Fun with a broken Jeep seat

[Robert Hall]

Two weeks ago, I driving along in downtown Hell (Phoenix) on a pleasant, sunny 115 degree day when I hear a loud SNAP, and my seat lurches backward and to the right ('00 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 101k miles). Got home, studied the situation, realized the driver's seat track was sheared off right below the seat attachment point. All the power functions work fine.

Did some research, found it this is a common problem with WJs. Found several write ups about this on jeepforum.com and other forums. Started fiddling with it, managed to unbolt the 4 bolts that held the track. After leaning the seat back, I realized the seat frame (which the track bolts to) is also cracked. The most difficult thing so far has been getting the power connector disconnected from the power seat motor.

After unbolting

This is the electrical connector that proved quite frustrating:

Both shears are visible in this pic, to the right--crack in the silver seat frame and the black track below and to the left of it..(right above the red tag is the sheared black track piece)

Seat out of the car

Floor grubby...need to vacuum

Considering I have nearly zero mechanical skill, this was quite the achievement for me...

Time to find a new seat and frame...found some on ebay...need to see if some yards in the PHX area have them...lots of passenger side ones to be found online, but few driver's side ones.

I also realized today is the 9yr anniversary of the day I bought it new.

To be continued...

Rob

[Intrepidation]

Isn't it fun and rewarding to do the work yourself? Be warned, it's infectious. :wink:

[Robert Hall]

Isn't it fun and rewarding to do the work yourself? Be warned, it's infectious. :wink:

It would be more fun with an air conditioned garage. In a carport in AZ in the summer, not. much. fun.

I want to replace the driver's inside door panel eventually also, since the vinyl arm rest is cracked.

Rob

Edited August 2, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Intrepidation]

It would be more fun with a garage or at least a level driveway in my case, haha. But the Intrepid won't fit in the garage and my driveway is a hill...

[loki]

looks like quite a task... hope you find another seat.... in the meant time...lawnchair?

[Robert Hall]

looks like quite a task... hope you find another seat.... in the meant time...lawnchair?

Thought about that.... I've been driving the 500SEL the last 2 weeks. 4800lbs, V8, 12mpg, 180k miles, 50 miles a day commute...

Rob

[Intrepidation]

Hey get some picks of the whole Jeep when you're done with it!

[Blake Noble]

Isn't it fun and rewarding to do the work yourself? Be warned, it's infectious. :wink:

Once you start, you'll never go to a mechanic again.

[Camino LS6]

Hmm, I'd call this something of a safety defect. Have you checked for recalls on it?

NHTSA gets kinda nasty about stuff like this.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Someone has a lot of French Fries under their seat ... Less fries and the seat might still be working ...

[Intrepidation]

I didn't realize 2 1/3 = "a lot" now.

[Robert Hall]

Someone has a lot of French Fries under their seat ... Less fries and the seat might still be working ...

Ha ha....haven't vacuumed in there in a while. I'm not that fat... 6'0", 230. I need to take off 30-40 lbs though.

I've read about people who's 110lb wife drove them every day for 6 years and the seat broke...I think it's a defect.

Rob

[Oracle of Delphi]

Ha ha....haven't vacuumed in there in a while. I'm not that fat... 6'0", 230. I need to take off 30-40 lbs though.

I've read about people who's 110lb wife drove them every day for 6 years and the seat broke...I think it's a defect.

Rob

I'm just funnin ya. I'm a neat freak, I couldn't have that ... Germans like order ...

[pow]

Hmm, I'd call this something of a safety defect. Have you checked for recalls on it?

NHTSA gets kinda nasty about stuff like this.

+1, I wouldn't even want to be in a 15 mph crash with a seat like that. Have you checked the passenger seat, moltar?

[CaddyXLR-V]

It would be more fun with an air conditioned garage. In a carport in AZ in the summer, not. much. fun.

I want to replace the driver's inside door panel eventually also, since the vinyl arm rest is cracked.

Rob

Yes, working on cars in the summer in AZ is definately not fun. I've had to do it a few times. Why does it seem like everything breaks in the middle of summer instead of the nice cool months?

[Robert Hall]

Yes, working on cars in the summer in AZ is definately not fun. I've had to do it a few times. Why does it seem like everything breaks in the middle of summer instead of the nice cool months?

