What does it mean?
B1707 is a Body (airbags, seat belts, body electronics) fault code. It indicates: Seat Driver Recline Rearward Switch Circuit Short to Battery .
Symptoms
- Seat backrest reclines rearward by itself or will not stop when the switch is released
- Recline rearward function is dead while other movements still work
- Seat moves briefly when the doors are unlocked or the ignition is switched on
- Memory recall does not complete because one axis of movement misbehaves
- Uncomfortable driving position that cannot be corrected
Likely causes
- Contamination inside the seat switch pack from a spilled drink, bridging the rearward contact to a live one
- Chafed seat harness touching a permanently live wire under the seat
- Wiring crushed by the seat rails, by cargo or by rear passengers pushing objects under the seat
- Bent or displaced terminal inside the seat connector creating contact between two pins
- Aftermarket wiring for a seat accessory tapped into the seat loom
- Moisture from a floor leak reaching the under seat connectors and bridging them
- Failed input stage in the seat or body control module
How to fix it
- Unplug the seat switch and check whether the code clears, which points directly at the switch when it does
- Inspect the switch for liquid damage and corroded internal contacts
- Back probe the rearward input at the switch and note the voltage at rest and when operated
- Move the seat through its full travel while watching the input, since a chafed wire often shorts in one seat position only
- Examine the under seat harness where it flexes, looking for crushed sections and exposed conductors near the frame
- Remove any accessory wiring that has been added to the seat circuit
- Repair the wiring or fit a new switch as indicated, then verify all seat movements and relearn the memory settings where fitted