[Commander in Jeep]

Have any of you looked at the seat frames of your driver and passenger side seats? I was under there looking at the power seat arrangement when I installed the slush mats in there and notice that they look kinda rusty. Do you think this is normal?

 

[1999CUTIGER]

You sound surprised!

 

[Llanero]

Maybe your Commander was in a flood, and cleaned up before you bought it. Have you noticed any electrical problems?

 

[Commander in Jeep]

Maybe your Commander was in a flood, and cleaned up before you bought it. Have you noticed any electrical problems?

Nope. no electrical problems. It was built in 1-06. So I'm pretty sure it wasn't in New Orleans. Are you serious? do you think they might have had just left the frames out in the rain before installation. Should I tell my dealer about this, or am I just being nitpicky?

 

[Ranger6882]

Yes, I would talk to your dealer the rust will stain your carpet

 

[ktek01]

There is usually a little surface rust, and its usually kind of spotty, mainly because they are unpainted bare metal. Just humidity will make them rust a little, now covered in rust and the seat tracks binding or not moving at all is another story. Usually means its a Wrangler and the customer likes riding on the beach.

 

[commander205]

Sounds like you might have a door seal leak. Look around on this site, it is a common problem. Check the carpet right after a rain or wash and see if it is wet. If so take it to the dealer and make them do the door seal TSB.

 

[Commander in Jeep]

whats the consensus? should I take it to the dealer? I'll try to post a pic of it, and ya'll let me know.

 

[SDBaja]

Take it to the dealer. It's a symptom of poor QC.

 

[Commander in Jeep]

Okay heres a look at it.

It's not rusted through or nothing. If I rub it with my finger the (oxidation?) comes off, it just look like rusty colored dust. Should i be concerned?

 

[Short-Timer]

The frame looks okay but the seat pan looks bad. I'd definitely do a leak test on the driver's door with a water hose to see if the door leaks. Regardless, I'd take it to the dealer. Even if they won't do anything about it, you'll have a record of reporting it in case enough people report it that the manufacturer does something about it (silent recall).
CR

 

[Bulldog9]

I wouldnt be happy with that.... Is this on both seat bottoms? How about any other metal hardware in and under the rear seats/dash? If you see this throughout, your car may have had flood damage of some sort. I'd want to do some what of an inspection under the carpet/center console. How about pulling the back off the center armrest, below the air vents?

If it is not seen anywhere else, may just be a fluke, as in someone set the seat or pan down during production. I'm going out to look at mine this morning..... At first I thought you were just talking about the frames that mount to the floor. I diddnt look at the seat pans.

 

[Commander in Jeep]

I wouldnt be happy with that.... Is this on both seat bottoms? How about any other metal hardware in and under the rear seats/dash? If you see this throughout, your car may have had flood damage of some sort. I'd want to do some what of an inspection under the carpet/center console. How about pulling the back off the center armrest, below the air vents?

If it is not seen anywhere else, may just be a fluke, as in someone set the seat or pan down during production. I'm going out to look at mine this morning..... At first I thought you were just talking about the frames that mount to the floor. I diddnt look at the seat pans.

Let me know what you find... I really would like to know I'm not the only one.

 

[Bulldog9]

Let me know what you find... I really would like to know I'm not the only one.

Youre NOT, I've got the same thing build date is 12-05. I sprayed WD40 on a rag & wiped the seat pan down best I could. Not worried about it, NOTHING else is even remotely rusty, or has any sign. I think it is a process/issue with the seat pan, and not a car flood issue. I'm not worried.

 

[Commander in Jeep]

okay, I went to the service department manager at my dealer. Showed him the rusting. He seemed surprised. We went and looked at all the open Commanders on the lot. And yes there were numerous ones. And EACH AND EVERY ONE had significant rusting on the seat pan. Seems to me that it was a manufacturing defect. Please look under your front seats and let me know if you have the same issue. One of the girls there was originally telling me that the fabric treatment might have caused the rusting, but since the unsold ones had it, that throws that theory out the window. Besides the rusting is too even on the pan to have been from a moisture issue that was in situ. Seems to me that the pans were installed in the seats in the rusted state. While he was looking at the Service Bulletins that were issued under my VIN, he found that I needed the sun roof drain plugs (to reduce a whistling noise) installed and some other gasket or seal around the front windshield. He had a regional manager he was going to discuss the seat pan issue with and get back to me today with it. The parts should be in today for the seal and sun roof drain plugs will be installed Friday (fingers crossed).

 

[kmag51]

Just went out and checked my seats. Yes they are rusty too but as everyone else has said it appears nothing else is affected. Sure looks bad though.

 

[Commander in Jeep]

It sure looks crappy. I mean, would a powder coat of black paint on this part have been so difficult to have done? It being so prevelant in the whole line, I doubt a huge recall would be happening.

 

[ktek01]

It sure looks crappy. I mean, would a powder coat of black paint on this part have been so difficult to have done? It being so prevelant in the whole line, I doubt a huge recall would be happening.

This has been pretty much the norm on all cars for a long time, just nobody ever really looks up under the seats or dash. Oddly enough I can remember replacing a dashboard with frame on a Kia in the late 90s and while the factory part was not painted the replacement part was. I guess to keep it from getting the surface rust while sitting in a parts warehouse.