Going to lunch earlier today I’m sitting first in a line of cars at a light when one of those pesky supercharged Pontiacs (GTP?) comes around in the right hand turn lane. It’s obvious he ain’t turning and wants to beat me to where it narrows up ahead. I’ve had trouble with those *****$ in the past, so I gassed it and got half a length on him before he realizes I’ve shut the door and backs off. Problem is, when I gassed it, there was a snap in my seat back and the lumbar support went away. I tried turning the adjuster ****, but nothing happens. Now it is very concave. The lumbar support on my ’97 Lariat would ‘oil can’ when accelerating hard, but it never broke. Anyone else had this? Is this a dealer fix, or can I do it?

 

DH,

You just broke a vital alignment setting on the ever-popular AJ248. Warranty work.

Nice kill, I just shake my head when they look up thinking they are goin to try that crap. I don't think so. Sometimes they get a finger shake too. Especially soccer moms with an attitude.



Robert

[This message has been edited by Speedin Bob (edited 08-24-2000).]

 

As I'm newly off warranty, and it would take two trips to the dealer to get my seat fixed (1 to diagnose the problem and order the part, 1 to install), I decided to see if I could do it myself. I accessed the Ford on-line repair manual where my brother works, but there is nothing I could find on the lumbar support or taking apart the back of the seat to get at it.

There is a cable that runs from the lumbar adjustment ****, under the seat and up next to the right hinge into the back. Opening the back was a bitch as I couldn't get the end of the zipper to come out so it would open. I ended up un-nesting the two plastic strips that hold the front to the back covers so I could get to the zipper which proved to be quite difficult.

Once inside it was obvious what had happened. The force of acceleration had pulled the adjustment cable through the plastic piece that pushes on your back. I reinserted it and put the seat back together.

The next WOT start popped it out again, so, back in I went to see if I could reinforce the opening. The hole the cable goes through looks like a basketball keyhole and I assume it was spreading under load allowing the cable to go through. I drilled 2 holes on either side of the 'keyhole' then took two 10d finish nails and put them on either side and 'stitched' them together with tie wire through my new holes. This way the 'keyhole' can't spread (I hope). It looks cobby, but it should work, and who's going to look inside my seat back (as if they could figure out how to get into the seat back).