I just bought a 2000 Explorer and I'm having a problem with the passenger power seat. It only moves about 2-3 inches foward and backward. Additionally, it sounds like the motor may be straining. I don't see any obstructions in the tracks, but I haven't pulled the seat out yet. If the motor is going bad, would it make sense that the seat can only move a couple of inches? Any ideas are appreciated.

 

Two things could be wrong here. One the track gear has sheared or ground to nothing or the motor is week and does not have the power to move the seat. Best thing to do is take the seat out an examine the way it works. Use a potable 12v source to give it power while it is out of the truck to see if the motor gears are meshing with the track properly or going bad. At the same time you can give the motor some help to move the mount an tracks to see if it is binding somewhere. If it is the track gears then replace the whole thing for I do not believe they sell them piece meal. If this is a cable draw system then the cable may be bound up in the motor case. Take that apart on free up the cable or replace the cable if it is available. Not sure again if it is. If it is the MOTOR though you may be able to re build it. Most cases when a motor goes is because the brushes or almost gone or the commutators are burned. More than likely both. If you can take the motor apart then do this. If not then again new one is called for. Replace the brushes and clean the commutators so that they are shiny an smooth. Don't use sand paper us emery cloth. Will work fine. Any scratches will wear the brushes out too fast an you will be back to where you were before. Be sure to grease the bearings as well. If worn replace them. Sometimes you can tweak them to get them to be tight again but if not replace them. Most of this you can get at any industrial shops that deals with electric motors. They should have what you would need. Most cases again this may not be necessary for the bearings don't usually need replacement. If they are not loose or worn then just lube them up good. Use bearing grease or axle grease. Be sure NOT to get any on the commutators or brushes. If you can, take the track assembly apart. Clean an grease this as well.One word of warning. REMEMBER how it came apart. If there are steps to taking it apart then reverse them to re assemble it. If you forget then all I can say is........I hope you have a lot of time on your hands and HAVE FUN. LOL but really it is not that hard. Hope this helps.

 

So I had a chance to look at this today. Here's the problem.... the seat is basically stuck almost all the way back on the tracks. I know my next step is to remove the seat, but I cannot get to the rear bolts since the seat is all the way back on the track. Any ideas? I'm sure there must be a way to do this. thanks

 

See if you can forcibly move the seat back. May have to really work it to get it past the bad teeth on the track. Other than removing the whole seat from the truck see if the seat can be removed from the track system then do that. But if not then you need to move that seat forward by force. Use the power switch to move it back an forth at the same time while moving the seat by hand. Only way to get it out otherwise. Try this. See if you can get to the motor mounting screws an remove the motor. It may release the tracks gears. Let me know what happens an I will do some research on this to try to come up with a better solution.

 

pull the motor, rotate the gears, reinstall, force forward, and remove. Sounds like your track is bad or going bad but if is just a motor u can use many different seat motors, so long as it plugs in.