Intermittent ''Drive Positioner" operation

[captainluigi]

I guess of all the possible maladies that could affect my ''96Qt" this one is not so serious. Still I would like it to operate as designed. Sometimes the wheel & seat retract as programed, sometimes not. No longer returns to pre-programed drive mode. Still works manually however. Have discoed battery & no change. Of course I have attempted reprograming per owners manual instruction. No difference. The two search responses were of no help.

Any suggestions?

[Q451990]

The system uses two slide potentiometers... think of slide volume controls on an older radio or TV. These send feedback to the ADPCU (automatic drive positioner control unit) to let it know the position of the steering wheel. When they get dirty the signal is interrupted and the systems just hangs at that point.

You can replace them, or I was successful on my old Q just spraying them down with some good electrical contact cleaner. My current Q has the issue occasionally - but not often enough for me to pull the steering covers off yet.

You can sometimes exercise the switches by rocking the steering wheel from top to bottom and in to out manually with the joystick and keep it working fairly well for a while.

Heath

[captainluigi]

That all makes perfect sense. Still has full function manually. Time to find the FSM

Thanx

[Q451990]

http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Q45/2006_Q45/

[goody90q45]

The system uses two slide potentiometers... think of slide volume controls on an older radio or TV.

I'm having similar problems in the 90Q. It doesn't always return to the preset position when inserting the key but always retracts when removing the key. I can get there using the 1 button on the door control but it will usually take 3 or 4 pushes of the button before the seat and steering wheel start moving.

It sounds like my position potentiometers need a cleaning and the steering column shroud happens to be coming off tomorrow to get to the trip odometer bulbs. Where on the steering column are the potentiometers located? What do they look like? size? Any tips on cleaning them up?

[Q451990]

It has probably been 7 or 8 years since I cleaned mine, so I don't remember much about them. I want to say that I had to take the lower dash cover off too. Not sure if they're in the FSM or not...

I cleaned mine with CRC contact cleaner... it leaves a very light oily residue. Worked great!

Heath

[captainluigi]

The in / out pot is right of column. The tilt pot is not visible to me. The rod part of in/out pot appears a little bent. My friends say the same for me so maybe it's ok.

Mine is still weirded out. Now the mirrors have an opinion as to where to point.

How do you access the trip odometer light bulbs?

I think I should have paid more attention to the trim removal. Having a wee trouble on reassembly.

Those emoticons below are just strange. A most peculiar method of communication.

[goody90q45]

........How do you access the trip odometer light bulbs? I think I should have paid more attention to the trim removal. Having a wee trouble on reassembly.

I just finished this job this morning. Before starting you'll need to have the replacement bulbs in hand since auto parts stores will send you to the stealership who will have to order them. The Radio Shack bulbs that you can use everywhere else are too dim for this application. I tried and this is why I had to take it all apart again this morning.

All three trim pieces need to be removed:> Shifter trim- Pry it up from a lower corner with a flathead screwdriver and unplug the two window switches. Set the parking brake because you'll probably have to shift to 3 to get this over the shifter and give yourself room to get to the next set of screws.> Bose / AC controller/ Ashtray trim (right of steering column)- Six screws and the rear window defroster switch hold this piece in. Two are at the lower end below the shifter, two are below the ashtray with a metal bar between them, and the final two are found above the ashtray once it's removed. Three connectors hold the ashtray in but you can leave them all plugged in and let the assembly dangle off to the side for the duration of this job.> Outside mirror/ Cruise switch trim (left of steering column)- There are no screws holding this trim piece in place but you'll need to remove at least the top half of the steering column surround to get this trim piece out. It's pryed out from the lower left corner with a screwdriver and 3 connectors need to be unplugged.

Now that these 3 trim pieces are out you've exposed 4 or 5 screws along the bottom edge of the speedo/vent bezel that need to be removed along with two screws just above and in front of the speedo cluster. You should be able to pull it forward enough to unclip 4 connectors on the right side of the bezel. There are no connectors on the left side.

The bezel needs to be rotated forward from the top and shifted about 2" to the right before it will come out. Be gentle with it and it will eventually let loose. It helps to extend and lower the steering column during this process as well as getting the tilt control out of the way so you don't break one of its fragile legs.

The rest is easy. There's 4 screws holding in the speedo cluster and it doesn't need to be unplugged to change the bulbs as long as the lights are off. Reassembly is the reverse of removal but I took a few minutes to polish the cluster, head unit and AC controller clear plastic while I had all the trim pieces off.

I'm having the same problem with my seat memory as you so I also lubed up the steering column with silicon spray and blew out a bunch of loose dust and dirt with compressed air. Finally I exercised the steering column extend and tilt for a few minutes and so far its worked. Spent about 2 hours this morning from start to finish. Good luck Captain.

[captainluigi]

WOW! I certainly appreciate the post reply. A true tutorial. Thank you. I'm thinking that may be a Nov. job as it's about 90F + 80% relative now till Nov.On or in the h2o or A/C is the place for me.