Power seat question

[lada03]

Hello,
I have a power drivers seat in my 85’ 911

The function that lowers the seat buttom decided not to work. Everything else works. All other seat functions work,

Any idea how to diagnose why the seat lowering stopped working?

[86 911 Targa]

Most likely, some foreign material has ingressed into the switch.

There are several links on this forum.

Squirting WD-40 seems to help some members.

Best,

Gerry

[lada03]

It stopped working
As i was pressing it down

[86 911 Targa]

Could be that's when the foreign material engaged in the contact.

Did you try WD-40 as suggested?

G.

[famoroso]

Personally, I prefer electrical contact cleaner for this particular job...


"how-to" fix power seat switches......

[Lyle O]

Also check the electrical connection at the motor which operates the up-down. On mine it had jiggled loose; when I reconnected/latched it, all worked great.

[lada03]

So as im soaking the switch with electrical connector cleaner and pressing the button, the seat went down

But on its own when pressing down, seat not working

[Autoban]

I had my seats apart when I put new leather on them, but I don't quite remember how the switch connected to the seat motor. However, you should be able to disconnect the wire harness and use an ohm meter to check if the switch is functioning properly. It will not take very long. Then you can also measure if current is going to the seat motor.

Juergen

[WolfeMacleod]

Take it apart. Clean contacts. Reassemble.
Watch out not to lose the little balls and springs inside.

[lada03]

I removed the switch, sanded the 2 connectors, cleaned them well. Also slightly bended the connectors. Put the switch back in, Again upper is working lower works sometimes. Its as if when i press it down it doesnt reach to make contact.

Will have to try again. Pain to out the switch in with the ball bearings staying in place

[lada03]

Is the middle white piece (that rotates) in the correct position?

I see 4 grooves on each end, just want to make sure i have set correctly

[Packin4]

The position of the white piece appears correct for a 2-way switch (if not, rotate it 90 degrees, it may be in the 4-way switch position which utilizes a second white piece, they teeter-totter on a fulcrum to actuate up/down or forward/backward). If you haven't already reassembled the switch, spray the contacts (where the ball bearings eventually reside) inside the other half of the switch with electrical contact cleaner. I found it helpful to use a very small dab of di-electric grease to hold the ball bearings in place (as in your picture) when reassembling the switch.

[lada03]

Thanks! This is a 2 way switch. Up and down lowering seat buttom only.

I put the switch back in. Pain in the butt, ball bearings kept falling off (had to put grease on them)

Anyways, back to square one

The seat moves up. But not down, like the contact point is not reaching. If i was to remove the switch again, starting from the top, in that position the switch makes contact and can be lowered

I cleaned it, light sanded it. Just not making contact


Maybe its because i need to rotate the white part of the switch?

[Packin4]

Since the seat goes up (but not down) I would think the white part is in the correct position. Perhaps the ball bearing is not in the proper place after reassembly (since you cleaned the contacts)? My contacts appeared clean (did not sand them) but I cleaned them and the ball bearing with electrical contact cleaner and all was well. Did you use dielectric grease (very small dab) or regular grease? If so, I would look upstream at other electrical connections, maybe a loose fitting connector/wire??

[lada03]

I used regular automotive grease

If i was to not remove the seat switch right now and spray contact cleaner in the opening “hole” while pressing the down arrow, the seat would go down

[Lyle O]

It might be time to just get a new switch...

https://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/0589/POR_0589_INTSTS_pg4.htm

[88911coupe]

I have similar issue but in my case seat goes down, not up. I used the contact cleaner awhile back but eve that no longer helps. Going to have to take it apart again which is big PITA.