I let my bro-inlaw take my truck for a spin, and in the process he moved the driver's seat forward. When it was time for me to get in again the seat wouldn't move back. He's 5'9", I'm 6'3" so I'm driving squished against the steering wheel right now. The lights dim when I use the switch to move it backward, so it makes me think that the switch is fine, and the motor is bad. Anybody have any ideas? DC may want me to replace the whole assembly, not just the motor, and I cringe to think of what it might cost.

 

Take a look under the seat, you should be able to manually crank the seat back. You'll see the motor with a little "driveshaft" coming out of each end. Then each shaft turns a gear one on each slide of the the seat tracks to slide the seat forward or back. My motor is burned out but I'm able to move the seat by turning these gears with a screwdriver. Sounds like you'rs might just be stuck, if you can get it to move maybe it will be good as new.

 

I went out to the parking lot and looked. There is no driveshaft coming out of the rear of the motor. This must be a difference between 1996 and 1998.

 

I'd hazard a guess that a gear jammed in the forward most position. Try to somehow turn the gear to get it to move a bit, then try the switch again.
-P

 

Well I got it to move back. I did nothing... it just started working. As I drove around I played with it a little bit and it stopped working again... then started again, and so on. It is very erratic. I'm unsure of what the problem could be.

 

I have this same thing with my seat, not the fwd-back motion but up-down. It works, then quits, then after a while works again. I am guessing there is a thermal overload protection in there somewhere that cools down and allows the next few second operation. I will get under it when the weather warms up and lube all those worm gears.
-P

 

Mine did that also, pull the plastic trim piece off the seat that the switches are mounted to and check the connector on the back of the switches, mine was comming off.

 

Will do. Thanks.

 

If the lights are going dim when you hit the switch then the moter is working but stalled/stuck . This is usually do to lack of use or in need of cleaning or lube of the drive train and seat tracks. Get it moveing clean and lube and it should work good again.

 

What locks the rails in place to keep it from sliding manually? It can't just be the motor, because I've never come across an electric motor that I can't turn by hand.

 

im jumping in on this problem!!!
i have SAME problem in my 96 with the rear up/ down switch...
it works for a few seconds, slowly dies out then next day it works same way, at this rate it will take 2 mos to get the height correct lol

 

The motor is gear reduced so you are overdriving the motor when you try to turn the final output shiaft. That is why you cannot push the seat and make it move.

Ronnie

 

And, the motor uses a worm gear, which is 98% effective as a brake when used backwards, which is what you would do, trying to turn the shaft.
-P

 

mine is the same (99) wont go back only foreward

i took the switch out and reversed it (now it goes back but not foreward)

My switch is bad

 

Mine too. Good deal, I'll try reversing the switch. If that turns out to be the problem, putting in a new switch is easy enough.