I must have a gremlin or something

[JT_MONEY_2004]

I'm not looking for advise, however, if anyone has some and it's free then i'll take it. For the last 6mths the recline feature on the driver's side seat hasn't worked. Yesterday, i get in after my girl drove it (seat way up) i positioned it back...and...it stopped short, as in it didn't go all the way back, sounded like something was caught or stuck. so now i'm driving like i'm in a '85 pickup, knees all on the dash, needless to say this is very uncomfortable + i look like a dweeb at the same time.

This morning in get in and decide to try the recline, and best believe it works...WTF. Atleast now i can get a bit more comfortable but i'm still wondering what's goin on there, the FWD/RWD feature still "works" but it keeps stoppin short of full extension. I dont see nothing foreign stuck under there, BUT, when i got angry and started sticking my hand on the side w/ the seat belt holster, trying to help the chair budge that was when the recline feature started working again.

I guess i do have a question, is there 1 motor for FWD/RWD and the Recline or two 'em in there?? ok 2, can the tracks be greased, there's alot goin on under there, not like my Maxima.

OH, i guess Q's do have Rear Air, it's under the seat.....Never knew vents were there...That's mad C L

[elwesso]

Can you hear the relay clicking????

Maybe thers something else wrong... Ill check the FSM

[SUITE E]

put the seat all the way up, and get under there with a flashlight and remove the lipstick from the track. There is something jamming movement.

[Rex]

Power seat and window motors are subject to weirdness when they aren't getting full (12 volt) power. How old is you battery/alt?

[JedCoop]

Low voltage is a reasonable possible cause.

You get 12 volts only when the car is off. It should be closer to 14 Volts while running. If it works more often when the idle is higher (first start in the morning) or while driving than when idling at 600 rpm, sounds alternator related. Check for tight belts, too, if voltage is below 13 volts at idle.

[Rex]

Yeah, JedCoop's right. It should be above 12 volt, I just wanted to make sure power wasn't confused to be horsepower instead of volts.
Modified by Rex at 12:29 PM 1/7/2005

[JT_MONEY_2004]

Yeah it's clicking MOST of the times but sometimes...nothing... hit, hit, hit, miss, miss, hit...

The battery came w/ the car, No clue how old it is but i took it in for walmart to test last oil change and and they said its good, I didn't get any more specific than that (i know that sounds lame), probably "Good" for a car w/ less electronics right?? I'm getting close and closer to buying a multimeter.... I'll have it checked on today, better change the battery than an alternator.

Jedcoop, how would i know if alternator belt is on too tight?

[pito11213]

Take your finger and press it against the belt there should be slight deflection. If it feels like it has alot of tension then it would be too tight. But I doubt that is your problem. Like I said I believe that you have a short in the panel with all the seat controls considering the other little gremlins you have associated with that door.

[Jesda]

Digital meters are $16 at Wal-Mart. Cheaper than a battery! Useful for checking injectors and other electronics.

I just spoke to a Q owner with over 200k, and he had a somewhat similar problem where his seat would recline itself. I had him pull the door switch out (but not disconnect it) and the problem went away. There was probably a short in the wire or connector.
Modified by Jesda at 10:55 AM 1/7/2005

[pito11213]

J get the meter, it is a total of $20.

I am 99% sure there is a short somewhere in that driver side door causing all these problems.

[Jeff Williams]

in the black Q, while we were coming back from Calif with it, the recline stopped working, and the memory buttons quit working. I disconnected the battery for about a minute, and when I re-connected it, the seat buttons worked fine. I had to reset the seat/wheel memory, because the wheel and seat did not return to the home position, when I opened the door. Once I did this, then everything worked, for about 3 months. In December it did it again. I disconnected the battery for a few seconds, and it fixed it, once again.

I plan to replace the panel, when I tear the door apart, to replace the window regulator, this Saturday. The auto-down window button does not work.

To reset the seat/wheel auto-home feature, if it doesn't automatically go to the home position:

get in, close the door. Turn on the key. Turn off the key, and leave it in the wheel. Open and shut the door. Wait about 2 minutes, and open the door. The seat and wheel should return to the home position.

[elwesso]

Actually, ive found you dont have to wait... Just make sure the cancel switch isnt on, and close and open the door a few times until the automatic drive positioner starts to function again...

Anytime you have an electrical problem with the Q, always start by unplugging the battery first!

[JT_MONEY_2004]

Tested batteryengine off: 12.6v , 559cca

Idle (park): 12.67v, 557cca (i think)Alternator 14.1v

[DAEDALUS]

What kind of C L tool are you using to measure the voltages of the batt and alt separately at idle, not to mention the CCAs???

[elwesso]

Probably autozone

[DAEDALUS]

Darn. Whatever it was, I was thinking I needed one. Can't afford one of those yet. LOL

[JT_MONEY_2004]

close Wes... Walmart.