stockmax

The tilt function on my power seat has quit working. My guess is the switch, but I don't know how to take it apart and trouble shoot it. Help?

Keith

stockmax

Anybody? I've been messing with the switch and can't figure out how to get the thing apart. Figure I'll check the switch before I go under the seat and start trouble shooting the motor. Is there more than one motor under there? The rest of my seat works just fine, only the back rest tilt doesn't want to work.

Thanks!

byrdman164

iTrader: (4)

Are you referring to the seat back or seat bottom? I'm not 100% sure on these but I think there's a forward/backward motor, a front tilt motor (up/down) and a rear tilt motor (up/down). If you have a known good switch try swapping and seeing if that works. If not then go under the seat and check for chafed or broken wires. If you're electrically skilled you can try manually jumping the motor to see if it moves. Or grab a voltmeter and check for popwer and ground to the motor.

stockmax

byrdman - thanks for the response. It is the backrest tilt; everything on the bottom part of the seat works fine. I've looked under the seat as best I can without removing it, and everything seems to be in good shape. I keep my car very clean, so I don't have a bunch of stuff crammed under the seat that could be causing a problem. My previous experience with electricals is that the switch is usually the culprit, and I'm thinking that if I can get it out of the side of the seat, I can spray some contact cleaner in it to see if it works. If not, then I can jumper it and see if that does it, and then work from there. But, I don't know how to get the switch apart. I can get the cover loose, but I'm stumped beyond that.

Keith

byrdman164

iTrader: (4)

If I'm not mistaken I think the motor for the power tilt should be on the bottom seat track, but I could be wrong - someone feel free to correct me. I haven't personally taken my seat apart (yet) so I can't say for sure but that's what I'm going by from all the other seats I've done. So, you don't have to remove any covers (for the seatback). See if you can fiddle around and get the plastic cushion shield off to access the switch. From the switch you can check for available voltages and whatnot. Like I said before, if you can have an extra switch available, that'd be one of your best testers. If the switch isn't proven to be faulted, then chances are it's the motor. If you keep under the seat cleaned out and nothing's putting extra stress on the wiring and harnesses, then hopefully you shouldn't have a wiring concern. Also, it couldn't hurt to see if the motor is available before you begin. I went to order a seat motor for a friend's Lincoln, and it's only available with the seat track assembly - for $900 (that's WITH my dealer employee discount!). So before you start pulling your hair out, I'd hit up a junkyard and try to get a switch for a few bucks and try that first.

bigpimpen092

iTrader: (3)

Probably need a new motor because when things break just like that its because of the motor. Unless you somehow kicked the switch and damaged it which I doubt you did.

RickB

Mine is able to tilt backwards but will not tilt back up now. I figure the motor is still good since it tilted back (the back of the driver's seat is now resting on the back seat), but NOT forward. Any help?

JonMcJunkin

I honestly don't know what to tell you to on how to fix it, but in my car, the front part of the bottom seat (under the thighs) no longer lifts up. The butt raises, but not the thighs. There's a cord under the seat with a white tip that's not plugged into anything, but I couldn't figure out where it went I was under the seat.

bgod

This happened to me as well.

Power seat would tilt back but not forward. Ended up being the actual switch which is one whole piece with a harness.

Norm Peterson

I think sometimes the mechanism can get jammed. So you may be able to get the direction working again if you can manually lift or jerk the non-operating direction a little, maybe while an assistant works the switch.

If there is a chattering sound, a gear or a worm may have a stripped tooth or section. You may still be able to live with it, as long as you can avoid that seat position.


Norm

RickB

There wasn't any unusual sound when it was going in the backwards position. It just wouldn't go upward.

The switch hasn't seen a lot of use over the years. It may get moved maybe 6-10 times a year since I'm usually the only one that drives it. Bgod, where did you get the harness and how much did it cost?

I've noticed that there is a white tipped harness hanging down not connected to anything. I have cloth, unheated seats. Would that be an extra part of harness for the heated seats? The back on the seat is so far back that I can't get under it from the back to see and can't really see that much from the front.

bgod

I have unheated cloth power driver seat as well. I first thought it was the motor and didn't want to deal with it so dropped it off with my mechanic.

The switch assembly with the harness was a bit over $100 from the nissan dealer. Can't remember exactly how much it was.

Test the switch if you can. If that's it, it's an easy replacement.

RickB

bgod, I wouldn't know how to test the switch.

The hanging harness didn't seem to go to anything after I took the seat out.

Can anyone tell me where the motor for the tilt function is?

RickB

Took it to a repair shop. It's the switch that is out (He said the "pads" in it were bad). The cost from Nissan (not where I took it) is $179 for just the part. By the time labor is figured in, it's around $325.

The one good thing is that the mechanic hot wired it and at least got the seat in an upright condition to where I like it and can drive the car without doing the "gangstah-laydown". I think I'll just let it stay where it is.

