good and keep us posted on your progress.

Hurdigurdiman

did you try any of the pre set second and 3rd driver buttons to see if the seat goes to one of those positions before taking the seat out. Other than that, I would try a new forward and revers switch on that seat. The one on now sounds like its stuck in the forward position. If you do see and can reach a relay then change that before taking the seat out. Good and keep us posted on your progress. Try this link http://answers.edmunds.com/question-...ove-83986.aspx

chsu74

I had the exact thing happen to my seat. The wire that runs to the motor between the seat cushion and backrest wore through to the copper and is shorting against the metal holding the two seat pieces together. When you move the seat forward, the exposed wire came in contact with metal and shorted the fuse. Find that wire and you should be able to move it away from the metal part of the seat for proper removal and fix with electrical tape.

Byron in MS

I have tried using the 3 preset buttons, but no love. Mirrors move, but not seat. Chsu...where specifically was the wire between the seat cushion and back? I am going to give this a look in the am. Thanks!

Macster

Because I have a Turbo and it could manifest the same symptom as your car I asked about this today at my local dealer.

The tech said that replace the fuse, but do not try to move the seat forward or backward because of course the fuse will almost certainly blow again. Instead raise the seat as high as it will go.

Then unscrew the drive cable from the motor (he says there should be 2 motors and thus 2 drive cables).

Use a properly sized electric drill motor to move the seat forward then backward to gain access to the bolts.

Because there are 2 drive cables you'll have to alternate between the 2 moving the seat forward or backward in stages.

The tech did not say what to do if the fuse blows or the raise/lower motor of the seat doesn't work.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Byron in MS

Thank you Macster. I will try this!

Macster

Good luck. Be sure to provide an update or if you run into trouble post that too.

If you run into trouble, I can always go back to the tech for a follow up question or two should it come to that.

Sincerely,

Macster.

groovzilla

this is why i love manual seats!! nothing more frustrating that power seats not functioning.