Used the video and everyone's suggestions to fix both of my headrests today. Thanks to all of the great tips I had virtually no problems and it went very quickly. A huge "Thank You" to everyone.

 

Well after my last fix (probably a couple of years ago) which was actually maybe the third fix, it happened again!! The headrest works fine when I am sitting on the seat but when I am out of the seat and move the seat-back forward, I can hear the motor but no headrest movement.

Obviously the heat-shrink must have failed yet again.

I guess I will go in once again to redo but I recalled someone had found some tube fittings that takes the place of the heat-shrink and is more robust. Does anyone recall what that was and where to buy? Of if someone has these as extras, I would be happy to buy.

Doug

 

I think this is the thread you're looking for:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...est-faq-69635/

 

FWIW
My cheap method is still working going on 4 years now and from time to time I run them up and down double daring them to fail. The plastic tube unions that you are inquiring about are 5/16" but I could not find them locally. Here is the link to my fix.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...rnative-55364/

 

Yes--your fix looked intriguing and I also liked the ones that used the compression fitting but for those I think you have to cut out more of the sheathing to account for the fitting length. By far the best solution is keeping the sheathing intact and getting a longer speedometer cable but this is too late for me since I already cut and shortened the sheathing.

Doug

 

Hey Doug,
Nice seeing you and your beautiful car at Queen's English, last Sunday. My headrests have been broken for a couple of years, and I've just never had the time nor the inclination to fix them. Maybe we can do them together and tackle it one afternoon. Let me know if you're interested.
Ted

 

Hey Ted--great seeing you again.

Sounds like a plan for the headrests. I have some heavy duty heat shrink that I bought from the marine supply store nearby and I thought that would have done the trick forever. Maybe the problem was that I didn't have a proper heat gun--I had one of those cheapie devices that use a cigarette lighter and it seemed to work fine but maybe the stuff just gives up over time.

Doug

 

Well I had a few extra minutes over the weekend so decided to quickly take a look at what was going on. I had thought that the heavier duty heat shrink I used would have been sufficient but when I felt at the spice, I could feel that there had been some minor separation due to flexing of the heat shrink. I did a quick fix just to get the headrest down and will tackle again later some time.

In my view, the adequacy of repair methods in descending order are (1) get a longer speedometer cable (2) somehow remove the metal fitting from the END of the cable, cut, and replace the metal end (3) cut the sheathing as in the TSB but use some kind of coupling device like other members have done (4) cut the sheathing as in the TSB and use heat shrink.

Since I have already cut the sheathing, I either have to do a better job of the heat shrink or switch over to the coupling solution. The problem with the former is the flex that still occurs at the location of the splice. The ideal solution would be if there was some heavier metal band material with "burrs" on the inside that could somehow wrap or bond around the splice. I think another member here came up with something similar by using the metal tube that came with some brush he had. Or I guess something like a really wide hose clamp (the kind with the worm screw that tightens up the clamp) would work. In the end with the splice solution you really need something to stiffen up the area around the splice--any flexing tends to open up the splice over time.

Doug

 

Doug:
I agree with your order of repair. I think the width my my worm clamps were 5\16.
FWIW Here is a tip that I did.:
When splicing the housing, wrap 2 pieces of tape around the housing, one above and one below the splice before cutting to maintain an "effective reference length" regardless of method of splice used (I chose 5" which became 1/2" less after adjustment).

 

My new to me and just delivered XKR has this problem, after viewing the Rev's video I tackled the problem this morning.
This job had obviously been attempted before by some kind of mental deficient. The cable had been shortened (but obviously not enough) and rejoined using rubber gas line and 5/16" hose clips, not too bad a solution, but the idiot removed the motors from their mounting brackets and after reconnecting the shortened cable left the motors hanging free! On top of that he made no attempt made to put the upholstery back together it was all hanging loose. I had to shorten the cable another couple of mm's then figure out how to remount the motors eventually realizing one part was above the mounting bracket, the motor part below.
All good now, but it makes me wonder what else I'm going to find as I get to grips with the other jobs I see that need doing, front suspension upper bushings, headliner, and other odds and sods.
Regards,
White Bear.