MTLMax03

I have the same problem

chuckever61

i personally dont own a 5th gen i have a 99 se-l but the shop i work at currently has a 02 se max with a seat motor issue i diaged it and the way i verify if the switch is working is by using a test light ground the t light to a good ground and probe the connector going into the motor all the switch does is switch the way current flows thru the circuit so when you probe ur connector what your checking for is voltage or the test light to light when you touch one side of the connector while pressing the switch if it does then check the other terminal while pressing the switch in the other direction and it should light if you have voltage on alternating sides while activating the switch its good sometimes a good tap with a hammer will jar the motor to help it move works on starter motors and fuel pumps to get u out of a jam temp fix tho

Amave

i just bought a 2000 Maxima SE and the driver seat switch is just flopping around and it looks broken, my guess is the tilt switch broke and i can't get the seat back to come up. the seat bottome works fine .

i will try and " jump " the tilt switch to tilt it back up so i can at least drive comfortably.

i'll have to look up the power seat switch on courtesy's website.

gdal

iTrader: (2)

I'm experiencing this same problem. How can I remove the switch or "jump" it to adjust the tilt?

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Don't say I've never done anything for you....

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...eat-motor.html

gdal

iTrader: (2)

Thanks scottwax, but my issue is the tilt motor. My seat goes up/down & front/back without issues, but my tilt is stuck all the way into the back. According to this thread is a switch malfunction.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Well, your bottom seat motor is bound to go out too.

Wasn't sure if the motor was similar for the tilt function or not.

gdal

iTrader: (2)

No prob ... thanks for the help anyways!

gdal

iTrader: (2)

Does anyone know how to jump the switch so I can tilt the seat foward? I hate driving with the seat tilted all the way to the back.

gdal

iTrader: (2)

Could you please elaborate? speaker wires to the main battery? I'm not getting it.

Norm Peterson

I think he means to use some speaker twin lead as a pair of long + and ground jumpers from the battery. IOW, jump EVERYTHING including the OE harness, fuse, switch, etc.


Another thing you might try is to have an assistant try working the tilt switch while you smack the seatback upward. Don't be bashful, give it a good uppercut. I have found that similar treatment gets a stuck fore/aft seat adjustment moving (another driver absolutely insists on cramming the seat ALL the way back and it sometimes sticks there).


Norm

gdal

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the clarification Norm.

My switch is bad (motor is getting power and I inspected the gears and they are not jammed) so I don't think I should jerk the seatback.

So how do I control the movement when I'm jumping this motor?

gdal

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the advice ... I was able to hot wire the motor using a 18V drill battery. I ordered the switch from South Point Nissan (Dave B) $115 bucks.

Norm Peterson

Never thought of that. Thanks, I'll have to keep that little trick in mind.

Ouch!!!


Norm

Dave B

My buddy's 00 Maxima has this tilt issue. It tilts forward, but not back. I'm pretty certain it's the switch. Hows does one get the switch out? Do I need to take the seat out or can I get the switch assembly to pop out from the cushion?

Amave

its attached to the outer seat trim

IIRC you need to remove the trim and you will see the switch screweed into the trim from the inside


I replaced the tilt motor & switch about a year and a half ago so my memory may be foggy

Dave B

Thanks. So does the trim piece that the switch is mounted to pop out from the lower cushion assembly?

BobPezz

iTrader: (5)

Is replacement of the seat cushion motors a big job? From looking at the mechanism it seems like a nightmare. But I might be wrong if there's some trick to it. I know it's the motors/gearboxes because they both make the stripped gear sound and won't turn the worms with switch activation.

REDL1NE

iTrader: (2)

My tilt is just fine, but the bottom will hardly move forward and backward.

JLuna

Hi I have a 03 Maxima and the power driver's seat wont move. I took off the worm and the gear is damaged. Anyone knows where I can buy one of this plastic gears??

CTMaximaSE

Did any one give you detail instructions on how remove the power seat switch ?

shep42

So any help would be greatly appreciate here. I've been reading all the posts and have some idea but sure wanna make sure I understand this correctly. My driver seat is stuck all the way back, over the bolts so I can't remove the seat itself. It reclines and all that, but it won't move forward, It only moves on the left side, not the right. It's like the right side is stuck and won't move. I tried tapping on the motor, but to be fair I can barely get to it since I can't remove the seat. I looked and don't see anything in the rail. I took it to the dealer here in Portland, OR and the f'ing dude just called and said it was going to be $1,800 for a "lower seat adjuster". Nothing about the motor, nothing about any bushing or grommet, nothing about the rail. They're not sure what the issue is so replacing the entire f'ing thing is the only thing they can do. How can I get to the bolts if the seat stuck all the way back and covering them? Thanks you guys!!

kauaiwyatt

iTrader: (5)

After you remove the plastic covers (if possible), Use a 14mm crescent wrench to remove the seat bolts. On the right rear, there's also 2 bolts attached to a silver metal bracket that you can remove instead of the seat one that's under the plastic cover.