Your Vehicle: 2009 Nissan-Datsun Altima V6-3.5L (VQ35DE)
 
Vehicle » Body and Frame » Technical Service Bulletins » Customer Interest » Interior - Driver's Power Seat Won't Move Front/Rear » Service Procedure  
 
 
  Service Procedure  
 

1. Turn on the ignition (with engine off), and then raise the driver power seat vertically to the full up position.

2. Tilt the seatback in the forward position, and then remove the head rest.

^ This will make it easier to take the seat out of the vehicle.

  

3. Write down radio station presets.

CAUTION:
Protect surfaces with suitable covering before removing the seat.

4. Determine if all seat mounting bolts are accessible.

^ If all seat mounting bolts are accessible, proceed to Step 4a, and then Step 5.

a. Turn off the ignition, and then disconnect both battery cables, negative cable first.

WARNING:
Wait at least three (3) minutes before continuing repairs as stated in the ESM seat removal procedure.

^ If all seat mounting bolts are not accessible, proceed to Step 6.

5. With all seat mounting bolts being accessible, go ahead and remove the driver power seat. Refer to the appropriate Electronic Service Manual (ESM) as needed.

^ Once the seat is removed, proceed to Step 7.

6. When all seat mounting bolts cannot be accessed, perform the following:

  

a. Underneath the front of the driver seat, locate the two rivets securing the flex cable protector cover (cover) shown in Figure 1.

^ For easier visibility, Figure 1 shows the seat already removed.

b. Cover the seat tracks below the rivets (to keep drilled shavings from getting in the tracks).

c. Drill out these rivets with a 3/16 inch drill bit.

CAUTION:
When drilling, do not let the drill bit come in contact with the seat harness. Protect the harness as necessary.

^ Use a shop vacuum to remove all drilled shavings on the carpet and seat track.

Do not use shop air pressure to remove any shavings.

  

d. Flip up the cover, and then remove the harness and connector clips by pinching, and then pushing them out (see Figure 2).

^ Inspect for missing flex cable assemblies (cables) behind the cover.

  

^ Figure 3 shows one of the two cables in place.

  

e. With one of the existing cables attached to one of the Silver Gear Boxes (gear box), attach a drill to the other end of the inner cable (see Figure 4).

^ Push in the outer (black) cable into the gear box, and then twist and push the inner cable until fully seated.

^ It does not matter if the second cable is still in place.

f. Operate the drill forward or reverse as necessary to get the Inboard (I/B) and Outboard (O/B) seat tracks positions fairly even with each other (see Figure 4).

NOTE:
It is not necessary to have the I/B and O/B tracks synchronized (positions evenly matched) at this time. At this point, the whole seat can be moved forward and backward enough to access the seat bolts.

g. Once both tracks are fairly even, install both cables.

h. Temporarily reconnect the battery.

^ The seat should now be able to move forward and backward for seat mounting bolt access.

i. Proceed back and start at the beginning of Step 4.

7. Place the seat in a clean work area i.e., on fender covers on top of a work bench.

^ If Step 6 was performed, go to Step 9.

  

8. Remove the flex cable protector cover (cover) shown in Figure 5.

^ Cover the tracks near the rivets (to keep drilled shavings from getting in the tracks).

^ Drill out both rivets with a 3/16 inch drill bit.

CAUTION:
When drilling, do not let the drill bit come in contact with the seat harness. Protect the harness as necessary.

^ Do not use shop air pressure to remove any shavings.

^ Use a shop vacuum to remove all drilled shavings.

  

9. Flip up the cover, and then remove the harness and connector clips by pinching, and then pushing them out (see Figure 6).

10. Remove both cables. There is one on each side of the drive motor.

  

^ Pull the cable out from the gear box, and then from the drive motor (see Figure 7).

^ Save one cable for Step 13.

NOTE:
The new cables have no marks. Do not reuse the old cables.

11. At this time, install one flex cable only.

^ Push in the outer (black) cable in the gear box. Make sure it is fully seated (picture not shown).

  

^ Twist and push on the inner shaft as needed to get it fully seated (see Figure 8 and 9).

12. While gently bending it in the middle, insert the other end of the cable into the drive motor.

  

^ Rotate and wiggle the cable as needed to get it fully seated into the motor (see Figure 10 and 11).

13. Synchronize (match the positions of) the I/B and O/B tracks.

  

^ Measure the distance between the front of the gear box and the front edge of the track (see Figure 12).

^ Distances need to be within +/- 0.04 inches (1.0 mm) between the two tracks.

NOTE:
When measuring, the gear boxes and tracks can be positioned anywhere, as long as the measurements are the same on both I/B and O/B tracks.

  

^ Use a drill or other suitable tool to move the track fore and aft as seen in Figure 13.

^ Use an old cable when making this adjustment.

14. Now, install the second cable. Repeat Step 11 for this procedure.

^ If the tracks have moved out of synchronization after second cable installation, remove the second cable and then synchronize again as outlined in Step 13.

^ Do not use excessive force when removing the cable. Refer to Step 9 for this procedure.

15. Once synchronization is complete, install the replacement protector cover with the two supplied rivets.

  

^ Install the right side rivet first (as viewed from the front of the seat), and then the left side rivet (see Figure 14).

^ Secure the harness and connector clips to the bracket (see Figure 14).

16. Reposition the body harness as follows:

  

a. First, carefully cut off and discard the gray harness clip (see Figure 15).

  

b. Locate the area where the body harness branches off, going to the seat (see Figure 16).

  

c. Loop the section of body harness going to the seat near the harness branch as shown in Figure 17.

d. Loosely attach a plastic tie strap through this harness loop, and just above the branch (see Figure 17).

  

e. Measure 12 inches (305 mm) from the white harness clip toward the harness branch (see Figure 18).

f. Push or pull the harness as needed to line up the 12 inch (305 mm) mark with the tie strap.

g. With the mark lined up, secure the tie strap snug enough to keep the harness from pulling out.

NOTE:
Do not over-tighten the tie strap.

  

h. Tuck the harness loop under the carpet opening (see Figure 19).

17. Reinstall the seat in the vehicle. Refer to the ESM as needed.

^ Torque the seat mounting bolts in sequence as outlined in the ESM.

^ Torque the mounting bolts to 49 N-m (5.0 kg-m, 36 ft lbs) as specified in the ESM.

18. Reconnect the battery cables, negative cable last.

19. Verify proper power seat operation.

20. Reset / initialize all applied systems i.e., radio, power windows, clock, sunroof, etc.