Seat Control Switch Rebuild
 

98' XK8, passenger (right) seat. My wife was getting into the car and happened to hit the finger control knob on the seat control switch, 4-way, that move the seat forward/back and up/down. The switch seems to be fine and the parts (finger lever and the "U" shaped wire piece are fine, but I've tried to put it back together several times and it doesn't seem to work quite correctly. The seat moves forward/backward but not up/down. So is it a situation that the passengers seat simply does not move up/down or that in the number of time reassembling it, I am not getting it right?

If the passengers seat has the four way motion to it, does anyone have a diagram of some instruction on how it goes together?

Thanks

3 things:

1. Some cars came with more basic passenger seats (fewer adjustments than the driver seat). Has this up/down ever worked on your passenger seat?
2. The control modules to these seats are a very common failure point. Fortunately, you can reach for the modules (under the front edge of each seat) and swap them (driver/passenger) to see if the problem moves with the module. If so, these can be sent out for repair (for a fee) of the circuit board.
3. Electrical manuals are available on jagrepair.com

Best of luck, keep us posted.

Is there a way to manually return my passenger side seatback to a more vertical and usable position (not fully reclined as it has ended up due to me playing with the recline switch) without pulling the entire seat to see what's happened? I can hear what sounds like motor engagement or at least some form of reply to the recline switches input. The switch command cancels in a second or two (probably to prevent motor damage) but there is no seatback movement. Manually attempting to 'assist' the seatback does nothing. The seatback saftey switch on the left side of the seat hinge is in place and works (the switch cuts power to the seatback motor if the seatback is not securely latched). That I hear anything at all suggests [to me] that the under seat module is OK. All other power seat functions, including the seats bun warmer work perfectly. Just the recline function is on vacation.
Is there a way to remove the seat bottom with the seat still in the car to get access to the motors and with a bit of luck 'un hang' the recline assembly?


2003 XK8 4.2

Swap the modules and you should be able to move it. Yes, you hear a click, but that doesn't mean the module is okay. I just bought a 99 XJ8 module on ebay and it works in my 06 XK8. I'll use that until I get mine repaired.

It's worth a try. Four bolts as opposed to eight. Thanks for the quick reply.

Save me the time - what size nut holds the modules to the seat frame? I wrote it down somewhere safe which means I'll never find it.

10 mm.

Cheap way to earn another post count.


THANKS!

Module was as you thought, bad. Swapped modules and the seat is again usable. Is the ex Navy guy in CF (?) still repairing these modules?

Sometimes corrosion on the contacts can be cleaned to correct the problem on some switches. I have done this on some previous cars. Do not know if this will work on the XK.