What does it mean?
B1960 is a Body (airbags, seat belts, body electronics) fault code. It indicates: Seat Recline Forward/Backward Position Feedback Circuit Short to Battery .
Symptoms
- Backrest will not recline, or moves only one way
- Memory positions no longer restore the backrest angle correctly
- Backrest stops after a short movement and needs the switch released before it runs again
- Easy entry function disabled while other seat motors still work
- Seat position drifts away from the stored setting after each drive
Likely causes
- Feedback wire chafed against a motor feed inside the seat back or cushion loom
- Wiring pinched between the seat back frame and the recline mechanism as the backrest moves
- Spilled liquid or moisture corroding the recline potentiometer and bridging supply to signal
- Recline potentiometer failed with an internal short to its own feed
- Damaged or partly unlatched connector at the recline motor assembly
- Wiring damage from a heated seat, side airbag or trim repair carried out earlier
- Faulty sensor supply output in the seat control module
How to fix it
- Compare the recline feedback voltage in live data against the other seat sensors, a value pinned near battery voltage confirms the short
- Unplug the recline potentiometer, if the signal falls to zero the sensor is shorted internally, if it stays high the harness is
- With the module disconnected as well, test the signal wire for voltage and for continuity to any seat motor feed
- Cycle the backrest slowly and watch for the value to spike, which locates a wire being pinched during travel
- Inspect the loom where it crosses the recline mechanism and under the cushion, looking for chafe, crushing and liquid damage
- Repair the harness, or fit a new potentiometer or recline motor assembly when the sensor is the fault
- Clear the code, run the backrest through its full travel and store and recall a memory position to confirm the repair