seat motor problem

[Maknessa]

My apologies if this question has been discussed in this forum or elsewhere. I cannot get the search feature of this site to work for me. On my 1994 TC the front passenger seat motor or control switch is malfunctioning. Using the chrome knob on the control panel on the armrest I caalways make the seat move up and down, but most of the time I cannot make the seat move forward. Once in a great while the knob will activate the seat to move forward; whan this happens, it always moves back. (Allother features of the control panel on the armrest operate properly.) When I move the knob forward and the seat does not move, I hear a click under the seat at the motor. Question: where is the likely problem--in the control at the armrest or at the motor? If at the motor, is there a separate solonoid at the motor that may be the culprit?

Thanks.

[mechaniclese]

I couldn't find a link to help you out on this one but if I had to take a guess I'd say it's the switch. I'd try pulling it out and cleaning the switch and the contacts on the plug that plugs into the switch. It's been my experiance that if it works "sometimes" then it's in the switch somewheres. It could also be a broken wire from where the wiring for the door crosses between the body and the door itself via the rubber conduit. I know GM cars are very bad for this, I don't know however if Lincolns are as bad about it happening. As far as the seat motors go the only time I've ever seen them act up is if they don't get used it seems they gum up from non-use. I'm sure someone else will chime in and say I'm wrong about everything I've said and give you the right information. I'm just sharing personal experiances and a place to start.

[Maknessa]

This suggestion is certainly plausible. I shall try it and report back. My only question is that, when I move the know forward to try to make the seat move forward, I do hears a definite click sound from under the seat where the motor is. Question: is there a separate solonoid attached to the motor, or is this a single integral unit?

[BillyBob TC]

This suggestion is certainly plausible. I shall try it and report back. My only question is that, when I move the know forward to try to make the seat move forward, I do hears a definite click sound from under the seat where the motor is. Question: is there a separate solonoid attached to the motor, or is this a single integral unit?
Ive noticed that I have no trouble moving my seats forward or back. But a buddy of mine, some 230 lbs worth, has 'stalled' the passenger seat on occasion. This seems to be only in my driveway, which slopes up to the house about 4 feet up from the road. So the TC nose is 'up in the air' and he tries to move the seat up, and it acts REAL tired or stalls completely. Maybe the motor IS tired, or could use some grease?

[SignatureSeriesOwner]

Ive noticed that I have no trouble moving my seats forward or back. But a buddy of mine, some 230 lbs worth, has 'stalled' the passenger seat on occasion. ?

That would explain why my motors are weak-ish.....the PO was 340+ :mad:
Time for a trip to the junkyard :D

[Maknessa]

I am getting arround to the seat problem slowly. My wife and I are both under 170 pounds, so I surmise heavy bodies are not the problem; that is, weight has not stressed the motor. I disconnected the plug under the seat and applied contact cleaner to the male and female halves. That made no difference. Am I right to think that the next step is to remove the door panel to access the knob/switch from behind and spritz wverything in sight with contact cleaner?

[V8guy]

You do not have to remove the door panel to access the switch. Pry the front of the switch housing up with a screwdriver and lift up the front while unhooking the little catch at the rear of the housing by pushing down on it. Then lift the complete housing up. This gives you complete access to all of the switches in the housing. Good luck on finding the problem.

[Maknessa]

Thanks for everyone's suggestions. I finally got around to disassembling the switch on the door panel. Everything looked good. I cleaned off all the contact pins with electrical contact cleaner. I also manipulated the seat moltion knob and shot electrical contact cleaner into the inside, moving the knob all the while. No change: when I move the knob forward to move the seat forward, I get an audible (and palpable) click from the motor itself. A rod on the motor would tun very slightly then stop. The switch will make the seat og up and dowen when I move the knob left and right. I must conclude that the problem is in the motor. Are these motors replacable with junkyard units or are they integral with the complete seat?

Thanks.