What does it mean?
B1836 is a Body (airbags, seat belts, body electronics) fault code. It indicates: Power Seat Position Sensor Circuit Short .
Symptoms
- Memory seat recall does not work or stops the seat in the wrong place
- Seat runs all the way to the end of its travel and stops there
- Seat still moves with the switch but memory and easy-entry are dead
- Position value on the scan tool is pinned at minimum or maximum
- Seat moves in short jerks instead of smoothly
Likely causes
- Position sensor, hall element or potentiometer shorted internally
- Sensor signal wire shorted to ground or to another circuit in the same loom
- Harness pinched between the seat rail and the floor at the end of seat travel
- Salt, water or spilled drink corroding the sensor connector under the seat
- Shorted five volt reference that also affects other sensors on the same feed
- Sensor magnet ring or gear damaged after the seat was forced by hand
- Seat control module internal fault
How to fix it
- Watch the sensor value on a scan tool while moving the seat slowly
- Unplug the sensor and see whether the reference voltage recovers
- Check whether other sensors on the same five volt feed are also affected
- Ohm the signal wire to ground with the sensor and module both disconnected
- Inspect the harness where it crosses the seat rails, front and rear positions
- Replace the position sensor or the motor assembly that contains it
- Carry out the seat position calibration and memory relearn after the repair