Driver's Side seat stuck up high
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 126
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From: Brampton, Ontario
1996 C36 AMG, 2013 Dodge Dart Turbo 6spd
Driver's Side seat stuck up high
Hey guys, need some help with a problem that I've been having that has taken a turn for the worse. Ever since I got my car back in april, the driver's side front seat power works no problem, but, when i go to tilt the rear section down (im 6'7" so i have to drive in the back seat as it were lol) the left side would go down but the right side was intermitant at best, but i just left it where i needed it and delt with it. Yesterday when moving the seat forward to make it easier to work in the back seat, when i went to move it back, I could no longer lower the right side down, so now my seat sits up 2-2.5" higher and I end up hitting my head on the sunroof 
My question is this, does anyone know how I can fix this myself or with some help? And if so do you have a writeup or link to one??? Thanks, for any and all help as I cannot drive the car really right now
My question is this, does anyone know how I can fix this myself or with some help? And if so do you have a writeup or link to one??? Thanks, for any and all help as I cannot drive the car really right now
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,325
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
i'm about 90% sure you need to clean the seat switch. check this out:
http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu...ht=seat+switch
http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu...ht=seat+switch
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 126
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From: Brampton, Ontario
1996 C36 AMG, 2013 Dodge Dart Turbo 6spd
thanks for the link Pete, but I don't think that it's the swich, although I'm sure I need to do this and will add it to my LONG to-do list. But the reason that I say that I don't think it's the swich is the fact that I still have power to the mechanism (i.e. the left hand side will go up and down) but it's almost as if the right hand side is stuck at the top and will not go down with the other side. Might this be a gear?
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
I hear you Hound. But I'm gonna stick with my theory. My seat back would move forward but would not move backwards at one point. Every other function worked fine. I cleaned the switch and haven't had a problem since.
When the switch needs cleaning, usually only one or two movements stop working. It's not all or nothing. A failed switch does not necessarily cut power off to the seat. Just my 2 cents!
When the switch needs cleaning, usually only one or two movements stop working. It's not all or nothing. A failed switch does not necessarily cut power off to the seat. Just my 2 cents!
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Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,325
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
Wait, I think I get what you're saying now. When you try to lift the seat higher (i.e. make your head move closer to the ceiling), one side of the seat will move upwards while the other side seems stuck?
If that's what you mean then yeah. The switch has nothing to do with it. I'll leave my previous post to cover both bases.
Ha ha, now that I think about it... I've noticed that my driver seat is very unlevel. It actually makes me lean towards the center of the car and my back starts to ache after a while. I thought this was due to the fact that I installed some sound deadening material that required me to remove and re-install my seat. But I guess it very well could be due to the same problem you're describing. Would you mind linking me to the "other forum" where you've also posted this? lol, thanks!
If that's what you mean then yeah. The switch has nothing to do with it. I'll leave my previous post to cover both bases.
Ha ha, now that I think about it... I've noticed that my driver seat is very unlevel. It actually makes me lean towards the center of the car and my back starts to ache after a while. I thought this was due to the fact that I installed some sound deadening material that required me to remove and re-install my seat. But I guess it very well could be due to the same problem you're describing. Would you mind linking me to the "other forum" where you've also posted this? lol, thanks!
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 126
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From: Brampton, Ontario
1996 C36 AMG, 2013 Dodge Dart Turbo 6spd
yea sure, posted this over on mercedesshop.com: http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforu...d.php?t=167668
Thanks Gilly for the reply over there!
@ Pete yea that's the same problem that I had, let me ask you this, when you try and push the button for the rear of the seat up or down, do you move up and to the right/left and down to the right/left rather then just up and down, if so then I think you have the same issue that i'm having, and yes it can be quite uncomfortable when you are sitting at an odd angle... Best way to check is to put the seat all the way forward and then be behind the seat, take a look at the two "arms" for lack of a better word, at the back of the seat they are connected to the lower track, now have someone push the button to lower/raise that part of the seat, if only one moves or, if they don't move together then yea my guess is you're in the same boat. I will post a small video and pic to help illustrate what is going on that way anyone else who might have this problem, can tell right away...
