Pasenger front right seat '03 Crown Vic or Grand MArquis

Hello all.

I have a situation where my dear old mom is unhappy with the Grand Marquis they bought in 2003 because of the seat height. Needless to say it is front driver power seat only.. Dealer says nothing can be done, but maybe that guy didn't do Dale Carnegie training.

Here's the question. Looking at some exploded parts views of the bench seat, it appears that power seat or non power get the same seat. But the power option adds a few parts. The qustion really comes down to: is it possible to modify the seat to either raise higher one time, and it stays higher, or add the motor/trans etc for power seating and just set the height once and again,leave it...or go so far as to add the door panel controls. I'll assume the harness wires are not there, but next time I visit I'll pull the door panel to see.

They love the car, this is the only hitch. Had I known this before I would have steered then to it in the purchase, and perhaps they could have found an LS with power passenger seat, over hte GS they have.

Any body able to give me any input on this?

Reply to
George Csahanin
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My parents have a 200 with dual power seats. The biggest problem is the wiring and location of the controls (on the door). The seat bases are interchangeable. I think if you check wrecking yards you probably can find all the parts you need. Biggest problem will be finding a matching door panel with the seat controls. I am not sure if these exist. Do the LS and GS have the same style of door panels? It might be worth looking for one. If you are really interested, you could hack in a switch from another Ford product.

Ed

Reply to
C. E. White

The passenger side power seat was standard on the LS and an option on the GS. Check a salvage yard. If you want the same seat style look for a GS if not get the two front seats from the LS, WBMA

mike hunt

George Csahan>

Reply to
IleneDover

Why can't shims be placed under the 4 mountings points at the floor pan? Rectangular tubing can be used if you need to go more than 1/2".

Carpet scraps or even paint will mask it unless someone crawls under the seat.

Reply to
Mark

This would work, except that it would compromise the safety/design of the seat and its mounting to the floorpan, which is integral to the entire restraint system. If it was my car, and this is the effect I wanted (higher seating position), I would do it, but good luck getting a shop to take on the liability of performing such a modification.

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

OK. I'll bite. Why would this not be safe? 1/2" steel plate under each point will not weaken anything. I can't believe that square tubing is weaker either.

As long as the piece between the floor and the seat mounts is as strong as the weakest point, there is no compromise.

Reply to
Mark

Possible insurance coverage issues if there were ever a personal injury claim filed due to an accident while in the vehicle.

Definately a warranty issue with regard to the manufacturer

Reply to
sleepdog

And then you can explain, in court, how nothing was weakened.

Warranty issue on what? The whole vehicle? I don't think so.....

Maybe worst case they won't warrant anything to do with that seat? Foolish, but I can see how some dealers might try to save a buck on an extended warranty where the money comes out of their pocket.

I'm now seeing that this is all speculation and there is nothing hard and fast that can actually apply here.

Reply to
Mark

Where do you guys dream up this stuff? Seats are raised on spacers, lower, moved back or front, all the time. There is a whole industry developed around seat modifications for the disabled. Ford, under its 'Mobility Program, will even pay customers up to $1,500 for modifications to adapt any Ford vehicle to meet the needs of the handicapped.

mike hunt

snipped-for-privacy@>

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Let me clarify

Via that program, Ford or an insurance company shouldn't have a problem with an affiliated and trained professional modifying the seat in the event of a "seat warranty" claim or personal injury claim against auto ins.

But from their vantage point when you get "some guy" with a welding kit doing a home-fabbed setup, WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE CASE HERE, it gives them an easy out, because he's not a professional "seat modifier" affiliated with the Mobility Program.

Not much different than if I did electrical work at home without getting it inspected and I burned the house down. I'm not an electrician by trade and therefore my insurance might have an out on paying the claim if fault were found in my electrical work by a fire inspector. Just for laughs assume I was recycling some old aluminum wiring. (not!)

Makes sense?

Reply to
sleepdog

No! Inserting a metal block under a seat and using a longer bolt will have no affect on the integrity of the seat. As to the seat being an inch higher, a power seat will raise the seat position more than an inch.

mike hunt

snipped-for-privacy@>

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Duh, of course the seat on it's own won't be affected by installing a block and a bolt. But any shark lawyer representing Ford or an insurance co. can argue an affect to the integrity of the vehicle.

If it's not that big a deal than why won't his Ford dealer touch it?

Liability.

Unfortunately in this day and age it seems to be affecting everything we do. I'm not arguing the common sense of raising the seat as you suggested, it's certainly practical.

Just don't expect to recover from Ford or the insurance if it's a DIY job and something happens to the occupant.

Reply to
sleepdog

There is no stupidity exclusion in a HomeOwners policy. They'll pay, once, then cancel.

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

What grade bolt are you going to use? Does it need to be different than the the original?

Because you have changed all the moments around which the seat will rotate in a collision, are there other concerns in the cabin that need to be addressed?

