94 Q45 auto seat and steering wheel retraction at key removal

[jmonday]

The best feature of my 122,000 mile Q45 is auto seat push back and steering wheel retraction upon key removal.

It began to operate intermittently 40k miles ago, then stopped completely. Removal of steering wheel collar assembly and some jiggling restored operation. Now it has stopped working again completely.

Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions for a permanent repair? Is it a key contact issue?Thanks, john

[Rex]

First, Welcome to NICO, you'll like it here .

Second, no personal experience with the issue you've described, but my train of problem solving says look at the "disable" switch first. Next, get the voltmeter out and see if it's getting the signal and/or passing it on to trigger the motors/movement.

Let us know what you find.

[Q451990]

Does it work if you insert and remove the key multiple times? (e.g. jerks back a litte more each time?)

There are two slide potentiometers (look like slide volume controls on a radio) that tell the control module where the steering wheel is in it's travel path. These get dirty and replacing or cleaning them with electrical contact cleaner will usually take care of it. I have also found that exercising them buy running the wheel up and down multiple times with the joystick on the steering column will help sometimes.

Welcome to NICO!

Heath

[elwesso]

Does it work if you insert and remove the key multiple times? (e.g. jerks back a litte more each time?)

There are two slide potentiometers (look like slide volume controls on a radio) that tell the control module where the steering wheel is in it's travel path. These get dirty and replacing or cleaning them with electrical contact cleaner will usually take care of it. I have also found that exercising them buy running the wheel up and down multiple times with the joystick on the steering column will help sometimes.

Welcome to NICO!

Heath

interesting information.... YAY another thing I can do on my Q!!!

Sometimes if its electrical unplugging the battery for a while will help.

[jmonday]

Operation is completely dead. I've had it some time ago acticate only the whell and not the seat, but that didn't happen very often.

My success came from collar removal and a lot of jiggling and looking for look wire.

I'll check the deactivation switch - hadn't done that yet. I like the idea of a cleaner, as I've thought it a contact issue - loose wire. I'll exercise it a bit and keep you posted on results.

[Jeff Williams]

I have always wondered why the wheel on Lola does not go down as far as Layla. I will need to check the pots.

Thanks for the info!

[JedCoop]

Operation is completely dead. I've had it some time ago acticate only the whell and not the seat, but that didn't happen very often.

Are the two lights on the position "set" buttons on the door flashing? If so there is a fault in the Body Control Unit Module. Even if it is not flashing, I would do the electrical trouble shooting tests (mode V at least - but do modes I and II anyways) It is on page 88 of the "EL" section of my '94 manual. This can reset the control module and make everything work again.... Or (more likely) it will point out the problem in your seat positioner circuit.

I remeber reading somewhere on this forum of some other way to reset the Body Control Unit, but I can't remember what it is.

Good luck.

[jmonday]

Operation mysteriously returned as these posts were being made. No blinking lights as suggested, but I did spray contact cleaner in the ignition and operate the key multiple times. While the seat control lights were not blinking, I had long ago given up on its operation. Huzzah - that works now, too. Have you ever read the warnings on the can of cleaner? I had visions of my steering column bursting into flames, but that never materialized.

Thanks for all the suggestions.

[redmanfx]

Mine is intermittant and works better when I have the drivers side door open. There is a fuse somewhere that shorts out or some wires get shorted. It's very strange and the only way to pinpoint the problem is by removing everything down to the wires and going from there. It's great when it works all the time!

red

[elwesso]

Mine is intermittant and works better when I have the drivers side door open. There is a fuse somewhere that shorts out or some wires get shorted. It's very strange and the only way to pinpoint the problem is by removing everything down to the wires and going from there. It's great when it works all the time!

red

It works 60% of the time, all the time....

[ddrumman]

The best feature of my 122,000 mile Q45 is auto seat push back and steering wheel retraction upon key removal.

It began to operate intermittently 40k miles ago, then stopped completely. Removal of steering wheel collar assembly and some jiggling restored operation. Now it has stopped working again completely.

