How To Fix The Driver Seat Recliner? Detailed DIY Guide

Imagine you’re ready to hit the road, buckle up, and start your engine. But as you try to adjust your driver seat to the perfect position, you hear a dreaded clunking sound, and suddenly, your seat won’t recline. It’s frustrating, uncomfortable, and can even be dangerous while driving.

But fear not. In this blog post, we’ll teach you how to fix the driver seat recliner and return to cruising comfortably. Whether you’re a car enthusiast or just looking to save money, this guide will walk you through fixing the common issues with your driver-seat recliner. So, let’s get started!

Essential Tips & Precautions

Fixing the driver seat recliner is not that difficult if you follow a set of steps while ensuring a few tips, tricks, and precautions. This way, you’ll be able to overcome any challenges that you may face during the fixing process and complete this DIY project smoothly. Following are the tips and precautions.

Wear appropriate protective gear, such as safety glasses and gloves, to avoid injuries.
Before starting the repair work, ensure that the car is turned off and the keys are removed from the ignition.
Ensure you have parked the car on a level surface to avoid any accidents.
Do not attempt any repair work; postpone it to the next working day if you are tired or feeling unwell.
Read the owner’s manual of the car carefully to understand the mechanics of the recliner seat.
Use the right tools and equipment to avoid damaging any parts of the seat.
Do not use excessive force while repairing the seat, as it might damage the recliner’s mechanism.
Avoid smoking or lighting up any flammable materials near the repair work.
If you are unsure about how to repair the seat, consult with a professional mechanic.
Test the repaired seat before driving the car to ensure it functions properly.

How to Fix the Driver Seat Recliner?

You can follow some steps to fix your driver seat recliner. Remember, follow these steps carefully because you might break your driver seat recliner if anything goes wrong.

1. Unscrew the Screws On the Back.

The first step is to find the right screws that are on the back of the recliner seat and unscrew them carefully according to the following instructions.

Locate the screws on the back of the recliner seat.
After successfully identifying the screws, use a good-quality screwdriver to unscrew them.
Identify the two small bolts on the back of the recliner.
Start with the right bolt first, as it will make your work easier and allow you to access the splined shaft.
Avoid unscrewing the left bolt first, as it may detach the shaft completely and create a mess, making it difficult to put things back.

2. Put Glue on the Spline Shaft.

In this step, you need to put glue on the spline shaft, which requires your utmost attention. This is because there is a huge chance you might end up putting glue the wrong way. Therefore, only if you are experienced in this sort of activity should you be doing this yourself.

[su_note note_color=”#ffe466″]If you are experienced in this kind of work, choose simple DIY glue. If not, use industrial glue. Additionally, consider calling a professional to handle this problem if you are unsure how to apply the glue.[/su_note]

Apply glue on the spline shaft.
Be extremely careful while applying the glue to avoid putting it incorrectly.
Once you have applied the glue, attach the spline shaft to the other shaft in the recliner seat.
Wait for the glue to dry completely before using the recliner.

3. Push Onto the Nips.

After putting glue, the next step is to attach the nips to the bar. You might need another flat-headed screwdriver for this process. The steps are simple.

Attach the nips to the bar.
Push the nips into place using a flat-headed screwdriver, being careful not to block out other crucial components.
If necessary, push from the front side of the seat, but you may need someone to hold the screws in place.

4. Install the New Shaft.

After successfully attaching the nips, the next step is to replace the old shaft with the new one, following the steps given below.

Take the new shaft and ensure that it is longer in length than the old one.
Remove the old shaft and replace it with the new one.
Push the new shaft back until it is level with the edges of the seat.
Make sure to use a longer shaft, as a smaller one will not solve the problem and cannot be leveled with the seat’s edges.

5. Test Out the Recliner.

Now, the hard part is done. Now, all you have to do is to test your recliner seat in this step. This step will help you ensure whether your DIY process worked out or not.

Go to the front of the driver’s seat and push the seat back with your feet on the car floor.
Check if the seat moves smoothly and without any issues.
If everything is working well, screw the bolts back in place and enjoy your ride.

[su_note note_color=”#ffe466″]While testing your recliner seat, if you experience any creaking sound, you must contact some professional for help as things just got out of hand for you.[/su_note]

Not Found Screws, Follow This.

The screws for the recliner seat can be located on the very back of the front seat towards the bottom, typically covered by fabric or a plastic panel. You may need to remove or lift up the panel or fabric to uncover the hidden screws.

All you have to do is to take your bare finger into the storage compartment on the backside and feel them carefully. They are tiny but can be found if you pay attention.

If you are unable to find the screws on the back of the seat, you can consult the car’s owner’s manual for guidance. It should provide the necessary detailed instructions on locating and accessing the screws for the recliner seat.

In case you are still having trouble locating the screws, it might be best to seek the assistance of a professional mechanic who can help you locate and fix the issue.

Some Additional Tips & Tricks

If you are not experienced at all and doing the process for the first time, you might have some common issues that need to be dealt with early. Therefore, I have described some additional tricks for you below that might come in handy while fixing your recliner seat.

1. Know Turning the Bolt

Remember, in the above steps, we discussed the replacement of the old shaft with the new one. Before doing that, you must ensure the bolts are rotating smoothly. If not, you should not violently move them. Instead, you need to align the bar and the slots where the bolts should go.

2. Try Greasing the Shaft First.

While greasing the shaft is not necessary, it makes your work much easier. You can use any industrial lubricant or simply oil to grease the shaft. But make sure to only apply the grease on the endpoints and not the whole body. Otherwise, you will end up with a greasy, oily seat.

3. Take Care of Motor End.

When you’re putting the shaft back in place, go for installing it on the motor end first. This makes it easier to remove the shaft later on, if needed, without causing any damage to the motor.

Read more about recliners:

FAQs

Why is my power seat not working?

If your car has a power seat, you know it has a motor that handles all its motion. So, if your power seat is not working, it is probably because the motor of your seat has worn out.

Hence, you need to replace the motor to make your power seat move again. You can use the winder tool to adjust your power seat manually, but there are more permanent solutions.

How do I manually adjust my power driver’s seat?

If your car has an electric seat, you might be wondering if it is possible to recline it manually. Yes, there are multiple ways to do that. Using a winder tool is the simplest and least time-consuming method. All you have to do is to

Locate the motor of your seat.
Move your seat back and forth using the winder tool once you have successfully done so.

Tip: You must get the winder tool when you purchase the car. So, you don’t need to worry if it is something hard to find.

How do you fix a stuck driver’s seat?

You can move your driver’s seat if it is stuck in a place in three ways.

Try detaching it from the base and attaching it back. But only do this if you are experienced in this sort of process.
Use lubricants on the tracks to smoothly move the seat.
Apply force and shake the seat. Sometimes, only shaking the seat does the charm.

Conclusion

I hope you have successfully understood the steps. You see, it is not difficult to do yourself if you rightly follow the above-mentioned method. So, I hope to say you have your answer on how to fix the driver seat recliner. While doing the process, make sure to use a short-handled screwdriver instead of a big one.