'03 Accord Sedan Power Seat Recline Failure
#11
10-20-2015, 10:26 AM
Same problem - seat not reclining but seat motor sounding like it was trying to operate against a stuck mechanism.
Unfortunately the mechanism seems to sometimes jam when moved to the extreme forward position.
I unstuck our driver's side seat in about 2 hours as follows (procedure similar to "Magnum's" above but with less disassembly of the seat):
WARNING: this worked in my particular case but may not work for you. Also, there is always the chance that you may break something in the process.
WARNING: seat contains a side airbag - I disconnected the battery prior to disconnecting the airbag cable (yellow) and then reconnected the battery after disconnecting the airbag cable. I did the same thing on reassembly.
1) removed seat from car. Remove 4 bolts, tilt seat slightly to get at seat motor connector (white) and airbag connector (yellow) and unplug both. Note that the connectors have small buttons that you need to push to release them.
2) remove the plastic cover over the seat hinge closest to the car's centerline (it's much easier to access/remove than the cover closest to the driver's door).
3) turn the seat upside down and push it far enough into the driver's side door (i.e. headrest on ground, seat cushion resting on driver's side door sill, 90 degrees from normal orientation) until you can hook up the (white) power seat motor connector. Verify that moving the seat recline button tries to move the recline mechanism - you should see the odd star-shaped shaft that runs through the center of the seat hinge turn slightly before it stops.
4) grab the star-shaped shaft with a large set of vice-grips or slip-joint pliers; press the recline button so that the seat tries to recline and then "help it" with the pliers.
I had to try a few cycles back and forth but in my case the seat unstuck after only a few tries.
5) Disconnect seat motor connector again, remove seat, reinstall side fascia, install seat loosely back in car, tilt forward to reconnect both cable connections (white and yellow), then bolt seat back in place.
This procedure only unsticks the seat hinge, it doesn't fix whatever the root cause of the problem is so there is a high likelihood that the seat will jam if moved to the full forward position again. Once I had ours unstuck I just made sure to only recline the seat near the middle of it's adjustment range :-)
Hopefully this will help someone else, but as always your mileage may vary.
Unfortunately the mechanism seems to sometimes jam when moved to the extreme forward position.
I unstuck our driver's side seat in about 2 hours as follows (procedure similar to "Magnum's" above but with less disassembly of the seat):
WARNING: this worked in my particular case but may not work for you. Also, there is always the chance that you may break something in the process.
WARNING: seat contains a side airbag - I disconnected the battery prior to disconnecting the airbag cable (yellow) and then reconnected the battery after disconnecting the airbag cable. I did the same thing on reassembly.
1) removed seat from car. Remove 4 bolts, tilt seat slightly to get at seat motor connector (white) and airbag connector (yellow) and unplug both. Note that the connectors have small buttons that you need to push to release them.
2) remove the plastic cover over the seat hinge closest to the car's centerline (it's much easier to access/remove than the cover closest to the driver's door).
3) turn the seat upside down and push it far enough into the driver's side door (i.e. headrest on ground, seat cushion resting on driver's side door sill, 90 degrees from normal orientation) until you can hook up the (white) power seat motor connector. Verify that moving the seat recline button tries to move the recline mechanism - you should see the odd star-shaped shaft that runs through the center of the seat hinge turn slightly before it stops.
4) grab the star-shaped shaft with a large set of vice-grips or slip-joint pliers; press the recline button so that the seat tries to recline and then "help it" with the pliers.
I had to try a few cycles back and forth but in my case the seat unstuck after only a few tries.
5) Disconnect seat motor connector again, remove seat, reinstall side fascia, install seat loosely back in car, tilt forward to reconnect both cable connections (white and yellow), then bolt seat back in place.
This procedure only unsticks the seat hinge, it doesn't fix whatever the root cause of the problem is so there is a high likelihood that the seat will jam if moved to the full forward position again. Once I had ours unstuck I just made sure to only recline the seat near the middle of it's adjustment range :-)
Hopefully this will help someone else, but as always your mileage may vary.
#13
11-21-2019, 10:51 PM
Even easier solution.
Same problem - seat not reclining but seat motor sounding like it was trying to operate against a stuck mechanism.
After spending quite a bit of time looking at the hinge mechanism and recline motor I still couldn't figure out how such a small motor could safely power a seat recline which has to avoid collapsing during accidents. I eventually found the mechanism patent at: Patent US8460145 - Rotation mechanism - Google Patents
It's quite ingenious - the motor turns an eccentric shaft which "wobbles" a slightly smaller gear comprising one portion of the hinge inside a slightly larger gear comprising the other half of the hinge. This provides a very large mechanical advantage and ensures that (a) the recline motor doesn't have to be very powerful, and (b) the seat won't move without the motor even when subject to very large (e.g. accident) forces. If you played with a toy called "spirograph" as a kid it's a bit like that.
Unfortunately the mechanism seems to sometimes jam when moved to the extreme forward position.
I unstuck our driver's side seat in about 2 hours as follows (procedure similar to "Magnum's" above but with less disassembly of the seat):
WARNING: this worked in my particular case but may not work for you. Also, there is always the chance that you may break something in the process.
WARNING: seat contains a side airbag - I disconnected the battery prior to disconnecting the airbag cable (yellow) and then reconnected the battery after disconnecting the airbag cable. I did the same thing on reassembly.
1) removed seat from car. Remove 4 bolts, tilt seat slightly to get at seat motor connector (white) and airbag connector (yellow) and unplug both. Note that the connectors have small buttons that you need to push to release them.
2) remove the plastic cover over the seat hinge closest to the car's centerline (it's much easier to access/remove than the cover closest to the driver's door).