The heat puts a strain on so many systems in a car---A/C, cooling, tires, batteries, etc. My inside rear view mirror even fell off last summer in the heat. Though I can't blame my seat on the heat.

Rob

[A Horse With No Name]

Isn't it fun and rewarding to do the work yourself? Be warned, it's infectious. :wink:

+1

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Hey get some picks of the whole Jeep when you're done with it!

Please....

Saw a Liberty Blue Jeep like yours (Moltars) on a local cash for clunker line. Tried to find out what salvage yard was buying the cars, all I got is "we are crushing them all whole."

Still looking for a seat and track in my salvage yard travells...

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Please....

Saw a Liberty Blue Jeep like yours (Moltars) on a local cash for clunker line. Tried to find out what salvage yard was buying the cars, all I got is "we are crushing them all whole."

Still looking for a seat and track in my salvage yard travells...

Chris

So far, I haven't found anything around here...called a few places, they have passenger seats, but not driver's side. Interestingly, the two most promising leads so far I have are on ebay in salvage yards in Ohio. Suppose I can buy one there and have it shipped.

I saw one on ebay that had the front and rear seats in good condition in tan leather...wonder how that would look---dark blue outside, and dark gray and tan inside.

Rob

Edited August 3, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[A Horse With No Name]

So far, I haven't found anything around here...called a few places, they have passenger seats, but not driver's side. Interestingly, the two most promising leads so far I have are on ebay in salvage yards in Ohio. Suppose I can buy one there and have it shipped.

I saw one on ebay that had the front and rear seats in good condition in tan leather...wonder how that would look---dark blue outside, and dark gray and tan inside.

Rob

You could buy a ratty seat and have it covered. I've had seats covered for cars I've restored and if yhou find the right person they can do good work at a reasonable price. I'd hook you up with some people but they are in Ohio.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

You could buy a ratty seat and have it covered. I've had seats covered for cars I've restored and if yhou find the right person they can do good work at a reasonable price. I'd hook you up with some people but they are in Ohio.

Chris

I have sheepskin seat covers, so the condition of the leather isn't as important right now to me than an unbroken, unbent frame and working power motor.

Rob

[A Horse With No Name]

...and actually...being serious...why don't you just plan on keeping this thing "forever" and getting a stockpile of parts.

With this whole CFC thing, you could look for an advert on craiglist or wherever that went something like this.

"Jeep Grand Cherokee 2000 model year. Ran fine until motor locked up. Will not sell whole. Parts available cheap, call with your neds."

You might be able to get almost a whole "noteher" vehicle and store it in the barn in Ohio. As nice as your Mustang is, and as nice as the Jeep looks from what I can see, the Jeep might become almost immortal.

Besides, you'll need something for the snow when you come to your senses and move back to the midwest.

Chris

[CaddyXLR-V]

The heat puts a strain on so many systems in a car---A/C, cooling, tires, batteries, etc. My inside rear view mirror even fell off last summer in the heat. Though I can't blame my seat on the heat.

Rob

I did have a battery die in my GTO in the middle of August 2 years ago. I tried jumping it but it wouldn't even hold enough charge to get started. But thankfully it is a manual so we were able to push start it so I could get to Autozone to buy a new battery. I decided I don't like being stranded in 115 degree heat so I spent $200 to get an optima battery.

Everything else I've had to fix wasn't heat related though, like a cracked piston in my Grand Prix, and having the EGR passages get plugged up in my Mazda 626.

[Robert Hall]

Called around to several local salvage yards on Mon-Tues...they either had passenger side seats only, drivers side cloth ones, or the wrong color or trim level. Maybe I should have called car dealers, there have to be plenty of WJs in the CFC rows.

Ended up buying one advertised as in good condition, working, complete w/ track and motors etc on ebay from a salvage yard in Columbus, Ohio. Right color and trim. Fed Ex ground shipping, supposed to arrive here on the 11th. I keep driving around in the 500SEL until then. 'Cooler' weather forecast (under 110), so hopefully by middle of next week I'll have a working driver's seat installed and be back on the road.

