I thought the act of opening the door set the seat back and the column up, whilst closing the door brought them back to the desired memory setting on the 230.
It's different from that, and I would pattern the R129 similar to the R230.
When you enter an R230 the seat is already back and the column is up from when the last egress was made. To be clear about this, the moment the key is removed the seat goes back and the wheel goes up. If you exit the car they remain in this position and won't return until you get back into the car and have the key inserted with the door closed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hal Adams
Would it be possible to trigger the action from the switch (wherever it is) that lowers the window glass when the door handle is pulled?
Yes, but this would be unnecessary if following the R230 model.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hal Adams
Closing the door brings the glass back already, but with the new module could bring the seat forward to the last known memory position.
This is a little different from the R230, but it seems perfectly reasonable to me. By "last known memory position" I am guessing you mean where the seat had been previously located. To do that I would have the custom module store the seat and steering wheel in memory "3" before moving back/up.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hal Adams
I was unaware until recently that the door glass dropped half an inch on door opening on later 129s and not the earlier ones. Does the module that controls this feature be of assistance??
The module is the soft top controller. I don't think it can be helpful.
I'll summarize how I think you may want this to work. When you open the door to enter the car the wheel is already raised and the seat is back for easy entry. You get in, sit down, and once the door closes the seat and wheel move to the previous driving position which is stored in "3". You start the car, drive, switch the engine off; and when the key is removed, the custom module stores the current wheel and seat positions in memory "3" just before fully raising the wheel and moving the seat back.
One thing about the above: the signal that the key has been removed is not available under the seat, so a wire would have to be run from under the dash to the seat. You could move the wheel and seat the moment the key was switched-off instead. This would eliminate the need for the extra wire, but there are times when you will shut the engine off without intending to exit the car; and in those cases you probably would find the seat/wheel movement annoying.
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As I have already said in a previous post I have in my 2003 Mercedes CL 500 (W215) and you can switch both the wheel rising and the seat moving by selecting the options in the instrument cluster computer. As far as I understood in my CL which should be the same as in the R230 the seat moves back all the way and I switched this feature keeping on only the wheel rising one since I'm 5'4" (yeah I know I'm short lol) and I found it annoying. In the W215 and probably in the R230 especially if you have the Keyless-Go option like I have usually the wheel goes into position once you turn the engine on.
In the R129 I can see a problem tho since not all the cars have an adjustable steering columb (mine hasn't for example but please correct me if I am wrong) so that would require a different module or at least a different programming.
Cheers.
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BobTerry,
I am very interested in your idea. I have an older SL without the window movement option. I have to remember to move the seat and wheel when I exit the car or my old leather steering wheel leaves black streaks on my tan pants.
My father-in-law's Lincoln has the feature for the wheel and seat to move up and back respectively when the key is removed and moving to the last known position when the key is inserted. I really like the idea and find it very convenient. The only drawback is the very rare times when my wife has been driving the Lincoln and then I get in. She is pretty short and I end up with my head up against the roof and the wheel buried in my chest!! I will still live with it if you want to design us a module!!
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Mike
When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?
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Bobterry - you are of course right!
I checked it with a Jaguar XK8 today and it is exactly as you suggest, and of course it is logical what you say, why would one want the seat to go forward after you leave the car only to be sent back when you get back in!
If all that was required of me was to run a wire down from the dash to the seat, and cover any costs, would be a small price to pay! I am keen and again, volunteer to be your beta test car...
Vehicle: 2000 Obsidian Black Metallic Mercedes SL 320 V6
Location: Northern Italy near Milan
Posts: 1,585
Hi people since to achieve our target has been spoken of a comfort module I found this on Ebay (LINK). It is from a W140 S Class but since the R129 has a lot in common with it I thought that maybe it's what you need or at least is somewhat compatible.
Yikes . Look at all those plugs! I was hoping Bob would come up with a couple of gizzmos in a plastic box from Radio Shack that I could hook a couple wires to under my seat. You are on the right track, but I worry about me ability to go too deep
As far as I understood in my CL...the seat moves back all the way and I switched this feature [off] keeping on only the wheel rising...
