Thread: Electric Seat Question.

Originally Posted by Dougal

As luck would have it. There's an electronics tech wanting me to do some work for him right now.

First I've gotta pull the board out and see if it looks as bad as that Ebay photo.

Its easy to pull out from behind the drivers seat. Takes a couple of minutes.

Really would be worth trying to get fixed

Camo

Does replacing a NiCd battery with a NiMH battery require any circuit changes for charging etc?

I'm thinking a more external (divorced) battery pack with NiCd's (AA's) in it would solve the leakage problem completely for a lot less cost.

I don't think it's worth making changes to the system such as different battery packs etc as the standard type battery lasts for many years. I replaced the battery in mine a couple of years ago with one of the same type that a battery specialist ordered in for me, cost about $20, I had found that the seat memories could be programmed but had 'forgotten' their setting by the next day- obvious answer was the battery not holding charge. The vehicle was 17 years old so I don't think that's something to complain about. Memory function now works perfectly with the exception that the left-hand mirror sometimes goes to maximum 'up' position instead of to the preset position in that axis. Installing a small wiring harness to locate the battery outside the ECU so that it doesn't corrode the PCB if it leaks would be a simple matter when replacing the battery, but the battery replacement is maybe a once-a-decade job.
I like the 'voodoo doll' seat switches and wouldn't alter them for quids.

Originally Posted by POD

I don't think it's worth making changes to the system such as different battery packs etc as the standard type battery lasts for many years. I replaced the battery in mine a couple of years ago with one of the same type that a battery specialist ordered in for me, cost about $20, I had found that the seat memories could be programmed but had 'forgotten' their setting by the next day- obvious answer was the battery not holding charge. The vehicle was 17 years old so I don't think that's something to complain about. Memory function now works perfectly with the exception that the left-hand mirror sometimes goes to maximum 'up' position instead of to the preset position in that axis. Installing a small wiring harness to locate the battery outside the ECU so that it doesn't corrode the PCB if it leaks would be a simple matter when replacing the battery, but the battery replacement is maybe a once-a-decade job.
I like the 'voodoo doll' seat switches and wouldn't alter them for quids.

That is exactly what I had in mind.^^

Yeah I don't see the point relocating the battery.. Put a new one in and will last 10 years. Geez in 10 years fuel will be fricken 5 bucks a litre.. doubt I will have mine then! The L322 will become the bush basher

Camo

Originally Posted by Camo

Yeah I don't see the point relocating the battery.. Put a new one in and will last 10 years. Geez in 10 years fuel will be fricken 5 bucks a litre.. doubt I will have mine then! The L322 will become the bush basher

Camo

In 2 years mine will be 4BD1T powered. Relocating the battery is to stop future damage. I've had batteries only one year old leak and cause damage in other things.

This isn't a temporary vehicle for me. I'm using this 93 SE to update my future heirloom.

Originally Posted by Camo

Its easy to pull out from behind the drivers seat. Takes a couple of minutes.

Really would be worth trying to get fixed

Camo

Surely you jest. 1.5 hours later I have the circuit boards out. I started with the covers around the seat base to see what I had to see. Then the EAS and ECU so I could see more. Finally I see this beige box tucked right up against the seat.
Trace wires, pull the plug, hotwire the seat motors so I can get to the back seat bolts and then hotwire it again so I can tilt the unbolted base right back and access this little box.
Break the "breaking this seal voids the guarantee" sticker. and prise open the box.

Text-book failure by the look of it and not much damage. Max of one chip, resistor and diode in the "green zone".

Cheers for this thread Dougal ....



My "RRC Soft dash 1995" symptoms was the drivers mirror moving randomly ... I disconnected the mirror plug ... That was 6 months ago


So today i was inspired by this thread to get at that ECU ...

Originally Posted by Dougal

Surely you jest. 1.5 hours later I have the circuit boards out.

NOPE ... Had the seat unbolted >> Layed against the rear seat to expose the ECU box >> unclipped the plugs >> box out >> board removed >> unsolder the battery >> clean the corrosion >> Clear sealed the board >> Reassemble box >> install all parts and refit the seat

All works ... and all done in a casual 2 hours

Cheers
Mike