 

I keep reading about all these troubles with recnnecting the sheath. I have suggested in the past that you all try the method that I performed on my own car: Leave the sheath alone, and install a LONGER inner cable. Any speedo shop can make one for about $10. And you will NEVER have to worry about the sheath coming apart! Just sayin'.... I believe my post with exact lengths etc is in a sticky with something like "new repair idea for headrest cables". Enjoy!

 

Absolutely the best solution! Too bad I didn't think about that before doing the sheath shortening.

Doug

 

Fixed my headrest and airbag light at the same time..Headrest fix by cutting the end off the cable rite by the cable end and digging the black cable out of the cutoff part. re installed the cutoff used a round file to remove burrs. works great. Air bag light was flashing 22 bad connection at the seat side airbag…loose connection I had to take it apart and squeeze the connections together. someone has a great tube video on how to remove the setback cover

 

Apologies for a 5 year wake up on this headrest thread. I just did the job and post a few pictures that verify many of the helpful suggestions in the video. Perhaps the most challenging is understanding step one, removing the upholstered locking channel at the bottom, it is a J-channel as shown. I used the self-adhesive heat shrink tubing (a few bucks on Amazon) and wrapped that with foil tape. A screwdriver style torx bit makes removing just one side of the clip easy. Finally, if I do it again (other OEM side still working) I would cover the foam with one layer of white upholstery slip fabric so the leather slides easily across the foam.

Top "I" plastic beam loops around in a J-curve and snaps into the lower plastic J-beam. Reinstall by lining up the two beams and pushing entire length at once.

Cut 12mm with tube on bench for accurate slice.

Remove only one torx screw to free the cable.

Use heat shrink tubing with GLUE INSIDE for this job.

 

Browsing through all the above discussion makes my head hurt. I, too, had the recalcitrant motorized headrest problem. IMHO it's a dumb, overengineered system anyway - I did a fix where I removed the backing for access, disconnected the drive cable, drove the headrest to the lowest position, reconnected the drive cable and disconnected, taped the electrical connector and put the seat back together... No more headaches - ever.

 

The "factory fix" is way too involved. Make this easy. Instead of cutting the outer cable by 1/2" and attempting to put it back together with heat shrink, etc.... just go to a local speedometer shop and get an inner cable made that's 1/2 inch longer. I did both my seats that way, and they have been fine ever since. I wrote a thread for this years ago. You're welcome!

 

Came across this informative video this morning. Looks like the end all to the problem.

 

Just thought I would add my own experience I shortened the cable sheath and rejoined using a push fit pneumatic connector (a suggestion from this forum). From memory it was 8mm straight connector cost about £1 UK. Had to remove more than 12 mm from the sheath to accommodate the connector from memory 18mm.
I note another member had airbag flash code 22 and repaired the seat side air bag wiring when the seat cover was removed(which was also required on my car). For what it’s worth it is my opinion the continued operation with a disconnected head rest cable can cause airbag flash code 22. I found the seat side airbag connector sheaths backed out of the seat side airbag connector in my car. My suspicion is that over time constant spinning of the motor and it’s proximity to the seat side airbag loom results in the loom being agitated causing the pins to back out. Morale of this story it’s not worth ignoring a failed headrest drive mechanism! My car was 16 years old when I repaired it and it’s probable my car had been used with a failed head rest drive mechanism for most of its life.

 

FINISHED!

I just completed both sides. From the time I posted this last post and this one I did both headrests. No heatshrink. I did just like this chap showed, except I put a dab of gorilla glue in each end before I pinched it just for good measure. I would have been done a lot sooner if I had figured out that bottom upholstery fitting sooner. When I got to the second side I laid bottom piece flat against the board and the folded the upper seatback piece under and it just snapped into place super easy. I think it took 2 hours total; getting tools, doing the work, putting tools away and then vacuuming up the dried up crusty old foam bits.

I think this fix is a done deal and won't have to be done again.

 

You guys are making this way harder than it needs to be. Rather than cut the cable housing, and so on... just get a new "longer" inner cable made at a speedometer shop. 18 3/4" should do it! No cutting the housing, no waiting for the heat shrink thing to fail, no revisiting the problem in the future.