Squeaking backrest?

[CoolVanilla]

I'm a big dude so I've come to expect seat related issues. But never have they happened so soon (10k miles). The support springs/bars inside the backrest of my leather seat are squeaking with every movement I make and its getting worse. Anyone know how to take the thing apart so I can grease them up? I'm going to try the dealer first, but I'm sure I'm going to get the "you're big therefore the warranty doesn't apply" argument. I'm also sure this will end up happening again later.

Any thoughts?

[DBTDODGE]

"you're big therefore the warranty doesn't apply"

I'm no lawyer, but, If you hear this, get a lawyer. Refusing warranty service or coverage is hard to get away with in most States, Right?
If nothing else, the seat is a pretty important piece of safety equipment, nothing to be taken lightly.

[HEMIwoman]

I do not believe I saw a weight capacity on my warranty paperwork CV....

[CoolVanilla]

I'm no lawyer, but, If you hear this, get a lawyer. Refusing warranty service or coverage is hard to get away with in most States, Right?
If nothing else, the seat is a pretty important piece of safety equipment, nothing to be taken lightly.

Very true. In the past (not Dodge, GM) the argument has been that this is a "wear" issue due to my size 6'9" 300lbs. Just like if you over inflate tires and they wear out early, you can't make a warranty claim cause they were not used under the circumstances they were intended to be used.

I will fight it of course, as I always have. Sometimes I win, sometimes I don't. In this case I'd really like to know how to take the thing apart myself and just be done with it.

[DBTDODGE]

I hear you. Guess I'd just remove the seat, and just start looking for the problem. These seats, I imagine, are pretty sensitive, with the advanced and side impact air bags, so I would go easy.

Sorry I can't help more

[Magne300Csium]

I would think that a good auto upholstery shop should be able to remove the seat covering and see what is in there. You might be able to get them to rearrange the padding or add different padding to give you more support as well.

The seat on my old Taurus SHO wore out, in my opinion, too quickly. I had a shop do just this and it was like a brand new seat.

[sweeper6]

I too have the same problem, only 6k on mine. 6'6" 255lbs. If you do take it apart I'd like to know how it went. Been pondering the same thing.

[cscmagnum]

i have 7k on my 05 magnum and it squeaks also. im also a big dude. please post what the dealer says to you CoolVanilla so i can call mine and get it taken care of

[magnumdave]

I'm not all that large (185lbs) and mine does it as well. It is coming from somewhere right in the middle whenever I lean forward or rock back. When I go in for my next oil change, I'm going to complain about it along with the never-ending right pull and the rear window that only works at the dealership. I don't know what they will do, though. I certainly don't trust them to take the seat cover off and put it back on without screwing something up. Let us know what you find out.

[fnkychkn]

from FSM:

REMOVAL




Before proceeding with the following repair procedure, review all warnings and cautions. (Refer to 23 - BODY/SEATS - WARNING)
RESTRAINT SYSTEM
WARNING: During and following any seat belt or child restraint anchor service, carefully inspect all seat belts, buckles, mounting hardware, retractors, tether straps, and anchors for proper installation, operation, or damage. Replace any belt that is cut, frayed, or torn. Straighten any belt that is twisted. Tighten any loose fasteners. Replace any belt that has a damaged or inoperative buckle or retractor. Replace any belt that has a bent or damaged latch plate or anchor plate. Replace any child restraint anchor or the unit to which the anchor is integral that has been bent or damaged. Never attempt to repair a seat belt or child restraint component. Always replace damaged or faulty seat belt and child restraint components with the correct, new and unused replacement parts listed in the DaimlerChrysler Mopar parts catalog. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with airbags, disable the supplemental restraint system before attempting any steering wheel, steering column, airbag, occupant classification system, seat belt tensioner, impact sensor, or instrument panel component diagnosis or service. Disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable, then wait two minutes for the system capacitor to discharge before performing further diagnosis or service. This is the only sure way to disable the supplemental restraint system. Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with airbags, before performing any welding operations disconnect and isolate the battery negative (ground) cable and disconnect all wire harness connectors from the airbag control module (acm). Failure to take the proper precautions could result in accidental airbag deployment and other possible damage to the supplemental restraint system circuits and components. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: Replace all restraint system components only with parts specified in the DaimlerChrysler Mopar parts catalog. Substitute parts may appear interchangeable, but internal differences may result in inferior occupant protection. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: The fasteners, screws, and bolts originally used for the restraint system components must never be replaced with any substitutes. These fasteners have special coatings and are specifically designed for the restraint system. Any time a new fastener is needed, replace it with the correct fasteners provided in the service package or specified in the DaimlerChrysler Mopar parts catalog. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: On vehicles equipped with the occupant classification system (ocs) do not hang any after market devices from the front passengers seat back. Do not install a front drivers seat back cover with map pocket onto the passenger seat. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: The Seat Weight Sensor is a sensitive, calibrated unit and must be handled carefully. Do not drop or handle roughly. If dropped or damaged, replace with another sensor. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: The front passenger seat must be handled carefully as well. When removing the seat, be careful when setting on floor not to drop. If dropped, the sensor may be inoperative. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

WARNING: When the seat is on the floor, no one should sit in the front passenger seat. This uneven force may damage the sensing ability of the seat weight sensors. If sat on and damaged, the sensor may be inoperative. Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death.

Remove the front seat. (Refer to 23 - BODY/SEATS/SEAT - FRONT - REMOVAL)
Remove the lumbar and recliner handles (1).
Remove the screws and remove the side shields (2).
Remove the belt buckle.
Remove the seat back bolts from both sides.
Push in the buttons on both headrest sleeves, pull the headrest up and remove.
Separate the j-straps (1 & 2) and pull cover up over frame and remove cushion.
Pinch both headrest sleeve ribs from inside the seat back frame with pliers or equivalent.
Strike the bottom of the sleeve with a rubber mallet or equivalent, and remove the headrest sleeves.

[DBTDODGE]

"Failure to follow these instructions may result in personal injury or death."

I thought maybe you could break something if you did it wrong, but I was thinking about the car, not the mechanic!! Don't know If I'd mess with this one!

[cadzilla74]

Geez, there wasn't that many warning stickers on Fat Man and Little Boy! Hope Al Qaeda never get hold of these seats.

[noworries]

“…is a sensitive, calibrated unit and must be handled carefully. Do not drop or handle roughly”…”Strike the bottom of the sleeve with a rubber mallet or equivalent”…

Geez, CV, this all makes pretty interesting reading, doesn’t it! How ‘bout a nice set of custom Recaro’s?

[sidetrack]

My seat occasionally squeaks, just like a squeaky bed. I weigh 160lbs.
Car has 10k on it, and is one year old. Started squeaking about 3 months ago.

http://home.comcast.net/~300_C/

[gn300]

Similer problem with my concord,intrepid with LHS seats. The back brackets that attatch to what looks like the tilt adjuster. weakens(breaks) after cracking.The wife says its leaning back to get the wallet at tim hortens(coffie). After a trip to the welding shop"you want me to weld your seat with the cover on" (water bottle handy) a couple of extra washers on the rear and better than new!Might not be the same problem but strip off all the seat stuff might be the same manifacture.