3) turn the seat upside down and push it far enough into the driver's side door (i.e. headrest on ground, seat cushion resting on driver's side door sill, 90 degrees from normal orientation) until you can hook up the (white) power seat motor connector. Verify that moving the seat recline button tries to move the recline mechanism - you should see the odd star-shaped shaft that runs through the center of the seat hinge turn slightly before it stops.
4) grab the star-shaped shaft with a large set of vice-grips or slip-joint pliers; press the recline button so that the seat tries to recline and then "help it" with the pliers.
I had to try a few cycles back and forth but in my case the seat unstuck after only a few tries.
5) Disconnect seat motor connector again, remove seat, reinstall side fascia, install seat loosely back in car, tilt forward to reconnect both cable connections (white and yellow), then bolt seat back in place.
This procedure only unsticks the seat hinge, it doesn't fix whatever the root cause of the problem is so there is a high likelihood that the seat will jam if moved to the full forward position again. Once I had ours unstuck I just made sure to only recline the seat near the middle of it's adjustment range :-)
Hopefully this will help someone else, but as always your mileage may vary.
After spending quite a bit of time looking at the hinge mechanism and recline motor I still couldn't figure out how such a small motor could safely power a seat recline which has to avoid collapsing during accidents. I eventually found the mechanism patent at: Patent US8460145 - Rotation mechanism - Google Patents
It's quite ingenious - the motor turns an eccentric shaft which "wobbles" a slightly smaller gear comprising one portion of the hinge inside a slightly larger gear comprising the other half of the hinge. This provides a very large mechanical advantage and ensures that (a) the recline motor doesn't have to be very powerful, and (b) the seat won't move without the motor even when subject to very large (e.g. accident) forces. If you played with a toy called "spirograph" as a kid it's a bit like that.
Unfortunately the mechanism seems to sometimes jam when moved to the extreme forward position.
I unstuck our driver's side seat in about 2 hours as follows (procedure similar to "Magnum's" above but with less disassembly of the seat):
WARNING: this worked in my particular case but may not work for you. Also, there is always the chance that you may break something in the process.
WARNING: seat contains a side airbag - I disconnected the battery prior to disconnecting the airbag cable (yellow) and then reconnected the battery after disconnecting the airbag cable. I did the same thing on reassembly.
1) removed seat from car. Remove 4 bolts, tilt seat slightly to get at seat motor connector (white) and airbag connector (yellow) and unplug both. Note that the connectors have small buttons that you need to push to release them.
2) remove the plastic cover over the seat hinge closest to the car's centerline (it's much easier to access/remove than the cover closest to the driver's door).
3) turn the seat upside down and push it far enough into the driver's side door (i.e. headrest on ground, seat cushion resting on driver's side door sill, 90 degrees from normal orientation) until you can hook up the (white) power seat motor connector. Verify that moving the seat recline button tries to move the recline mechanism - you should see the odd star-shaped shaft that runs through the center of the seat hinge turn slightly before it stops.
4) grab the star-shaped shaft with a large set of vice-grips or slip-joint pliers; press the recline button so that the seat tries to recline and then "help it" with the pliers.
I had to try a few cycles back and forth but in my case the seat unstuck after only a few tries.
5) Disconnect seat motor connector again, remove seat, reinstall side fascia, install seat loosely back in car, tilt forward to reconnect both cable connections (white and yellow), then bolt seat back in place.
This procedure only unsticks the seat hinge, it doesn't fix whatever the root cause of the problem is so there is a high likelihood that the seat will jam if moved to the full forward position again. Once I had ours unstuck I just made sure to only recline the seat near the middle of it's adjustment range :-)
Hopefully this will help someone else, but as always your mileage may vary.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
#14
03-31-2021, 02:52 PM
I found a much easier way after thinking about the design in the patent you linked to and how you were repairing it. The gear just needs to be unjammed.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
You just saved me like probably 3 hours of work, a headache, and alternatively the 500 dollars my shop quoted me to replace the motor. I did this and it worked!
If we ever happen to meet, I owe you a beer(s). Thanks!
#15
05-25-2021, 08:51 PM
Kicking it from the backseat worked
I found a much easier way after thinking about the design in the patent you linked to and how you were repairing it. The gear just needs to be unjammed.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
#16
01-26-2022, 03:45 AM
I can't thank you enough!!
I found a much easier way after thinking about the design in the patent you linked to and how you were repairing it. The gear just needs to be unjammed.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
So I didn't take anything apart, I just stood outside the car with the driver's door open, grabbed the top of the seat back with my right hand and with my left hand pushed the recline button back while at the same time jerking the seat back forward (so opposite of what the motor was trying to do) , not too hard, but a bit hard. Took three tries, releasing and re-pressing the recline switch in time with the seat back jerks. Heard a click and viola! Seat is unjammed and reclining normally again.
#17
05-10-2022, 10:19 PM
Drooping seat
I'm not sure if that will work for me. My seat works, but after leaving the car and getting back in later, the seat lowers it self maybe 2". So every time i have to lift it up. Should i try the "pulling it in the opposite direction trick" ?
#18
04-03-2023, 03:45 PM
Easy fix for 03 seat recline
2003 Honda Accord seat recline stopped working.. went through the hassle of ordering a new motor and taking the seat apart.. what a pain.. come to find out the motor was fine..
all I had to do was jump the motor to a 12v battery, grab on one end of the gear shaft that the motor spins to recline the seat. And twist it at the same time as connecting motor to the battery.. it just was jammed and needed a little help.. reinstalled the seat and all is dandy
all I had to do was jump the motor to a 12v battery, grab on one end of the gear shaft that the motor spins to recline the seat. And twist it at the same time as connecting motor to the battery.. it just was jammed and needed a little help.. reinstalled the seat and all is dandy
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