Will the rest of the restraints (belts & airbag(s)) provide the designed protection with such a modification?

It's just to risky for a shop to make mods like this willy-nilly. Too many lawsuit angles. Do it myself? Sure, for my own vehicle. There isn't a stupidity exclusion in auto policies, either. Watercraft policies? Yes, there I have seen "stupidity" exclusions.

Rob

Reply to
trainfan1

Try filing 2 large Homeowners claims within 24 hours. The cancellation notice arrived before the first check :(

Reply to
Tom Adkins

I gotta jump back in, since I started this...

The intent was to take concrete info to the dealer to request the work. They were asked once after teh car was delivered, and the very hasty answer was (ad you'd expect from a dealer service dept) was 'can't be done'. I know it can, just not sure how involved I need to get. Buy new seat? Buy parts to "upgrade" to power seats? Or is there some inherent adjustment already in the assembly somewhere. My shop manual should arrive from Helm tomorrow, that may or may not shed light on it.

But figured there was some one out there familiar with such stuff, who could shed some liight that my dad could take back to the dealer. So far, as I said, he asked the service writer. That's probably as good as asking my neighbor's beagle. I try to do my own service, or at the minuimum have a diagnosis figured 100% before taking it somewhere. Keeps more money in my pocket, too many places, these days, service by changing parts until the problem or customer go away. (vent off)

-GeorgeC

Reply to
George Csahanin

George Csahanin wrote:

George, The dealer most likely will not modify the seat mounting due to liability issues. If they add blocks under the seat or anything like that and Mom is hurt or killed in a wreck, they are wide open for you or another family member to try and sue their pants off, even if the injury or fatality isnt caused directly by the modification. It's a sad statement about our society today.

Adding accessories is sometimes plug and play, and sometimes a major undertaking. I have added different accessories to various Ford vehicles and have usually had good luck with it, especially electrical options. For example my 1995 Ranger pickup. I added AC with a combination of new and used parts. The wiring was in the harnesses and the electrical part was plug and go as was the control panel. Same thing with fog lamps. Some additions arent so easy or even impractable. I would suggest finding a passenger side power seat base and compare it to the original to see if you can use the existing back and bottom.If not look for a complete matching seat, then look to see if you can retrofit. Either way it will be a project unique to the car and a lot of inspection will be needed so that you know how to proceed. You will have to look at the existing seat and wiring in the vehicle,and at the replacement parts to see if you can combine the two to your satisfaction. The mounting to the floor should be no problem. Another possibility would be a used power seat and using the existing covers and inner foam. Again, inspection will show you what will work. Once you have the seat in and mounted you can jumper the motors and set it in the proper position for Mom, or if you are up to it, acquire the switches, trim, etc and wire it. It's possible the wiring is already in the main harness and in the door. A good sign would be an unused connector under the existing passenger seat (my 98 taurus has one)and\or inside the door. Nothing is "impossible" on a vehicle but often things are impractable. Only physical comparison and research on your part can tell in your particular case. I suspect adding a passenger power seat to Moms CV might be a fairly easy challenge without major headaches as long as you have some mechanical and problem solving skills. You stated that you do some of your own work so you probably do. Post back here and let the group know what you are doing. Some will be willing to help you through the rough areas. You are on the right track with the manual from Helm. Getting to know people at your local Auto Recycler (junkyard) can also be an asset in a project like this.

Hope this helps, Good luck. Tom

Reply to
Tom Adkins

George,

I installed a passenger side seat to the driver side power seat track on Bonneville. The original driver seat wore out after 14 years. The bolt spacing on the bottom of my seats are the same, but because mine has a

60 / 40 split bench it just slightly off center with the centerline of the steering column. With 40 / 40 seats now I got a big space between the seat I had to fill up with a custom made wood console.

I think your bench is 50 / 50 bench so the two halves should be the same size .

Check at a junkyard for a 2000 or newer driver or passenger side power seat and bolt the power track to your seat.

You can even experiment right there in the junkyard and see if a passenger seat will bolt onto a driver side leg track.

You can also try bolting the driverside leg track to the passenger side floor pan.

A Ford expert in here should know if the seat unbolts from the leg track.

Good Luck to you.

Harryface =D8=BF=D8

1991 Pontiac Bonneville LE 300,941 miles
Reply to
Harry Face

Of course you are free to believe whatever you chose but as I said previously Ford, and other dealers, change seat positions all the time. A seat can be raised, moved forward or back to suit the needs of a customer. If moving a seat was a liability problem there would be no such thing as a ten way power available from the manufacture.

mike hunt

snipped-for-privacy@>

Reply to
DustyRhoades

Go to a salvage yard and buy a power seat from a CV or GM, preferably one with the controls on the side of the seat. All you need is the base, your seat will fit on that base.

mike hunt

George Csahan>

Reply to
DustyRhoades

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