Lumbar Support

[hayes]

I have a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer LT with leather power seats. Yesterday, as I was adjusting the lumbar, I heard a 'pop' and now the lumbar support is stuck at all the way full. What kind of mechanism is the lumbar support? Is it a pillow that I can deflate?

How hard is it to remove the cover from the seat? My Google-Fu is weak today and I am not able to find anything from searching.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Blckshdw]

I haven't tried to open up the seats at all, but on the manual seats, the lumbar adjustment is a knob you have to turn, so definitely not an inflatable bladder.

 

[hayes]

Thanks. Looks like I am going to have to open the seat up. It's really uncomfortable now. I'm a bit afraid of screwing up the seat coverings though...

 

[Mooseman]

the lumbar adjustment is a knob you have to turn

Must be different for different models. My 02 TB EXT LT has a switch that adjusts the lumbar forward/back and up/down. The 06 Saab only has forward/back. Both don't feel like a bladder but just a mechanical action.

 

[hayes]

Mine is just more or less (I believe your forward and back). The more I think about it, I'm betting the plastic gear broke. I will pull it apart in the next few weeks.

 

[gpking]

I did the research on the lumbar function when I bought my power seats and it seems that that gear stripping/breaking is a common problem. Many people just ignore it. Unfortunately, it is probably cheaper to just buy and install a whole replacement seat from the pick-a-part than it is to buy a new lumbar mechanism and spend the time replacing it yourself.

My local pick-a-part charges about $60-70 for a power seat w/ airbags. Versus $62 for a used lumbar mechanism online.
'06+ seats might be harder to find though.

 

[tsmith1156]

I did the research on the lumbar function when I bought my power seats and it seems that that gear stripping/breaking is a common problem. Many people just ignore it. Unfortunately, it is probably cheaper to just buy and install a whole replacement seat from the pick-a-part than it is to buy a new lumbar mechanism and spend the time replacing it yourself.

My local pick-a-part charges about $60-70 for a power seat w/ airbags. Versus $62 for a used lumbar mechanism online.
'06+ seats might be harder to find though.

That's what I was thinking, just replace it with a used one

 

[Bill Reid]

Its definitely cheaper/easier if you can find a replacement seat in acceptable condition in the same color. If going this route have the junkyard test the seat for functionality... or at minimum provide a money back guarantee of operation.

When I upgraded my 03 LS seats from manual to power I also installed the dual motor lumbar support. For cloth seats without side air bag it isn't too hard a job to replace the whole dual lumbar module as a unit. Removing headrest provides more hand room under the cover when trying to get the lumbar support wire mount up and over the seat frame. I just unhooked the long plastic seat cover catch at bottom of seat rest, pulled the cloth up as high as I could along with the foam, removed the manual lumbar adjustor, and installed the powered unit. I did not try to remove seat belt cover on top of the seat. Leather may be a little tougher to work with... but hey, they went on the seat... they can be pulled off... in one piece