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titan3c
Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2012
Posts: 568
Location: Coweta, Oklahoma
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 Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 7:46 am Post subject: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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| Since I'm getting around to all the hard to work parts, might as well get on to this one too. It takes all the power I can muster to pull the release on the drivers seat so it can be tilted back. I've had the seat out in the past and checked it out, and lubricated what I thought would bind up, but it still is hard to pull. Bob |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21511
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Tue Nov 10, 2015 8:32 am Post subject: |
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Ok...just so we are straight on how it operates......grab the knob on the inside of the sear next to the parking brake....pull up. That knob is what allows the seat to slide up the center pin/tang (tilt of the front portion of the seat). If that is noving then its not the seat frozen to the center front support. ...which can happen.
Once the seat has slid up that center support as far as it can go......you can look under the front edge of the seat and see the cross pin attached to the cable for the release latch that is under the plastic skirt on the forward outer side of the seat.
Usually either the cable is sticky, the cross pin is sticky or the cable is stretched. You may need to reach under with a pair of needle nose pliers to pull the fross pin further out of the way to clear the tang or center support and allow the seat to tilt back clear of the center support.
Then you need to recline/decline the seat to as vertical of a position as possible to allow it to slide back until the rear feet of the seats clear the alots. Ray |
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lofoxx
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2015
Posts: 63
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 12:50 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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Dealing with this issue right now. Was driving the car the other day, went into my buddy's house for five minutes, walked out and the car would not start. Of course, now I can't get to the battery and the car is stuck at his place.
I have been under the seat with the cross pin/center support. The lever releases the seat, the cross pin gets to the top, and for some reason it will not retract enough to release the seat so I can get to the battery.
I tried to get at it w/ needlenose pliers but can't get any leverage on this thing. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Loren
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1972 VW 411 |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21511
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 1:23 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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| lofoxx wrote: |
Dealing with this issue right now. Was driving the car the other day, went into my buddy's house for five minutes, walked out and the car would not start. Of course, now I can't get to the battery and the car is stuck at his place.
I have been under the seat with the cross pin/center support. The lever releases the seat, the cross pin gets to the top, and for some reason it will not retract enough to release the seat so I can get to the battery.
I tried to get at it w/ needlenose pliers but can't get any leverage on this thing. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Loren |
Stop! Don't bend anything! Its designed this way
There are two seat pin releases. The knob that is visible on the inner side of the seat near the shifter is a partial release for adjusting the seat without releasing it from the center bar. Its not supposed to let it release the yoke.
That is not the seat release...its the height adjuster.
The center post release lever to tilt the seat back to access the battery is on the door side of the seat...under the plastic skirt in the left forward corner of the seat.
If that latch is not releasing the seat....its a common problem that the lever gets slightly bent...because over time and lack of lube....it gets stiff so excessive pulling on it bends it so it does not retract the pin all the way.
Once you get the seat to lift...some careful inspection will show whats bent and/or not disengaging.
But for now...in a pinch....down under the carpet at the bottom of the "Y" shaped yoke that is the center support post...you will find two bolts on each side that release the yoke from the floor. so the seat tilts back.
Ray |
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Lahti411
Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2005
Posts: 223
Location: Lahti, Finland
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| Posted: Thu May 24, 2018 11:34 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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I have this same issue in my car. Some times the seat relese lever just gets stuck but it always helps to pull the seat height adjusting lever at the same time. Bit tedious, but it has worked every time 
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My cars: 1972 VW 411 Variant; 1973 VW 412 4d sedan |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21511
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 6:40 am Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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| Lahti411 wrote: |
| I have this same issue in my car. Some times the seat relese lever just gets stuck but it always helps to pull the seat height adjusting lever at the same time. Bit tedious, but it has worked every time |
And.....going off distant memory.....I actually think what you said....IS....the correct way to lift the seat. I think both controls have to be operated.
I know the same issue plagued me off and on through my first 411 and 412.....and having this issue is what causes the main release on the outside to get a little bent.....but I believe you are correct that both the knob on the shufter side and the lever on the door side must be operated at once.
I will look in the glove box manual, check my notes and go look at my car when I get home. Ray |
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lofoxx
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2015
Posts: 63
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 6:58 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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Ok... so you're right and I was wrong!
The seat's up. The issue's not with the battery, but I believe it's with the wiring... I jumped the car, it started fine, but once it's started it sputters and dies (unless I'm on the gas).
As I mentioned, it was running fine the other day. I think what I might have done is jiggled one of the battery wires when I sat down and it's causing this.
Thoughts on pos/neg/ground? I think it may need a new ground wire regardless... and what would I use for one of these?
Thanks in advance,
Loren
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1972 VW 411 |
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raygreenwood
Samba Member
Joined: November 24, 2008
Posts: 21511
Location: Oklahoma City
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| Posted: Fri May 25, 2018 8:46 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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| lofoxx wrote: |
Ok... so you're right and I was wrong!
The seat's up. The issue's not with the battery, but I believe it's with the wiring... I jumped the car, it started fine, but once it's started it sputters and dies (unless I'm on the gas).
As I mentioned, it was running fine the other day. I think what I might have done is jiggled one of the battery wires when I sat down and it's causing this.
Thoughts on pos/neg/ground? I think it may need a new ground wire regardless... and what would I use for one of these?
Thanks in advance,
Loren |
Without going to the book ...there are three wires on the poaitive terminal. The big fat one and one or two heavy wires that plug onto spade connection. If those secondary wires are loose....no start. Check the connection condition of the ground strap to the chassis. Ray |
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lofoxx
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2015
Posts: 63
Location: New Hampshire
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| Posted: Sun May 27, 2018 12:24 pm Post subject: Re: Stuck drivers seat release to battery |
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Sounds good. Kind of a pain in the ass she's at someone else's place... I could just go outside and fix if the car were here!!!
Thanks, Ray!
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1972 VW 411 |
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