Rob

[Robert Hall]

Took today off and waited at home for Fed Ex. The package came, the seat is in the good condition, most importantly, the track and frame have no cracks, bends, etc. It shipped with the track separate from the seat, that's the first challenge. 4 nuts fasten the track bolts to the seat frame...all hidden, have to reach inside the bottom of the seat with a wrench and blindly tighten them...got started...waiting until evening when the temps drop. Humid and 100 now. May have to wait for the weekend when I have a smaller hand available.

Rob

[Robert Hall]

Got back to it in the evening. Got the seat all bolted in, all the power connections connected. Everything seems to work. Took for a test drive, seemed solid. Glad to have it back on the road. The Merc is starting to have problems again--seems to have an exhaust leak now.

Rob

[Intrepidation]

Good to have it back I'm sure!

[Oracle of Delphi]

Took today off and waited at home for Fed Ex. The package came, the seat is in the good condition, most importantly, the track and frame have no cracks, bends, etc. It shipped with the track separate from the seat, that's the first challenge. 4 nuts fasten the track bolts to the seat frame...all hidden, have to reach inside the bottom of the seat with a wrench and blindly tighten them...got started...waiting until evening when the temps drop. Humid and 100 now. May have to wait for the weekend when I have a smaller hand available.

Rob

Sounds like you got it from Ikea ...

[Robert Hall]

The Jeep is in the shop today... $850 for a new radiator, thermostat, upper and lower hoses, something called a bellows on the front axle, etc. I'd been filling up the coolant tank every evening the last week and half, had been leaking.

[Camino LS6]

Ouch!

[Robert Hall]

Ouch!

Yeah, such are the perils of commuting 50 miles a day in a 9yr old vehicle w/ over 100k miles. Stuff breaks. I've kept to the factory maintenance schedule. Still, my non-gas, etc and insurance expenses for the year so far (this, the seat, a differential speed sensor, a battery) are still only about $1200, less than 3 months of payments on a new car...not bad, I figure.

[Intrepidation]

$850 really isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things, especially if its been good to you otherwise.

[Robert Hall]

$850 really isn't that bad in the grand scheme of things, especially if its been good to you otherwise.

Exactly...I figure if I spend $1500 a year or so on maintainance and repairs, that's not bad. 1 year for the equivalent of 3 months of payments. In '08 I spent about $1500 total (had a windshield to replace, transaxle to reseal, etc) and in '07 about $1000 (of which $750 were the tires). Have to put the numbers into my spreadsheet later and compare against the last 5 years of charts..

Edited October 16, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Robert Hall]

Next challenge: replace the hood struts. A few years ago, I had them replaced at my then-regular shop. But I figure I can do it myself now. Picked up a pair of new ones for about $25/w shipping on eBay.

The seat has held up well the last 2 1/2 months, no problems. This DIY approach is kind of fun.

Edited October 29, 2009 by Cubical-aka-Moltar

[Intrepidation]

It i fun isn't it?

Anyway, struts are easy. They're probably a clip the keeps each strut end on its mount that you remove. You'll just want to have something (or someone) to support the weight of the hood when you start doing this.

[Robert Hall]

It i fun isn't it?

Anyway, struts are easy. They're probably a clip the keeps each strut end on its mount that you remove. You'll just want to have something (or someone) to support the weight of the hood when you start doing this.

I'll study them and look at the shop manual DVD. I've been proping the hood open lately w/ a snow brush to check fluids. I miss having an old style prop rod, those never broke.

[Intrepidation]

I hate prop rods, coil springs For The Win.

[Robert Hall]

I hate prop rods, coil springs For The Win.

Yeah, can't recall when I've had a car with those (besides my '69 Mustang).

[Intrepidation]

Shadow's got them.

[Camino LS6]

I hate prop rods, coil springs For The Win.

Or torsion springs, but yeah.

Prop rods suck.

[A Horse With No Name]

Glad to see you doing your own work!

Good luck with the Jeep Rob...and have fun with it.

Chris

[Robert Hall]

Glad to see you doing your own work!

Good luck with the Jeep Rob...and have fun with it.

Chris

Yeah, in 9 years of ownership I've driven it a lot, but never done much myself on it...washed and waxed it a few times, but usually just go through the automated wash. Other than swapping flat tires, changing bulbs and wiper blades, it's gone to the shop for any regular maintenance. I'm a software guy, hardware has normally been out of my depth..

Rob