The seat will not roll back or forward. checked the fuse under the hood passenger side [its good] there is nothing in the tracks. I would hate to go buy a switch and that not the problem. I know there are other fuse boxes in this car; could anyone guide me to where they are so I can check them for blown fuses. The only function that does not work is the forward and back everything else works. And the steering wheel does not move forward or back either............... they both stopped about the same time.
Me thinks the power to all of the seat functions is the same, so since you have some functions but not others, youir issue is isolated to the motor or switch that controls the function that does not work.
The 3 Series cars (E36) have a problem with the gears inside the seat motor transmissions -- if transmission is the right word. The motor drives a gear that operates other gears that move the seat for and aft. You also have a motor that operates the tilt of the seat and lifts and lowers the seat, and another motor that leans the seatback up and down. In any case, the 3 Series cars have a tendency to break the gears and the seat stops moving along whichever axis that gear operates on.
I can't say what your problem is with any certainty, but I would be looking at the motor and transmission assembly. You have to determine if the motor is or is not running. If running, the electrics are good but the gears are broken. If not running, then it could be bound because of broken gears or the electrics could be bad, in which case youi have to work backward to the switch and then to the power source.
My E36 currently has a broken gear on the seatback tilting motor, and I can hear the motor running as the seat refuses to move. You did not tell us if your seat motor is making noise or not.
i change the switch with a brand new one and the fuctions worked for about 30seconds then stopped. The only functions that are not working are the forward and backward movement on the driver seat, and the up and down control for the steering wheel. Are there any relays that control the seat switch. Because it seems like the forward and backward seat movement and the steering wheel movement are linked in some way.
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