What's that loose spring under your seat? (mk4 seat spring fix)

UhOh

Top Post Dawg
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This sounded like such a fascinating subject that I thought I'd read this thread :rolleyes:

So, if one had a spring come off, not saying that this has happened to me :)rolleyes:), would it really be worth all this work to replace it?

I have some seats to go into one of my cars and one seat's spring is off: seats were in a parts car I picked up- spring was laying under the seat. I really don't want to be adding anything to my overly-full plate unless it's really necessary: don't want to avoid doing something if it's going to bite me in the seat :)D) later on. I'm anal, but only up to a certain point.

Has anyone that's been operating without a spring encountered any problems? If one doesn't regularly use the height adjuster then I suppose problems wouldn't likely pop up. I sometimes swap cars with the wife, in which case the height adjuster does get used. Does the spring reduce the required adjuster effort? My wife isn't a body builder:D
 
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fnjimmy!

Chucklechump
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Tacoma, WA
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This sounded like such a fascinating subject that I thought I'd read this thread :rolleyes:

So, if one had a spring come off, not saying that this has happened to me :)rolleyes:), would it really be worth all this work to replace it?

I have some seats to go into one of my cars and one seat's spring is off: seats were in a parts car I picked up- spring was laying under the seat. I really don't want to be adding anything to my overly-full plate unless it's really necessary: don't want to avoid doing something if it's going to bite me in the seat :)D) later on. I'm anal, but only up to a certain point.

Has anyone that's been operating without a spring encountered any problems? If one doesn't regularly use the height adjuster then I suppose problems wouldn't likely pop up. I sometimes swap cars with the wife, in which case the height adjuster does get used. Does the spring reduce the required adjuster effort? My wife isn't a body builder:D
It sounds like you didn't read the first post. :rolleyes:

All this work? It takes 30 minutes or less per seat.
Yes, operating without the spring leads to failure of the adjustment mechanism.
Correct, if you never use the height adjuster you won't notice the spring missing. If you do use the height adjuster with the spring missing and the mechanism fails and jams, you won't notice the spring missing then either.
Yes, the spring reduces the effort, without it the adjuster will slowly become harder to use until it self destructs in which case the World's Strongest Man will be unable to move it.
 

Norman

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In a flood zone
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'00 Golf GLS, '03 Wagon GL
So perhaps a compromise for those that regularly adjust their seats up/down for their SOs (or whoever), might be to make the seat height adjustment w/o sitting in the seat? I'm just putting this out there that if you do this enough times, you should probably know how many ratchets up or down you're going to be adjusting in order to be correct for a given driver?

*Whoops, sorry, just noticed that Powerstroke made the same suggestion in post #16. Mea Culpa
 
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conejo_a_cuatro

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2001 Golf GLS Silver, 2011 JSW Manual - Bought Back. Now 328d Wagon.
I love that you explained what the springs are actually for. Thank you for the write-up. I think folks that want their cars in tip-top shape will appreciate it.
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My springs fell out probably 9 years ago. 150K miles later, my wife and I change seat height because she's 5'2 and I'm 6'2. Seat adjuster still works, without the spring (knock on wood).
 

UhOh

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So... I just took a look at another set of seats I picked up (heated seats for another car) and see that the driver's seat is missing its spring. Crap! Now I have to find a replacement (on top of repair time, not counting repair of heating problem on one seat, and this is going to pile up a lot more time than I was expecting).
 

yurtesen

Member
Joined
May 31, 2016
Location
Finland
TDI
Golf Variant
My seat goes up really easily. The spring is there and helps when going up. But going down require more force. It is slightly easier when I sit on the seat, but it used to be much easier in the past. Do you think the ratchet mechanism is the reason? It sounds like it grinds to something when going down.
 

Andyinchville1

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Virginia
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2003 Jetta TDI wagon, 5 sp, 226K miles
Thanks for the write up on the spring....

I found my extra a long time ago but since I never change seat positions (unless a mechanic test drives the car for something I cannot fix myself.... the seat stays exactly where it is). I guess the missing spring wont make any difference for me.

I suppose as a precaution and to avoid possible future problems, Ill ask the mechanic not to move the seat.....why risk screwing something up if you don't have to.

