'96 explorer XLT driver's seat issue

[Torrecelli]

I bought this truck the day before yesterday, It drives great, and I like the looks. I just have one teensy issue with the driver's seat: My wife can't reach the pedals, even with the seat seemingly adjusted all the way forward. When I took a look at it today and compared it to the passenger seat, I noticed that the passenger seat has a very wide range of motion, and it stops at the end travel limits normally(appears to hit a limit switch and shuts the motor off.

The driver's seat, on the other hand, has a very restricted range, and the motor seems to be laboring until there is too much load, then it stops. This happens in both forward and back motion.

As this is the first vehicle I have ever owned with power seats, I'm not certain if the motor is going bad, or if there is a warping or blockage issue with the rails the seat slides on. If I push on the back of the seat when it hits the resistance point, it moves a bit further, but then stops hard.

It appears that I can pull the seat by undoing the mount bolts, but I figured asking the experienced folks first would be the course of wisdom.

Any ideas would be useful,
Torr

 

[yavapaires]

I bought this truck the day before yesterday, It drives great, and I like the looks. I just have one teensy issue with the driver's seat: My wife can't reach the pedals, even with the seat seemingly adjusted all the way forward. When I took a look at it today and compared it to the passenger seat, I noticed that the passenger seat has a very wide range of motion, and it stops at the end travel limits normally(appears to hit a limit switch and shuts the motor off.

The driver's seat, on the other hand, has a very restricted range, and the motor seems to be laboring until there is too much load, then it stops. This happens in both forward and back motion.

As this is the first vehicle I have ever owned with power seats, I'm not certain if the motor is going bad, or if there is a warping or blockage issue with the rails the seat slides on. If I push on the back of the seat when it hits the resistance point, it moves a bit further, but then stops hard.

It appears that I can pull the seat by undoing the mount bolts, but I figured asking the experienced folks first would be the course of wisdom.

Any ideas would be useful,
Torr

My 96 will put you right up against the steering wheel if you let it, so if it were me, I would pull the seat and check if something is in the track. My passenger seat will sometimes refuse to work if a person is sitting in it. But if they get out, it will work fine, even when they get back in. While you have the seat out, be sure to lube any thing that moves. Use a dry lubricant to keep dust and dirt buildup from occurring.

 

[vroomzoomboom]

i've had a few drivers seats do this (on sports mind you, not 4 doors if theres a difference) and what i found it was this. on the side the seat belt buckle is, there is a plastic cover that slides in a channel. the plastic will, i guess the best way to say it is knot up, and bind. take a look, that might be the case.

 

[Torrecelli]

Thanks to both of you gents. I will check for the binding plastic piece you mentioned and yank the seat and clean and lube the tracks.

Thallarsen's post helped me repair the overhead console display, so as far as I'm concerned, you guys are golden!

EDIT: Vroomboomzoom, you hit it right on the nose, the buckle slider was binding on the bottom of the plastic sleeve at the rear end of the slider's travel. After I got it freed up, I went ahead and pulled the seat so I could clean and lay down some graphite on all of the contact surfaces, it works perfectly now. The only problem is that now I have to share the driving with my wife. Ah well, c'est la vie!