8th Oct 2010, 19:36
There are actually two different problems that can happen.
The first is called "Rocking Seat". This has to do with the hex shaped brackets that adjust the seat up and down. When this failure occurs, the seat tends to rock like a rocking chair.
The second problem is a "Sliding" Seat. This is a result of the rubber spacers bushings in the track/worm drive assembly that moves the seat forward and backward. The rubber sandwiches a nut that fails over time. The posting on August 21st, 2010 does a great job explaining the problem. The cost of the fix is your time (1-2 hours with supplies and tools) and some washers that may require a little customization.
29th Dec 2010, 18:42
Yet another 2001 Dodge Durango owner with the same seat issue of moving back and forth. Should be a recall. Won't let my wife drive vehicle any more until I get some type of fix for this issue. Will try 21 August 2010 fix.
26th Jan 2011, 01:33
1999 Dodge Durango X, with the same problem driver seat rocking. It got so bad that the front mounting bolts broke; we only had 39000 miles on it. I took the seat completely apart. Welded the frame and thought I had fixed the problem. Now after finding this site by mistake, I now know what caused the failure in the seat! After 50,000 more miles for a total of 89,000 miles, now my seat will be repaired!
2nd Apr 2011, 11:14
Wow, for this to not be a problem recognized by Chrysler, there sure seem to be a lot of us that have the problem with a Durango or Dakota. Mine is a 1999 Durango SLT. I guess taking the seat out to fix is not a solution until I have a new track assembly.
4th Apr 2011, 17:50
0345t.
Thanks for the tip on how to fix this! Do you have any photos or any more specific directions to share? For example, will I need to drill through factory rivets in order to make the fix?
If you can, please email me jbentham (at) yahoo (dot) com.
Thanks!
30th Sep 2011, 08:16
I have found a fix to this problem!!! There is a guy that has come up with a fix and is selling it on eBay. Search under "dodge seat slipping sliding seat repair kit" I purchased this kit and it worked perfectly! My seat is now tight and moves like it's new. I was very hesitant, but he has made the kit like Dodge should have!!! Two thumbs up for this guy!!!
15th Oct 2011, 20:24
I had the very same problem with the outboard side of the base of my driver's seat, shortly after purchasing my Durango at around 75,000 miles.
I am an aircraft mechanic by trade, so I have access to a hanger full of tools and repair resources, but I found an inexpensive solution that provided a temporary repair. Removal of that side seat panel is relatively simple... a few deep set screws and some snap connectors for the electrical connections, then with the panel off, find the source of the problem by visual examination on the backside of the panel. Mine had the plastic broken around the setting (holes) of the attaching screws. I mixed a batch of 5 Minute Epoxy (2 Part JB Weld will work as well) and "built up" the section that was damaged, let it cure and re-drilled the hole... and it held for a year or so. After a few years of having to redo this repair every so often, I finally decided to re-enforce it by forming some light aluminum to the shape of the back of the panel, and riveting it in place... that repair has lasted for the last 2 years with no signs of giving up any time soon... Good Luck!
4th Feb 2012, 09:56
My 2003 Durango SLT plus has the same problem, and it is disappointing to see such poor quality again come from Dodge.
16th Aug 2012, 00:49
For the guy that purchased the kit from the eBay seller. He's not still on eBay. Do you happen to know how to contact him?
17th Aug 2012, 10:29
What size ball bearings did you use, and did you have to take the seat off to add the ball bearings? Did you put them on both sides of the seat or just one?
2nd Dec 2012, 21:17
My wife owns a 2003 Dodge Durango SLT. We bought this car new, and it has over 150,000 miles. It has been a very good vehicle.
The driver's side power seat was moving back and forth about 1/2" when starting off or stopping.
Checked seat mounting bolts and found everything tight. Removed the seat and turned it upside down on my workbench. Found the bottom seat rails moving back and forth about 1/2". Found 2 small torx head screws on the bottom of each seat rail. All four were tight. Removed torx head screws on one rail and found play in the aluminum carrier that rides on the seat adjustment screw assembly. Using a size 13 metric wrench, I removed the bolt at the rear of the rail. This allows you to remove the screw assembly, and carrier.
I unscrewed the carrier from the screw assembly, and found a steel square nut sandwiched between two rubber bushings. These rubber bushings were soft and worn out, causing the play in the seat.
I fabricated two square rubber spacers from some 1/8" hard rubber material I had in my shop. Then I placed the spacers in the carrier and marked the holes with a felt tip pen. I used a 7/16" gasket hole punch to punch the holes in the spacers. Installed a spacer on each side of the square nut, and screwed the carrier back on the screw assembly.
Adjusted the carrier by measuring from the front of bottom rail to the front of the rail on the seat. Adjusted the carrier on the screw assembly until both bottom rails were the same. Reinstalled the rear bolt and the torx head screws using a little blue Loctite. Repeated the procedure on the other rail.
I finished up with lubricating the screw assembly with lithium grease and reinstalling the seat. Play is gone, seat works fine, wife is happy! Takes about 2 hours.
24th Dec 2013, 15:19
I followed this advice and was able to fix the sliding seat easily. The inside of the tracks (screw and nut) come loose and slide out the back once you pull the back bolt out. I went to Tractor Supply and bought some nylon bushings. I used a hack saw to cut them down to the correct length and put them in on one side of the adjusting nut. Re-lubricated the slides and nuts with new lithium grease, and put it back together actually better than new (this has been a problem almost since day 1 in 2000). Thanks for the help.
21st Aug 2010, 18:51
Forgot to add this: DO NOT BUY A USED SEAT! If the seat doesn't have this issue yet, it will soon. This is basically a design flaw and absolutely should be recalled. It looks to me like they are just using an inferior rubber bushing. Dodge probably could have spent $.07 instead of $.05, and this problem would have been avoided.