Maybe the feature in the R129 should only move the wheel as well. I'm concerned about a seat moving rearward automatically and causing damage to someone or something.
Quote:
Originally Posted by RoadKing
I really like the idea and find it very convenient. The only drawback is the very rare times when my wife has been driving the Lincoln and then I get in. She is pretty short and I end up with my head up against the roof and the wheel buried in my chest!!
I hadn't considered that problem. The R230 solves this with an option to make the operation key dependent. That way the wheel/seat returns to the position that was remembered the last time a particular key was used. In your case maybe the seat/wheel should automatically return to a particular user-stored position (yours probably) instead of where it had been when the key was last used.
Quote:
Originally Posted by msbarsi
Hi people since to achieve our target has been spoken of a comfort module I found this on Ebay...
The R129 has a "comfort module" as well. It's only purpose is to supply power to the seat, steering, and mirror adjustments when the door is open and the key is off. This causes me to realize that a custom seat control module would have to energize this comfort module in order to move the seat/wheel the moment the key is removed. More wiring, more cost, more complexity...
I wonder if this seat control module is worth the effort. Lynns and RKH have pointed-out that you could simply store where you want the wheel and seat to go for exiting in a seat memory location and push the appropriate memory buttons for leaving the car and for driving when you get back in. A custom module would essentially push and hold those buttons automatically, but is it worth the effort to build and install such a module for this? For me personally, the answer is no. Still, I'll design and program a module for anyone to their specifications for no charge. But I am reluctant to construct one and may only be willing to do this for someone at a high price (I hate soldering).
All of the posts on this topic have been helpful and further ideas are welcome.
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BobTerry
Sure there will never be a situation where all the people are pleased all of the time.
For me the problems above are not problems.
I appreciate the effort it will require and respect your concerns, how about another idea then - would it be difficult to design / make a control that would operate and hold Seat memory button #3 on key out and operate and hold button #1 on key in?
...Would it be difficult to design / make a control that would operate and hold Seat memory button #3 on key out and operate and hold button #1 on key in?
It could work this way. Its easy to tailor a design that will work exactly as requested because the control is being done with software instead of hardware.
The following are some of the choices one would make.
What retracts: the seat, the wheel, or both? If the wheel is included a wire will have to be run from under the seat to an area under the dash.
Should the seat simply move back for a brief period of time, should it move back all the way, or should it move back to a stored memory position? Basing it on time frees-up a memory storage and moving back all the way does too, but at an increased risk of completely destroying something that might be behind the seat.
Should the seat move automatically when the key is removed, or should it move when a memory button is momentarily pressed?
When the seat moves forward should it go to the location that it was previously or should it move to a stored memory position?
The complexity of the design and the circuit is little affected by the choices made.
It could work this way. Its easy to tailor a design that will work exactly as requested because the control is being done with software instead of hardware.
The following are some of the choices one would make.
What retracts: the seat, the wheel, or both? If the wheel is included a wire will have to be run from under the seat to an area under the dash.
Should the seat simply move back for a brief period of time, should it move back all the way, or should it move back to a stored memory position? Basing it on time frees-up a memory storage and moving back all the way does too, but at an increased risk of completely destroying something that might be behind the seat.
Should the seat move automatically when the key is removed, or should it move when a memory button is momentarily pressed?
When the seat moves forward should it go to the location that it was previously or should it move to a stored memory position?
The complexity of the design and the circuit is little affected by the choices made.
If I had my choice this is what I would like:
1. Seat only retracts (and seat bottom lowers)
2. Seat retracts to a stored position (#3).
3. Retraction is automatic upon key removal.
4. Seat to move forward to the stored (#3) position when the key is inserted.
The automatic stuff with the key in/out is to compensate for my severe case of CRS these days.
. Look at all those plugs! I was hoping Bob would come up with a couple of gizzmos in a plastic box from Radio Shack that I could hook a couple wires to under my seat. You are on the right track, but I worry about me ability to go too deep 
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