Blog Post: Cadillac CTS Seat Experiment – conclusion of part 1

[Bruce Nunnally]

Got my 2005 Cadillac CTS back from  Crest Cadillac in Plano, Texas today with the Service Air Bag light corrected from The Great Cadillac CTS Seat Experiment.Literally drove the Loaner CTS in to the Service Drive, was whisked in to the Cashier, and my Cadillac CTS was pulled into the Service Drive almost immediately.  [...]

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[Texas Jim]

Bruce,

Looks like it is all good news so far.

I hope your memory seats are at least as good as mine.

Mine has 2 memory positions...for 2 different drivers, plus a third button called "EASY EXIT"

You push it...the steering wheel moves up out of the way and the seat slides back for easier exit from the car.

I hope you don't need another trip back to Crest to have then enable the DIC functions, which is where "PART" of my settings are.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Problem with the memory seat controller -- the one pictured is not the one the seller has. Researching the bezel and switch costs online to see next steps.

[Texas Jim]

Problem with the memory seat controller -- the one pictured is not the one the seller has. Researching the bezel and switch costs online to see next steps.

Sorry to hear that.

I know you are disappointed.... at least for now.

Good luck in your hunt.

[Bruce Nunnally]

It's an adventure, so no worries. The CTS is running well, and I am having fun fiddling with it.

Going to try to get back on my other project of getting my wood trim steering wheel installed while I wait to hear from gmotors.com and others on part prices.

[Bruce Nunnally]

I have ordered a new driver position memory selection switch from gmotors.com. So if the bezel comes along from ebay and the switch comes from gmotors.com and it works the way I *think* it works (lol) then that should conclude this experiment. Lots of ifs left.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Got the ebay switch control and bezel in. The problem with this one is the buttons for the seat memory have lost all their black paint, but it has the trim piece I needed and is functional. I have ordered a new memory seat switch from gmotors.com.

<a href=" title="100_0952 by bwnunnally, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2757/4461306624_cbcd009e63.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="100_0952" /></a>

<a href=" title="100_0955 by bwnunnally, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2772/4460527371_7b04c04f68.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="100_0955" /></a>

As I hoped the plug-in for the memory seats was in the door waiting for the controller to plug in to.

<a href=" title="100_0956 by bwnunnally, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4460527399_da135a8881.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="100_0956" /></a>

Finished new ebay piece in place. Switch on order to replace the worn-off memory setting switches.

The seats do remember their settings properly now, once I read in the owner's manual how to set them!

Hmm, in the photo it is clear that the ebay part also is missing paint along the bezel, not just on the buttons. I did not see that in the car, but it is late afternoon in the garage. If it looks bad in the sunlight I'll have to order a new bezel also. Guess the ebay part turned out not to be a good find after all.

[Texas Jim]

Glad to hear that the seats function properly now.

Plus your wife's seat is now a power seat if I remember correctly.

I really like memory seats.

They make it easier to get in and out of the car.

You will understand better when you get about 20 years older. :D :D

[Bruce Nunnally]

Yes, both seats are 10-way power seats, (with lumbar), and the driver's seat is memory selectable. I did not experiment to see if the outside mirror works on the same memory system, but I would not be surprised to find that it does. I am quite happy with the experiment conclusion that yes, the wiring is all there and one can update the 'base' CTS to the lux Seats, albeit with a visit to the dealer for the airbag fix along the way.

Hoping I can get the steering wheel changed next to the wood wheel; O'Reilly auto parts has a free loan for a steering wheel pulling setup so I may try that Saturday if the weather is good. I plan to disconnect the battery, and pull the SRS fuse from under the rear seat, then try to disconnect the airbag and pull the steering wheel.

Other things on my short term list are a oil change and some new tires, so I may have to put off the wheel change to another weekend.

[Texas Jim]

I had the oil change done when it was at the dealer the other day. :D

I am getting close to needing a new set of tires also.

Mine are very noisy... and the more worn they get, the more noise they make.

There is still a fair amount of tread on them... they are not worn out by any means.

But I am about ready to change them.

I have started researching tires on the various web sites.

The selection of tires in my size... (245x50x18)... is fairly limited.

Looks like it is going to be around $1,000 dollars for a set of tires... give or take a little, by the time all is said and done.

Tires+mounting+lifetime balance+road hazard with replacement.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Yes. I have been 'lightly' looking a bit for take-off wheels/tires; sometimes one can get lightly used CTS wheels + tires for slightly less than the cost of new tires alone. I have 2 sets of wheels already though, so if I get more I'd need to start selling them off as full-size spares. Also, I don't really care for the Goodyears that came stock, as they did not last as long as the tires I have on now that are less expensive.

[Texas Jim]

Yes. I have been 'lightly' looking a bit for take-off wheels/tires; sometimes one can get lightly used CTS wheels + tires for slightly less than the cost of new tires alone. I have 2 sets of wheels already though, so if I get more I'd need to start selling them off as full-size spares. Also, I don't really care for the Goodyears that came stock, as they did not last as long as the tires I have on now that are less expensive.

I had forgot about "TAKE OFFS".

There is a place in Hurst, that sells take offs.

I need to check with them, and see what they have.

Thanks for the reminder about take offs.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Wrapped up the seat memory controller update with a new seat memory switch. Here is the current look, with the correct 1/2/Reset switch faces for the memory seat controller switch:

Easy to order from gmotors.com and arrived right away.

[Bruce Nunnally]

Yes. I have been 'lightly' looking a bit for take-off wheels/tires; sometimes one can get lightly used CTS wheels + tires for slightly less than the cost of new tires alone. I have 2 sets of wheels already though, so if I get more I'd need to start selling them off as full-size spares. Also, I don't really care for the Goodyears that came stock, as they did not last as long as the tires I have on now that are less expensive.

I had forgot about "TAKE OFFS".

There is a place in Hurst, that sells take offs.

I need to check with them, and see what they have.

Thanks for the reminder about take offs.

Name: North Texas Factory Take-Off

Street: 800 West Hurst Boulevard

Hurst, tx 76053-7502

Phone: (817) 589-8874

[BodybyFisher]

Nice, job. It works perfect?

Hey get some weed killer for that crack in your driveway visible in the last photo, shame on you,