Why Won’t My Car Seat Move Forward
By
Vroomouk
In this article, we will explain the reason behind “why won’t my car seat move forward”. Moreover, we will also explain how you can troubleshoot your stuck seat.
Facing issues with the car seat has become a common problem these days. The major cause of the seat being stuck is the presence of several mechanical components in the seat. In this section, we will mention a few causes behind the problem. Why won’t my car seat move forward?
Why won’t my car seat move forward?
Some of the reasons your car seat won’t move forward are:
- The first reason can be the lack of movement of car seats for a long period. The drivers often don’t necessarily adjust the car seat for a long time. Due to this, the mechanism for seat adjustment might get jammed.
- The seat stop breaker must have bent, due to which the seat can hardly move forward or backwards.
- The seat adjustment mechanism is corroded.
Troubleshooting method for Car Seat
Fixing your car seat is not a difficult task, and you can perform the troubleshooting steps all by yourself. However, if you have doubts about your capabilities, calling a mechanic will be a safer option. In the sections below, we have listed a few steps you can implement to fix your car seat.
- The car seat moves on the rails present below it, and in several instances, the seat doesn’t connect with the base. Thus in such a case, locking buttons are not intact. Moreover, one button gets locked in many scenarios while the other stays unlocked. Due to this, the seat can move on the base.
- Thus in a case where both the locks are not locked. A person fixing the seat needs to shake them or jostle the seat. The shaking or jostling of the seat might lock both the seat locks.
- The normal car seat has four movements: forward, backward, recline and decline. In some cases, the backrest mightn’t lock in a particular position. In such a situation, you can ask your friend to push the seat from the back while you have lifted the lever to adjust the backrest.
- When the car seat has been in a certain position for a long period, there are chances that the seat might get stuck due to rust. Thus in such a situation, you must add lubricant such as olive oil on the seat’s base. Adding lubricant will reduce the friction, and you will move the seat.
- If you can remove the seat from the vehicle, you must do that. Because once you remove the seat, you can do a complete service of the car seat and bring the functionality of the seat adjustment back to its original state.
- In some situations, the seat slider mechanism is stuck because of rusting. You need to remove them and inspect the track for missing and damaged parts in such a scenario. In such a way, you will find the problem in your car seat.
How to move an Electronic Car Seat Manually?
The seat adjustment is a vital feature in every vehicle because it gives you the liberty to set the seat according to your needs. With the advancements in technology, seat adjustment mechanisms have also evolved. Along with mechanical seat adjustment mechanisms, electric seat adjustment mechanisms are available in several vehicles. In this section, we will explain how to move the electric seat manually when stuck.
- Remove the negative battery cable of the electric car seat.
- Remove the seat’s trim panel, loose all the screws on the trim using a screwdriver and pull the seat cover out from the cushion.
- Disconnect the power seat switch connector. Once the connector is removed, you are now ready to move the seat manually.
- Once you remove the trim from your vehicle, the next step is to view the shaft, which manages the position of the seat.
- Use pliers to move the poles present on the shaft in the intended direction. For instance, if you want to move the seat forward, turn the shaft towards the left and vice-versa if you want to move the seat backwards.
- Perform the above step until you reach the desired location for your car seat. For getting a favourable position for your car seat, you can test your car and examine whether the seat is in the correct position or not.
- Once you have adjusted the seat, you should take the vehicle to a mechanic to get the electric seat fixed, as adjusting the electric seat is not manually feasible.
- Therefore, you should consult a car mechanic as soon as possible to get your seat repaired.
Conclusion
In this article, we have extensively explained the causes behind why I won’t my car seat move forward. Moreover, we have also explained a method to troubleshoot the issue of stuck seats for both mechanical and electric operated seats.
Frequently Asked Questions: why won’t my car seat move forward.
Why Is my car seat not moving forward?
There can be several reasons behind the immobile car seat. In the case of an electrically operated car seat, the seat might be stuck in one place due to damage to the track motor. While for a mechanically operated car seat, the seat might be stuck in one place due to rusting of the mechanism due to the presence of the seat in one position for a long time.
How to Fix a Stuck Power Seat?
- Turn off the car engine before even touching the electrically operated seat.
- Remove the seat from the track.
- Examine whether the track and seat are connected properly.
- Connect the track and seat beach and check the buttons.
Why will my power seat move forward and not backward?
The reason behind the movement of the power seat in only one direction can be due to one of the following three reasons.
- The adjuster motor is failing.
- The seat track is clogged with debris.
- The switch for moving backwards has failed.
How Can I Change My Driving Position?
- Set the seat at the lowest height moves the seat back.
- Recline the seat 30 to 40 degrees from vertical.
- Tilt the steering wheel fully upwards and forward and place it in an optimum position.