Andrew
 

yurtesen

Member
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May 31, 2016
Location
Finland
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Golf Variant
I removed my ratchet part and removed it's return back spring. I could turn it one way very easily by hand and the other way it was not possible to turn back. It was tighter when going down. So I ordered a new one, costs 40euro on aliexpress...

About the knob for the seat back adjustment. It is easy to remove it if you go to back seat and look behind it while turning slowly. Then you can see the plastic latches there and easily unlatch them using a flat head screwdriver. (Although they seem to cost 3euro a piece in aliexpress)

Thanks for the post!
 

DiaRic

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Bentley. Alberta
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2001 Golf 2001 Jetta
Old thread, but Thank You for the great write up. Swapping mine for leather, found lose springs, and you answered the easy fix. Tore down my old seat already to see how it worked and what was involved.. Again, great job.
 

fnjimmy!

Chucklechump
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Location
Tacoma, WA
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TDIdiot
Old thread, but Thank You for the great write up. Swapping mine for leather, found lose springs, and you answered the easy fix. Tore down my old seat already to see how it worked and what was involved.. Again, great job.
I'm glad it helped someone else! I didn't re-read the thread just now but I think I remember the adjuster having a fixed range of motion vs an infinite range. I may be misremembering (hey, it's been four years!) so if someone can confirm whether the adjuster should be adjusted all the way "up" prior to installation in the seat I'll add it to the write-up.
I'm imagining a circumstance where an adjuster that is cranked part way or all the way "down" gets installed in a seat that's all the way up (it's easier to install the adjuster with the seat in the "all-the-way-up" position.) resulting in an artificially narrow range of adjustment (due to the adjuster running out of range.) I can see this being a bigger issue with used adjusters that have been removed from seats in random positions.
 

joetdi

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That spring fits a lot better in the garbage can. Unless you are about 300 lbs or more you don't need it.
 

POWERSTROKE

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Staten Island (The Dump)
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2002 Golf
It’s a really poor design. One end of the spring is ina plastic hook in the seat. I’m not really sure what they were thinking when they did that. I don’t adjust my seats at all unless some boob touches them. In my use they aren’t necessary. Just don’t sit in it when you go up and down.
 

shoebear

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I don’t adjust my seats at all unless some boob touches them.
Every time I loan my car to someone, they pump on the lever thinking it will adjust the back angle. Then when I get my car back, I have to fiddle and fiddle with the height and angle to get it comfy for me again. This happens about 2-3 times a year.

I already have a quantitative way to adjust the seat forward/back position: slide it all the way back, then forward 3 notches. I should figure out a similar method for resetting the seat height. Then I can do it standing on the ground next to the driver's door opening, with no weight at all on the seat.

Even if I did, however, fnjimmy!'s fix is worthwhile, since people who borrow the car insist on pumping the lever every single time (while sitting with their full weight on the seat).
 

Louie710

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Even if I did, however, fnjimmy!'s fix is worthwhile, since people who borrow the car insist on pumping the lever every single time (while sitting with their full weight on the seat).
Totally worth the effort. I was replacing my driver seat because it would not stay up. It would slam all the way down everytime i sat in it. Only reason i knew about the spring is because it was sitting loose inside my donor seat. Only problem i had doing the repair was finding a short enuf screw. I ended up having to grind one down to size. Installing the spring afterwards is a little tuff as well but overall its a very easy worthwhile repair.
 

Powder Hound

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Every time I loan my car to someone, they pump on the lever thinking it will adjust the back angle. ...
There are 2 easy solutions for this.

1) Don't let others drive your car. They're not worthy anyway.

2) If you lend out your car, charge enough rent to pay for the damage.


There is a 3rd, which is mine, which is to drive a stick and then they won't even ask. Besides, there's a lot of twits out there who claim they know all about driving a stick. They don't drive one now because they blew the clutch or shredded the gears in their last ride due to not knowing how to drive a stick.

Kinda reminds me of being forced to take my car to a brake testing joint due to a stupid inspection regulation (it was Utah in the mid 90's). It was a Fiero, and the tester insisted he knew how to take off the parking brake. He wound it up and dumped the clutch with the parking brake full on. I wish I had a bat in my hands at the time because he needed to be flogged.

Cheers,

PH
 
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