New to the forums, and a 3-month old AM owner.

I bought a Used 2014 Rapide S - couple days ago the battery dropped and I went into replacing it.

First - for anyone replacing the battery on a 14 Rapide - every battery finder I used found “exact matches” that are 0.5” too tall for where the battery sits under the rear seat. You need a Group Type 93/ T8 battery. Anything that says H8 will be too tall. Needs 6 7/8” not the 7 1/2” every recommendation states.

Second - any Rapide owners with a rear headrest that doesn’t latch? As part of the battery replacement above, I used the manual latch release, and now it won’t re-latch when pushing the headrest back into place. Any ideas/recommendations?

Thanks!

 

Had the exact same experience with mine. Try pulling and releasing the manual line a few times then the button followed by a sharp push to the seat back. Forcefully. Check for actual latch and not imbeded dash alert for unlatched condition.

 

Thanks for the reply @Arcadian - did you have any play/movement with the manual line? It feels like there is no slack or pull on it. And a push on the seat back, or the headrest?

 

Yes I have tension and movement out but slow to retract. Headrest .

 

A low/flat battery can mess with the door modules. The release switch/function for the rear right seat is controlled by the rear right door module. I would try resetting the rear right door module and check if it brings back the LED in the switch, which should make the seat latch function again. To reset the right rear door module, with ignition ON(key fully inserted), pull fuse TP10 (25amp) in the boot/trunk fuse box, wait around 10 seconds and fit back the fuse. Open/close/open the right rear door then try the seat switch.

 

@Irish07@VelocityAP thanks for the tips - the LED on the button is working, and I can hear the latch motor "release" when I push it. The issue is the headrest won't engage the latch when I push the headrest back, as though the manual release is stuck in the 'pulled' position. I'm trying to identify the TP10 fuse, there are 3 25amp fuses on the top row - do you know which is TP10?

 

If you look closer, the box is labelled next to each fuse, look for #10.

However if the latch just won't engage, it's possible that resetting won't resolve the issue..I'd still try it but seems like the manual release cable is binded/caught-up somewhere inside the trim area OR the latch is binding or faulty. Are you able to manually close the latch with a screw driver?

 

Took the seat apart again - what I thought was missing slack, was exactly what you thought - the cord was stuck under a trim element holding the release open. Sharp tug in another direction and the release....released. Headrest latch works.

 

@Irish07@VelocityAP
Hey there, you seem to have good knowledge on these issues, i just had a flat battery so low voltage and the windows on the left side are not dropping as per normal. The seat latch led isnt lit also so door modules probably need reset. Can you help with which fuses and where to pull for this side of the car? Thanks Ryan

 

Does the right rear door open? If so, just remove the lower rear right cushion, disconnect the battery ground cable for 45 sec, refit and then calibrate all your windows via drives door window switch. There's been countless software updates for door and seat modules (with no mention in bulletins), might be wise to have dealer check software level on next service/maintenance.

 

Thanks for that ill give it a try, its a new import RHD version not LHD. The battery was low on arrival so put it straight on the charger. The door windows, locks, seat latch LED are fine on RH side (drivers side) and windows lower when you touch those doors but everything is off for the left side so this is the side i need to sort.
If we had an Aston Martin dealer in the south island (New Zealand) I would just take it there to update it but there is only one up North and sending the car there and back on a transporter would be about $1800 (before Aston dealer charges) so keen to avoid.

 

By disconnecting the battery on right side, you'll be resetting the entire vehicle and be able to get all modules on-line at same time. The pulling fuses approach is really to get access to battery, so you can do an entire vehicle reset. Pulling fuses to just get modules working and leave in this state, will continue to see issues until vehicle goes to sleep as a whole and powers up as a whole (aka battery reset).

 

Thanks for that, does key need to be in ignition when i disconnect and reconnect or does it not matter?

 

Doesn't really matter, but always good idea to not be arcing power with ignition ON.

 

When you say disconnect the ground for 45 secs do you mean the negative terminal? Apologies for the silly question in advance, just want to make sure before i pull the seat out to get to it.