My 04 VDP has an issue with the driver seat rear tilt/lift mechanism. I believe it's something mechanical because I detached the motor from the gearbox and the motor runs fine. I also removed the grease cover on the gearbox and the part of the gear I can see looks good, but I'm unable to get it to turn. Something seems locked up on one end or the other with the screw shaft between the gearbox and the rear of the seat where it attaches to the seat frame.

I'm not necessarily concerned with restoring functionality, but I want to get the seat into a lower position for comfort. Does anyone know how to remove the gearbox or at least get the screw shaft to move so I can lower the seat? I pulled the 3 torx screws on the seat rail, as well as the nut on the screw shaft that's stuck, but no luck getting the gearbox loose or separating the screw shaft from the gearbox. I was hoping I could just spin it and lower the seat, but of course it wouldn't be that easy!

Thanks for any help!

 

Here we have a pic of the suspected culprit the screw shaft at the bottom is what I believe to be stuck.

 

Well we can see straight away that the two cogs shown will not mesh so there must be a

third cog above the motor.

Looks like you will need to remove the motor to effect a repair.

Interesting pic thanks.

 

There is a third cog behind the one you see in the pic coming out of the motor. When I removed the motor and the cog you can see In that pic, the cog behind it (behind all the grease) looks fine, but does not turn. That gear appears to drive the screw shaft coming out of the bottom of the gearbox.

I'm thinking the problem lies in that silver round piece at the bottom of the picture. After examining my passenger seat (which works fine) the screw shaft is supposed to twist into that piece. This is different from the front tilt where the shaft goes all the way through and protrudes out the other side.

The trouble is, the back side (at the back of the seat) of this screw shaft is inaccessible. The front mechanism has a visible Allen head that can be twisted with an Allen wrench to move that part of the seat, but there is no such thing on the rear motor. Or if there is, it's buried behind the seat frame/hinge.

I was hoping to do this without taking the seat out of the car and disrupting all the harnesses. Man, there are a lot of wires under there!!! I guess I will have to try and tackle an entire removal and disassembly next. I gave up for today as it's getting dark and I need to drive the car tomorrow.

 

There is a third cog behind the one you see in the pic coming out of the motor. When I removed the motor and the cog you can see In that pic, the cog behind it (behind all the grease) looks fine, but does not turn. That gear appears to drive the screw shaft coming out of the bottom of the gearbox.

I'm thinking the problem lies in that silver round piece at the bottom of the picture. After examining my passenger seat (which works fine) the screw shaft is supposed to twist into that piece. This is different from the front tilt where the shaft goes all the way through and protrudes out the other side.

The trouble is, the back side (at the back of the seat) of this screw shaft is inaccessible. The front mechanism has a visible Allen head that can be twisted with an Allen wrench to move that part of the seat, but there is no such thing on the rear motor. Or if there is, it's buried behind the seat frame/hinge.

I was hoping to do this without taking the seat out of the car and disrupting all the harnesses. Man, there are a lot of wires under there!!! I guess I will have to try and tackle an entire removal and disassembly next. I gave up for today as it's getting dark and I need to drive the car tomorrow.