How to manually move a power seat in a Dodge Ram?

In this article, we will address “How to manually move a power seat Dodge Ram?” In addition, we will also give you 7 tips for adjusting the driver’s seat accurately in your vehicle.

How to manually move a power seat in a Dodge Ram?

To manually move a power sat in a Dodge Ram, do the below things:

  • Disconnect the cable from the seat motor.
  • Unscrew some housing portions to remove the cable from the seat motor.
  • Check for the wirings which connect to the seat motor. 
  • Cutting down the spring meshes present on the bottom of the seat.
  • Turn the seat shaft below the mesh in the appropriate direction for setting the car seat.
  • Test drive the vehicle and judge whether the seat is accurate.

Due to advancements in technology, cars today come with power seats. Power seats allow you to adjust the position of the car seats with the help of electric motors. Moreover, the power seats can be adjusted in 22 different ways. However, many Dodge Ram owners have faced issues with the car seat where the seat doesn’t move on pressing the button. The immobile nature of the Dodge Ram seat can be due to several reasons. But a driver can adjust the car seat manually. However, they require a few tools and expertise in operating these tools.

Steps for manually adjusting the Dodge Ram Car seat

  • The first step in adjusting the Dodge Ram seat is disconnecting the cable from the seat motor. But before disconnecting the cable from the motor, make sure that the car engine is turned off and the battery negative terminal is disconnected from the seat.
  • To remove the cable from the seat motor, you need to unscrew some housing portions. Removing screws from the housing will help you view the connections inside the assembly and will help you locate the issue that the seat is facing. Once the screws are removed from the assembly, keep them in a safe storage place.
  • Once the housing is open, check for the wirings which connect to the seat motor. After checking the wiring, detach the seat using a knife or professional scissors and remove the seat from the car.
  • The next step for manually adjusting the car seat involves cutting down the spring meshes present on the bottom of the seat. Cut the spring mesh carefully as more electrical connections are present underneath it. For cutting the spring mesh present below the seat, you can use a bolt cutter present in your toolbox.
  • Once the seat mesh is cut, you will see the shaft on which the seat moves. You need to turn this shaft in the appropriate direction for setting the car seat. For moving the seat forward, you need to turn the shaft in the anticlockwise direction. For moving the seat backwards, you need to move the seat in a clockwise direction. 
  • Once you have adjusted the seat manually, remember that it is a temporary solution. You need to take the car to the mechanic to repair the car seat’s electrical system. The mechanic will diagnose the fault properly and then repair the car seat.
  • After getting the seat in the desired position on the Dodge Ram, it’s now time to test drive the vehicle and judge whether the seat is in an accurate position. If the seat isn’t accurate, you need to repeat the steps mentioned above.

Tools Required for moving the Dodge Ram seat manually.

The tools required for moving the Dodge Ram seat are:-

  • Screwdriver
  • Bolt Cutter
  • Knife
  • Scissors
  • Pliers
  • Winders
  • Gloves

7 Tips for getting an optimum position for your Car seat

Having an optimum seat position on the car is necessary for preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as back and neck disorders. Thus to avoid postural disorders, a person sitting in the driver’s seat should implement these techniques for getting an optimum seat position. 

Adjust the Height of the Seat

To adjust the seat’s height, you need to follow the specific steps mentioned below.

  • Check the hips are as high as your knees.
  • While sitting on the car seat, the road is visible.
  • Make sure the seat backrest perfectly supports the back.
  • You won’t be required to bend or move for viewing the road at a good seat height.
  • Having a 2-finger gap between the seat and back of your knee ensures proper blood circulation.

Manage the Seat Position

  • Start by moving the seat forward until your legs reach the pedals.
  • Your knees should be bent 20 to 30 degrees to avoid knee pain.
  • Use the footrest next to the clutch pedal to support your back and pelvis when you are not operating the clutch pedal.
  • Finally, your right foot must be free to move between the brake and the accelerator pedal.

Calibrate the Tilt of the Seat

For getting an optimum backrest angle, it is advised to have the rear of the seat downward while the front of the seat should be upwards. Having such an arrangement will prevent you from slipping during braking, and thus it will reduce the chances of back injuries. In addition, to support your back properly and have lower pressure on the back’s disc, you should incline the car seat between 100-110 degrees.

Use Lumbar Support

Many cars have a feature of adjustable lumbar support. But, if your car doesn’t have a feature to adjust the lumbar support, you can buy a lumbar cushion or device. The lumbar support helps you maintain the lumbar curve, which makes the backless tired while driving the car. For getting the perfect position for lumbar support, you need to adjust the depth and height of the lumbar device.

Get support for your Rib Cage.

The ideal position of a car seat is the same as the height of the shoulders. However, a slight deviation from the ideal position is fine until you get comfortable support for your back. Also, most people don’t know the correct position of the head on the headrest. For getting a comfortable head position on the headrest, you need to sit upright and align the ear lobe with the neck and collarbone. Once you get your head in an accurate position, you can adjust the headrest accordingly. The seat adjustment is now complete.

Modify the position of the seat belt and Wing mirrors

Once you get an optimum position for the driver’s seat, its now time to adjust the seat belt height and the wing mirrors. While adjusting the position of the seat belt, you need to make sure that the belt covers the hard part of the body, such as the rib cage, pelvis, and abdomen. Meanwhile, in adjusting the rearview mirror, you need to adjust the mirror so that the object in the mirror is visible. For example, a trick for adjusting the mirror is to make sure the rear door handle is visible in the mirror.

Adjust the steering Wheel

The last step in getting an accurate posture during driving involves the adjustment of the steering wheel. For adjusting the steering wheel, you can follow the following steps.

  • Keep the steering wheel at a 20-25cms distance from your ribcage.
  • When the vehicle is stationary, your back and shoulders should be able to rest on the seat while the wrists should be able to bend over the steering wheel edge.
  • During driving, your arms should be able to turn 120 degrees. 

Conclusion

In this article, we have addressed “How to manually move a power seat Dodge Ram?” Moreover, we have also described our thoughts on getting an accurate driver seat position while driving the vehicle. Moreover, we have also explained how optimum seat position can prevent postural disorders.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): How to manually move a power seat, Dodge Ram?

Why has my Power seat Stopped Working?

One of the reasons that have caused the power seat to stop is entering moisture or water into the power seat controls. If moisture has settled in the power seat controls, the seat adjusts button won’t work properly.

How much does it cost to replace a power seat motor?

Power seat replacement cost involves the part expenditure of $411 while forgetting the part repaired you would be charged a labour cost of $104 to $131.

How do I Know the Power seat switch is bad?

One of the clear indications that the power seat switch is failing is the seat does not move when the power seat switch is pressed. In such a case, you will be required to change the seat switches.

Is it safe to put a rolled towel under the car seat?

Putting a tightly rolled towel below the seat’s recline at the crease will give you a correct recline angle. Thus, it is good to put a rolled towel on the seat.

References

  1. https://carused.jp/blog/car-maintenance/easy-to-follow-steps-for-moving-a-power-seat-manually/
  2. https://indianauto.com/tips/how-to-adjust-seat-in-car-nid6820
  3. https://www.mcdivittlaw.com/blog/sit-up-straight-8-tips-on-how-to-properly-position-the-drivers-seat.
  4. https://www.usedcars.co.ke/blog/how-to-manually-move-a-power-seat