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Electric seat fore/aft malfunction

minny

minny

PCGB Member
Member
My 2004 996 turbo tip has just developed a fault. It has electric seat adjustment with memory function. Today after moving the seat backwards, it wouldn't move forwards again. All I hear is the relay clicking beneath the seat when I push the button forwards or backwards. The seat angle, front and rear seat height adjustment works normally. Luckily it stopped at a point with all the 4 bolts holding the seat frame to the car chassis exposed. If the seat was an inch further back the rear bolts would be obscured. E3 and E4 fuses are fine.

Would anyone have any advice on how I can move the seat forward so that I can still use the car sitting comfortably before I remove the seat next weekend? I play to remove the seat to test the motor. Would anyone have the PET part number for the fore/aft motor as I looked at all 400 pages of PET but cannot find the part number.
 
I've no idea how the seat can be moved without using the motor, but it is odd that it will move one way, and not the other. It makes me think that it could be the relay/control unit or switch. I am not sure, but if you plugged in a PST2 or PIWIS tester you may find faults, or may be able to adjust the position:

 
Thank you. Sorry it was my fault not describing the fault properly. It is only the fore/aft movement that is affected i.e it wouldn't move forwards or backwards. A friend moved the seat backwards and now it wouldn't go forwards or backwards but I am lucky in the sense that the 4 seat frame bolts are still accessible. I haven't had time to plug the car in but will do that tonight and update.
I usually drive with the seat in the lowest height setting. Now that the seat has been moved back, my legs are just that bit too short to reach the pedals but by raising the seat height, the seat moves up and forwards so I can reach the pedals comfortably. I still have an inch of headroom! This wouldn't work for your Richard as you are much taller!
 
It was as much my fault for not reading carefully. It does rather sound like the motor then. Because your friend broke it, I think he should fix it - or at least give you a hand to lift the seat out! The standard seats are heavy enough, and awkward to manoeuvre out, and it is easier with two people. I found it best to tilt the backrest forward a bit before disconnecting the plug. I know you can tip it forward with the backrest release lever, but it is a bit easier to handle with the backrest fixed.

The plug can be a challenge if you don't know the trick. Pull out the slider from the side, and the plug and socket separate easily.
 
It does sound like the motor as I tried activating it using the drive links and only the relay clicks. I've ordered a new motor - it comes direct from Germany and with the Calais problem it may be the end of the week or early next week before it comes. Thanks for the tip regarding the connector. It's the same procedure for the ECU and lambda sensor connectors on some cars. You don't realise there is the slide lock and spend hours trying to pry it apart.
 
The usual culprit is actually the seat switch its a common fault, unfortunately the little plastic switch is twice the money.
 
I appreciate the switch is a common fault but when I move it forwards and backwards the relay clicks indicating there is power from the switch to relay. The Porsche technical manual will advise you to go through a few steps to identify the problem starting with listening for the audible click indicating the switch is ok. After that you need a multimeter to check voltages at the plug and to back probe the connectors. However I found a quicker way. It still involves undoing the 4 bolts holding the seat rails to the body. Move the seat backrest as far forwards as possible then tip the whole seat back to rest on the back seat. Now identify the faulty fore/aft motor (driver's side - looking at seat base, its to the right and the one further back), follow the wiring to the connector at the front of the seat base, unplug it and swap it with the one next to it which is the seat height motor connector. Now move the seat switch fore/aft and the seat should rise up and down indicating the switch is ok. Move the seat height up and down and it doesn't do anything i.e the motor is faulty or the wiring from the connector to the motor has a break in it. Do remember to swap the connectors back though. The fore/aft motor part number is 996 624 332 00.
 
Replaced the seat motor and all's good. Its easy if the seat is not stuck so far back or forwards to block the seat rail bolts.
 
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