Question about '97+ with power seats...

Do the power seats on a '97+ model still have manual recline, or is that power too? Also, where are the power seat controls located?

Thanks!

The 97 that I drove had a manual recline just like any other XJ. The power seat did not raise up or down either. The switch is located low on the door-side of the seat about 2/3 of the way back.... if I recall correctly :speepin:

My '98 has manual recline, but power everything else (front, back, and all up and down).

bjoehandley said:

My '98 has manual recline, but power everything else (front, back, and all up and down).

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Same here on my 2000.

My 98 has 3 switches next to the manual recline lever on the side of the seat. The front switch moves the front of the seat up and down. The rear switch does the same but with the rear of the seat. The middle switch moves the entire seat forward, backward, up and down.

The switches are in about the same position as the older XJ's with power seats.
97-98 only had the driver side seat with the power option, the passenger seat is always manual.
99-01 the passenger power seat option came back, also heated leather became optional for the first time in an XJ.
All 97+ power seats have manual recline and all are height adjustable, although with the seat lowered all the way down you still sit about an inch & a half higher up than XJ's with manual seats.

JEEPZZ said:

All 97+ power seats have manual recline and all are height adjustable, although with the seat lowered all the way down you still sit about an inch & a half higher up than XJ's with manual seats.

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Is this true? I just talked to a guy with a 98 Limited with the leather power seat, and he told me it has about 2" more headroom than the 98 Sport with cloth manual seats, which he also has. Is he wrong?

MAO said:

Is this true? I just talked to a guy with a 98 Limited with the leather power seat, and he told me it has about 2" more headroom than the 98 Sport with cloth manual seats, which he also has. Is he wrong?

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Also, I found this post that begs to differ with the thought that power seats provide less headroom :

"No, your not SOL, as mentioned by the other folks with 97+ Cherokees with power seats, you will get more head room, as we've all got the same center tunnel. As I recall on the test drives I took, the power seats in the late models allowed you to get the seat down significantly lower than the non-power seats. At 6'-0" tall, I was fine with the regular seats but I can imagine that it must be kind of tight for ya in there! See if you can find a late model Cherokee at a used car lot with power seats, and check it out before you invest the time & $$$ in replacing the seat...."

Somebody is wrong! :banghead:

All of my headroom 'estimates' were through my personal 'seat of the pants' experience. Since I have 3 XJs out in the driveway, here's the tale of the tape:

(seat cushion to headliner)
97 manual seat, 36"
97 power seat, 35"
and just for kicks 87 power seats, 37"

measurement was taken with the power seat base at it's lowest setting

How 'bout them apples.

JEEPZZ said:

All of my headroom 'estimates' were through my personal 'seat of the pants' experience. Since I have 3 XJs out in the driveway, here's the tale of the tape:

(seat cushion to headliner)
97 manual seat, 36"
97 power seat, 35"
and just for kicks 87 power seats, 37"

measurement was taken with the power seat base at it's lowest setting

How 'bout them apples.

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APPLES? Maybe that's the problem! Maybe you have them under the power seat, preventing full travel downward!

Actually, I have heard this about other vehicle lines: That the travel of the seat varies from vehicle to vehicle, even though I never understood why. You would believe that identical brackets on identical floors with identical motors, would produce the same amount of motion in each direction.

My only guess is that the range of a motion in a single direction is not determined by stops on the tracks, but by stops in the motor? Or both? And that the initial starting point of the motor drive relative to the track varies from vehicle to vehicle?

Say for instance the motor is only capable of 4 revolutions of the shaft, which if the shaft position of the motor was at a relative position of "0" at the time of installation, would provide 4 inches of travel downward. But during the assembly process, the motor shaft was rotated 90 degrees from zero before it was mounted into the seat assembly, it only produces 3 1/2 inches of travel.

I had always assumed that the range was determined by stops on the tracks and not by a limiter in the electric motor, if for any reason, to save on cost. But a limiter on the motor makes more sense, since it would prevent more motors from burning out.

Just thinking of a way everyone could be "right" on this issue. Anyone ever take a power seat apart and now understands how it works? Maybe replaced a motor and "accidently" got more/less legroom or headroom? It would be interesting if the solution to a lot of headroom problems was resolved by taking out a electric motor, turning the shaft a few degrees and re-installing it.

MAO said:

...I never understood why. You would believe that identical brackets on identical floors...

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The manual seat bracket vs the power seat bracket are not identical.

Here's another one to get yourself worked up over, the power seat travels several inches farther forward than the manual seats. When I go camping and sleep in the back of my Jeep, I couldn't stretch out quite completely with the manual seats. Now that I've added the power units, I don't have that problem since they travel further forward.
I guess it must be the apples again? :laugh2:

JEEPZZ said:

The manual seat bracket vs the power seat bracket are not identical. I guess it must be the apples again? :laugh2:

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My point was trying to figure why is there different ranges of travel amongst power seat owners. Some are claiming more headroom, some like yourself, less! I am 6'4", but I want to get a Cherokee, but I cant find one with power seats, so I have to take the word of others as to the fact that power seats solve the problem. I want more headroom! My wife is a shrimp, so I only want to cut an inch out of the seat bracket as a last resort. And those apples must be getting rotten!:looney:

Here ya go eace: : TALL GUY MOD: Lowered seat brackets

MAO said:

My wife is a shrimp, so I only want to cut an inch out of the seat bracket as a last resort. And those apples must be getting rotten!:looney:

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Nope! Try again! Plus, I don't do welding.:explosion :compwork: