I had the same seat recliner/raiser problem and worked around it. There is a gear shaft that runs across the back of the drivers seat just behind the split between the seat and seat back. It is broken.
The motor that runs the gear shaft is located on the side of the seat closest to the drivers' door. It works fine but only moves the gears on the drivers door side of the seat. On the console side
of the seat the gear doesn't turn at all because the shaft is broken where it meets the gear on that side. You can see the end of the gear shaft on the outside of the seat hinge on the console side and if the shaft is broker it will not move when the lever is pushed to raise the seat back.
I removed the seat (basically pull off the plastic button covers, remove four seat bolts, and disconnecting two wiring harness clips) and I was able to raise the seat "manually" as follows:
On the very end of the gear shaft itself you'll see a small alignment groove in it that would normally align with another groove on the seat hinge frame. (I suppose when they are aligned, that is the factory setting for the upright seat back position)
I put a straight slot screwdriver in the groove on the gear shaft and used a
hammer to drive the gear clockwise (to raise the seat back; you'd go counter-clockwise to lower it).
With each hammer strike the gear moved a little bit until the grooves were aligned. The angle of the seat back raised a bit with each clockwise movement of the gear shaft. (I actually went a little further than the alignment of the markers to assure the seat was raised far enough). When I was satisfied with the seat back position, I reconnected and rebolted the seat.
Anyway, the seat back is now raised to about where I wanted it. The shaft is still broken, of course, and the vertical motor is now bound up and doesn't work... so this is now my permanent driving position... but it's much better than driving with the seat reclined!
And for a 1998 Avalon XLS with over 300,000 miles, I can certainly live with that.
Hope this helps someone else. I'll be pleased to answer any questions you may have.
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