Does anyone have experience with this? Any suggestions for a permanent repair? Is it a key contact issue?Thanks, john

Wow I’ve had the same issue for the last year and a half. With mine the seat memory LED’s are blinking all the time even when the car is turned off. I’m/was under the impression that it was draining my battery. -The car would NOT start if I didn’t drive it daily. So a couple of days ago I went to Sears and they replaced the battery with an Optima red top. So far no problems-. The funny thing is that the steering wheel tilt/joystick does NOT work for the “up and down” but the telescoping function DOES. Also the seat controls are ALL working as they should. I had a phone discussion with Wes around the beginning of September on this issue. He was very helpful and as he mentioned above he recommended disconnecting the battery for about 5 minutes. I did and while we were on the phone when I reconnected the battery the LED’s were NOT blinking and the steering wheel would go UP and the seat BACK as they’re supposed to. So I get in the car to go for a drive -with Wes still on the phone- and after about two minutes on the road the Led’s started blinking again and obviously when I parked the car and turned it off the “seat and steering wheel” thing did NOT do what it’s supposed to do. If it’s a Body Control Unit Module issue what should I be expecting to spend? I’ll soon be driving down to San Diego to have Jerry do my sunroof and possibly figure out some of these electrical gremlins. The keyless entry is also out of whack. Does your keyless still work?

[ddrumman]

Are the two lights on the position "set" buttons on the door flashing? If so there is a fault in the Body Control Unit Module. Even if it is not flashing, I would do the electrical trouble shooting tests (mode V at least - but do modes I and II anyways) It is on page 88 of the "EL" section of my '94 manual. This can reset the control module and make everything work again.... Or (more likely) it will point out the problem in your seat positioner circuit.

I remeber reading somewhere on this forum of some other way to reset the Body Control Unit, but I can't remember what it is.

Good luck.

I'm looking thru my 94 owner's manual and I can't seem to come up with any "pg.88" or any "EL" section.

Is this the manual you're talking about?

D.

[nchopp]

It works 60% of the time, all the time....

Bwa ha ha... "That doesn't even make sense..." Anchorman is the best movie EVER.

[Q451990]

I'm looking thru my 94 owner's manual and I can't seem to come up with any "pg.88" or any "EL" section.

Is this the manual you're talking about?

D.

They're talking about the FSM (Factory Service Manual) - not the owner's manual.

Heath

[CastorTroy777]

Hey all,

Good news! Had same problem, fixed it by playing with the relay under the dash, it was sticking i believe. I think it was the round one, but dont quote me on that. I can check my FSM when i get home. But i had that problem for a long time and many others, just takes lots of work and problem solving, sucks to drive way back from the wheel like i did because my seat also froze.

Anyways Good Luck,CT

[slylett]

If anyone remembers how to fix this, please let me know. I bought my Q45 used 2 days ago. I took it to the dealer today and he programmed a new remote for me. After I left, the door started flashing and the steering wheel stopped moving up and down. It will move in and out, but not up and down.

PLEASE HELP!

[cmiears]

I am having the same problem, can you give me a little more on which relay and how to find it? Thanks, [email protected]

[Fred D.]

Sounds like the same problem for the same models. My '94 Q45 works on and off, so I pushed the button on the left hand side of steering colum. I think the constant movment of the seat & steering wheel, upon entry and exit wear the electric systm and it begin to faulter.

[maxnix]

I am having the same problem, can you give me a little more on which relay and how to find it? Thanks, [email protected]

If anyone remembers how to fix this, please let me know. I bought my Q45 used 2 days ago. I took it to the dealer today and he programmed a new remote for me. After I left, the door started flashing and the steering wheel stopped moving up and down. It will move in and out, but not up and down.

PLEASE HELP!

Do a search in the Infiniti Online Mechanic Forum to learn how to reactivate the entery/exit behavior.

MODS: Shouldn't this post be in that forum?

[OvrKill]

I had pretty much this same problem. My door lights flashed and the wheel would not work, and sometimes when I got in my car and put in my key the wheel would go all the way down and try to crush my legs

I ended up having to change my battery just like mentioned is this thread. My lights stopped flashing but the wheel still didn't work. I mentioned this to my Infiniti tech and he was like oh that is easy. He sat in the car with the key off and reached down and started pressing on an off with the door switch that depresses when the door is closed. It hadn't worked in months and started working right then.

I had to mess with my battery once after this and the wheel stopped working. All I did t fix it was press the door button several times with the car off and the door opened. It started to work right away.

[Jeff Williams]

Good info.

A loose battery connection can cause this kind of failure, as well.

Make sure the terminals are tight, and clean of corrosion.