torque convertor, power seat

[trainman]

I have a 98 Ram 4/4 with auto trans and I have started getting a shudder, like driving over the rub strips on the side of the highway. This shudder stops if I accelerate or remove my foot from the throttle. The truck has 63,000 on it and I was wondering if this maybe the torque converter and if there is anyway of testing it to be sure? Also my power seat has stopped working except for the lumbar support. It will not go forward,back,up,down or tilt. Can this be the motor or a switch problem, any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[BleedDodge]

The shuddering problem might be mud in your rims throwing the tires out of balance, or the tires might be out of balance anyways. Loose motor or transmission mount maybe?

On my friend's Mustang, his power seat stuff quit and the only thing wrong was a blown fuse. He changed that and the power seat controls worked again. That could be one possibility. It could also be a burnt out motor in the seat, could be switches too but I kind of doubt that.

[trainman]

I have had the tires rotated, and balanced after the shudder began and that was not it. I have heard that Dodge is notorious for torque converter problems and I was wondering if there is a way of checking it before I go to the exspence of replacing it.. And as for the power seat the motor is working.

[hemipower]

No help on the shudder, but the seat has a plug on the wiring harness, under the seat. They can be pulled appart by rear seat passengers' feet (if quad or 4-door), or by stuff moving under the seat. Even excess movement of the seat (short wife) may loosen the connectors.

[trainman]

I found the problem with the power seat. I pulled the switch panel off the seat and found that the wires were rubbing against the metal frame and one had burnt into, lucky it did not start a fire in the seat.

[BleedDodge]

That should be grounds for a recall.