Thanks Gilly for the reply over there!
@ Pete yea that's the same problem that I had, let me ask you this, when you try and push the button for the rear of the seat up or down, do you move up and to the right/left and down to the right/left rather then just up and down, if so then I think you have the same issue that i'm having, and yes it can be quite uncomfortable when you are sitting at an odd angle... Best way to check is to put the seat all the way forward and then be behind the seat, take a look at the two "arms" for lack of a better word, at the back of the seat they are connected to the lower track, now have someone push the button to lower/raise that part of the seat, if only one moves or, if they don't move together then yea my guess is you're in the same boat. I will post a small video and pic to help illustrate what is going on that way anyone else who might have this problem, can tell right away...
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Long Beach, Ca
lots of cars
Move the seat all the way forward and remove the cover on the housing in the back that move the gear up and down. You may need to shim some of them because maybe the rod from the motor is not making contact with the part that moves the seat up and down. It's a pretty easy fix if you know what your doing.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
so I just checked my car... when I raise and lower the seat, it moves very evenly. It doesn't seem like it has any problems at all. It's just unlevel. It sounds like my problem is different than yours. But maybe it's somehow related. I dunno.
Thread Starter
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Joined: May 2006
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From: Brampton, Ontario
1996 C36 AMG, 2013 Dodge Dart Turbo 6spd
if those two "arms" for lack of a better description, go up and down at the same rate, then it's doubtfull that you have the same issue. Sounds like in your case, you might need to re pad the seat bottom, if you have a habit of sitting in the seat unevenly, then the one side is going to get worn down more, either that or it could be a broken spring, after 20or so years of use it's quite possible. Here are links for a DIY repadding of the seat, and how to fix broken springs:
http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/W123SeatRepair
http://dieselgiant.com/repairseatspring.htm
hope that helps.
http://www.mercedesshop.com/Wikka/W123SeatRepair
http://dieselgiant.com/repairseatspring.htm
hope that helps.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,325
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
Yeah, I see what you're saying. I don't think it's that though... Cuz when I look through the rear window of the car, the entire seat is tilted toward the center of the car. It's not just the seat cushion.
My problem may have to do with the fact that I added some sound deadening material to the floor and then reinstalled the seat. The problem was obviously worse after I did that. But it was definitely present before. My wife once told me when she drove behind me that she thought I was trying to look cool and lean in towards the middle of the car. ha ha, it definitely wasn't intentional! But now it's bad enough that my lower back starts to ache after driving for a while...
I got your email, btw. I'll send you that file when I get home in about an hour.
My problem may have to do with the fact that I added some sound deadening material to the floor and then reinstalled the seat. The problem was obviously worse after I did that. But it was definitely present before. My wife once told me when she drove behind me that she thought I was trying to look cool and lean in towards the middle of the car. ha ha, it definitely wasn't intentional! But now it's bad enough that my lower back starts to ache after driving for a while...
I got your email, btw. I'll send you that file when I get home in about an hour.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 126
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From: Brampton, Ontario
1996 C36 AMG, 2013 Dodge Dart Turbo 6spd
Yep thanks man, I appreciate that 
hmm, that does sound like your maybe having the same issue as me then, just maybe to the other arm not the same one as me. Tomorow when fixing it, I will take pics while it's being done, and do a little writeup about the procedure as well and post that, that way those who think they are having this problem can tell for sure.
hmm, that does sound like your maybe having the same issue as me then, just maybe to the other arm not the same one as me. Tomorow when fixing it, I will take pics while it's being done, and do a little writeup about the procedure as well and post that, that way those who think they are having this problem can tell for sure.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,325
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From: Seattle
1990 300ce
shoot, I just remembered when I was out running errands that I hadn't sent it to you. I just emailed it a few minutes ago. Hopefully that didn't cause a rift in your plans to fix it tonight!
