Weird 2-position seat memory??

[WarGawd]

I have a stack of these weird little nag type questions that have been building up...thought it best to keep 'em separate.

So the issue here is that my Memory #1 for the driver seat position exhibits odd behavior at times, and I can't really characterize a consistent set of circumstances when this occurs. However it only seems to affect the lumbar adjustment position. I have a particular setting stored where the lumbar support is maybe 70% extended. At times, I get in and inadvertently push the #1 button to restore the seat position from its easy exit spot, just out of habit. But if the easy exit never got activated for whatever reason, I get the single beep feedback presumably saying "it's already there dummy" but the lumbar support will relax noticeably...say to only 20% extended.

I've never bothered to look into it, but it may be relevant here that my seat memory #2 has never worked during the time I've owned it.

Any thoughts?

 

[The_Roadie]

In eight years on three forums (another saying of saying I'm an old fart who never changes a vehicle until I kill it) I've never heard of a lumbar memory failure or flakiness. However, the circuit includes a position feedback sensor, and that is likely to be the root cause. They are flaky in the memory mirrors, and often cause the function to work in a crazy way. Only fix has been replacing the mirrors, since the sensors aren't sold separately. Never did the research for the lumbar support because nobody ever reported a problem.

If you take your seat out and get at the lumbar motor and sensor, a spray of electronic cleaner might clean up the potentiometer enough to restore it. If you do, please take pictures, since you'd be the first. You get all sorts of prizes and accolades for writing articles. Welll, accolades, anyway.

On the memory #2 issue - does the DDM button work - do you get a beep if you hold it long enough, but the memory function doesn't work? Or do you not get the beep? A simple missing beep may be a dirty switch (from underuse) in the DDM, which can be cleaned. What's behind the buttons is a simple elastomeric membrane that touches down on a copper pattern on a PC board. Easy to disassemble and clean with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol.

 

[WarGawd]

In eight years on three forums (another saying of saying I'm an old fart who never changes a vehicle until I kill it) I've never heard of a lumbar memory failure or flakiness. However, the circuit includes a position feedback sensor, and that is likely to be the root cause. They are flaky in the memory mirrors, and often cause the function to work in a crazy way. Only fix has been replacing the mirrors, since the sensors aren't sold separately. Never did the research for the lumbar support because nobody ever reported a problem.

If you take your seat out and get at the lumbar motor and sensor, a spray of electronic cleaner might clean up the potentiometer enough to restore it. If you do, please take pictures, since you'd be the first. You get all sorts of prizes and accolades for writing articles. Welll, accolades, anyway.

On the memory #2 issue - does the DDM button work - do you get a beep if you hold it long enough, but the memory function doesn't work? Or do you not get the beep? A simple missing beep may be a dirty switch (from underuse) in the DDM, which can be cleaned. What's behind the buttons is a simple elastomeric membrane that touches down on a copper pattern on a PC board. Easy to disassemble and clean with cotton swabs and isopropyl alcohol.

Thanx roadie - you have said before I was unique...I forget what the specific issue was that time (not the tranny fill level)

I may have a need to remove the seat - the bottom seat heater coil stopped working this past winter (backrest still ok), on the TO DO list.

Memory #2 never worked or beeped ever. I have noticed through the winter that the interior lock knobs do not traverse the full span when engaged electronically...need to pull off door panels and lube things up a bit so that switch can be checked out when I get to that.

Thx again

 

[WarGawd]

Just an added note - the seat has never failed to return to the correct position, complete with lumbar, when the easy exit HAD actually been activated. It only exhibits the odd lumbar behavior when it is already in the preferred/stored position, so I'm not sure that I can see how a bad feedback position sensor can be explained in both instances - any thoughts Roadie?

Thx