**Tech gurus... give me an answer to my problem...

[kenavery7]

Here is the deal.

My wife's new (to us) replacement 9-3 SE has a weird seat problem.

The passenger side works flawlessly, as do both seat heaters, BUT, on the drivers seat only, the seat won't recline.

The seat base will move forward and tilt and all that, but the back won't budge.

I have looked underneath both seats, and here is what I found:

The passenger seat has a place 2 relays, but only has 1 (and it's grey colored). When I take it out, the pasenger seat stops working all together.

The drivers seat does not appear to have this green relay that others have mentioned in the forums. All wire connections looked great, and the wires themselves looked solid.

Also, all fuses were in fine working order.

Here are my questions:

How can the passenger side be working if the drivers side is not?

Where the hell is this relay on the drivers seat? I spent an hour looking at it, and found nothing. Anyone have a picture? IF so, please post.

If the driver's seat gets heat, I doubt the wires are frayed.

Anything else I am missing??

[earthworm]

This info is available in the WIS CD, but not the Haynes...

Try searching "power seats"...

[Old Goat]

There could be a number of problems with the drivers side seat. Don't confuse the issue with additional information. The heater is separate from the motor control of the seat, so the heater working isn't going to mean that some wire isn't fried for the seat motor.

You could have a bad switch, the part that gives the signal to recline could be bad. The wire from the switch could be bad. I think you will have to pull out the seat in order to look over all the wiring. Use a VOM (volt-ohm meter) to check voltages or to check continuity of the circuits.

I am new to Saabs, so I am not well versed on how the seat operates, but I know troubleshooting skills. I am going to be pulling out the seat in my car tonight to look into the heater problem, I will see if I can figure out how the seat reclines, to give you a list of things to check. While my car is older, they might be similar enough to help you out.

[kenavery7]

Originally Posted by Old Goat

There could be a number of problems with the drivers side seat. Don't confuse the issue with additional information. The heater is separate from the motor control of the seat, so the heater working isn't going to mean that some wire isn't fried for the seat motor.

You could have a bad switch, the part that gives the signal to recline could be bad. The wire from the switch could be bad. I think you will have to pull out the seat in order to look over all the wiring. Use a VOM (volt-ohm meter) to check voltages or to check continuity of the circuits.

I am new to Saabs, so I am not well versed on how the seat operates, but I know troubleshooting skills. I am going to be pulling out the seat in my car tonight to look into the heater problem, I will see if I can figure out how the seat reclines, to give you a list of things to check. While my car is older, they might be similar enough to help you out.

You rule!

Thanks man, and if you find anything out, let me know!!

oh, and thanks for not just telling me to search... been there done that... captain obvious.

[Old Goat]

Well, I took the seat out trying to figure out what is wrong with my heating. Everything checks as far as I can tell. I have voltage, voltage drop across the "coils", circuit has no breaks, thermal checks out fine - even cuts out when warm enough - though that seat sure doesn't ever get to that point. Don't know if they heat more than 1 degree.


Anyway. I looked under the seat, there are three motors that work on seat position. Two of them give you up/down and front/back position. The third motor is what moves the seat back to recline. The motor that does it on my car (97 900) is on the right toward the middle of the seat. There is a plug in connector that goes into the motor. Check that you get voltage to that point when you move the recline button. I would suspect a couple of things for why it won't recline.
1. The motor is bad.
2. The gear/ leverage is jammed. (this would be quite a bit to fix, make sure you have no power on when playing around with this)
3. The switch is bad.
4. An open wire going to either the control button or the motor.

Good luck. If I get a chance to pull the seat out (I did this outside... it's 21 degrees out there) and bring it inside to work on it further, I will see if there is anything else I can figure out for the recline control.

[kenavery7]

Originally Posted by Old Goat

Well, I took the seat out trying to figure out what is wrong with my heating. Everything checks as far as I can tell. I have voltage, voltage drop across the "coils", circuit has no breaks, thermal checks out fine - even cuts out when warm enough - though that seat sure doesn't ever get to that point. Don't know if they heat more than 1 degree.


Anyway. I looked under the seat, there are three motors that work on seat position. Two of them give you up/down and front/back position. The third motor is what moves the seat back to recline. The motor that does it on my car (97 900) is on the right toward the middle of the seat. There is a plug in connector that goes into the motor. Check that you get voltage to that point when you move the recline button. I would suspect a couple of things for why it won't recline.
1. The motor is bad.
2. The gear/ leverage is jammed. (this would be quite a bit to fix, make sure you have no power on when playing around with this)
3. The switch is bad.
4. An open wire going to either the control button or the motor.

Good luck. If I get a chance to pull the seat out (I did this outside... it's 21 degrees out there) and bring it inside to work on it further, I will see if there is anything else I can figure out for the recline control.

This is unbelievalbe that you are this cool. Thank you so much for all your help. This is what the forums are supposedd to be about, and people like you are why I come back here.

Thanks man!!

-Ken

[boxman]

Originally Posted by kenavery7

oh, and thanks for not just telling me to search... been there done that... captain obvious.

not sure that was called for it is amazing how many people do not use the search facility, and the next time you have a problem, if earthworn knows the answer he might just keep quiet