# Electric Seat Acting Up **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** dakota, dodge, seats\ **Created:** [August 13, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026 "2009-08-13T22:46:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Trubes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Trubes)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/1 "2009-08-13T22:46:45Z")
Ok, this is going to seem like an odd question, and it really sounds like I’m making this up, but I’m hoping someone can help me. I’ve been noticing something strange with the electric driver seat in my Dakota. It moves by itself. For instance, I get in in the morning and adjust it to how I like it. I do my errands and come home. When I get back in later in the day I find that the seat has moved forward sometimes up to 4 or 5 inches. Other times it’s not so much, but it’s always moved. It doesn’t happen every time I turn the car off, it seems to take a while to happen. And, no, it’s not someone else adjusting it to drive. My wife is much shorter than I am and she adjusts the seat way more than a couple of inches in one direction. Does anyone have any idea what might be going on? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/2 "2009-08-13T22:50:22Z")
Hmmm…Have you ever seen the old movie, Gaslight? Are you absolutely sure that nobody is “gaslighting” you? (This term refers to someone playing nasty tricks on you with the intention of convincing you that you are losing your mind.) ---
**Author:** ![Trubes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Trubes](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Trubes)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/3 "2009-08-13T22:55:39Z")
Haha, I seriously thought about that, but I’m sure that’s not the case. I work the opposite shift as my wife and she’s the only one who has another key. So she’s at work while I’m at home and she can’t mess with my seat. It’s really perplexing. ---
**Author:** ![oldschool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e19adc/32.png) [@oldschool](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldschool)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/4 "2009-08-13T23:00:09Z")
Strange thing about “gaslight” some years ago I spent some time at my Dads house. Dad had a leak in his gas dryer so we always turned off the valve. Before bed I went and checked the valve,turned it off,later that night I wondered ‘did I turn the valve?’ went and checked and dam\* it was open, OK I reset, This bothered me tremendously so a little latter I went and checked again,sure enough it was open again,I shut it off and I really started to wonder about my sanity. I could not sleep so I went and checked again,It was open again,this was really getting wierd, so I laid awake,I heard footsteps,It was Dads girlfriend,she was going back and forth moving the valve from where I was putting it,she did not know what was off. This was a real sanity test ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/5 "2009-08-13T23:22:03Z")
The only thing I can imagine is that the adjustment switch is not going all teh way to null position. Why it’s not also happening when you’re in the seat is beyond me. The motor is a DC motor. It’s reversed by reversing the polarity. Is there any way you can hook up a multimeter and check for current flow through the switch in either direction when the truck is off and the seat empty? ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/6 "2009-08-13T23:25:11Z")
I’m going to suggest the switch that moves the seat is faulty, and is making a connection when it shouldn’t, causing the seat to move. You say the seat always moves forward. It’s the switch. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/electric-seat-acting-up/35026/7 "2009-08-13T23:58:18Z")
I would say its the switch too unless it has the memory function where you can select the driver 1, driver 2 position or is set dependent on which key is used. If it has the memory function, then just going to have to go through the service manual. If not, try disconnecting the switch when you adjust it and see if it still moves. Could be a short in the wiring or something under the seat but you’d want to rule out the easy switch first. Otherwise pull the seat out and check for frayed or pinched wires. Its all physics and logical, nothing magic-just a matter of finding it.