Question: What do I do if my manual seat adjustment is not working? It won’t slide forward, and I want to avoid a trip to the mechanic. Is this something I can fix at home?
Answer: It can be frustrating if you can’t adjust your seat to your liking—especially if it gets stuck in a position that isn’t comfortable for you. Luckily, if your manual seat adjustment is not working, you may be able to fix it yourself. Here’s what to do:
Wiggle the seat back and forth
Sometimes a car seat can become stuck if the locking pins didn’t properly engage when someone last adjusted it. Give your seat a firm shake or jostle to engage these pins and allow you to move the seat normally. Listen for a popping or clicking noise to confirm that the seat adjustment mechanism is back in place.
Look under the seat for obstructions
If your seat won’t move forward or backward, there may be an object blocking it from sliding on its tracks. Shine a flashlight under the seat to see if there’s something like a bunched-up floor mat, phone charger, or kids’ toy trapped against the tracks.
If you see something, try to remove it—but if it’s firmly wedged in place or you can’t reach it, you may need to remove the seat to free it.
Tug the adjustment handle up firmly
In some vehicles, the lever that adjusts your seat position can get jammed. Pull the lever directly upward—on modern models, these handles are made to withstand a fair amount of force, so you shouldn’t damage it by doing this.
In some cases, this will free any jammed bits inside the gears—if this happens, you should be able to adjust your seat again.
Pump the adjustment handle down, then up
If your seat is still stuck, pump the seat lever downward three or four times, then pull the lever up sharply. This may disengage the jammed gears, freeing the seat.
NOTE: Once the manual seat adjustment is working again, use the lever to cycle the seat through its full range of motion about four times to ensure everything is moving properly.
If none of these steps worked, you’ll likely need to remove the seat and disassemble the mechanism to fix the problem—and in some cases, you may need to replace the seat frame entirely. Unless you’re reasonably comfortable dismantling and reassembling a vehicle interior, it’s probably better to leave this to an authorized technician.
Expert insurance writer and editor Amy Bobinger specializes in car repair, car maintenance, and car insurance. Amy is passionate about creating content that helps consumers navigate challenges related to car ownership and achieve financial success in areas relating to cars. Amy has over 10 years of writing and editing experience. After several years as a freelance writer, Amy spent four years as an editing fellow at WikiHow, where she co-authored over 600 articles on topics including car maintenance and home ownership. Since joining Jerry’s editorial team in 2022, Amy has edited over 2,500 articles on car insurance, state driving laws, and car repair and maintenance.
Matthew Macgugan is an insurance writer specializing in vehicle costs and car maintenance. Matthew’s mission is to leverage his background in journalism to simplify otherwise complicated car ownership concepts and provide tips for car owners to save time and money. Matthew has written nearly 500 short-form articles for Jerry on topics ranging from fixing a car seat slider to shipping a car to another country. Prior to joining the Jerry team, Matthew was a reporter for Golden Gate Xpress.
Sarah Gray is an insurance writer with nearly a decade of experience in publishing and writing. Sarah specializes in writing articles that educate car owners and buyers on the full scope of car ownership—from shopping for and buying a new car to scrapping one that’s breathed its last and everything in between. Sarah has authored over 1,500 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from first-time buyer programs to how to get a salvage title for a totaled car. Prior to joining Jerry, Sarah was a full-time professor of English literature and composition with multiple academic writing publications.
