Rear seat catches

[Redman99]

Has anyone else found the rear seat securing catches snapped off ?  It took me hours just to figure out what the problem was. I bought a second hand Roomster but didn't check the rear seats ability to actually move.

It's not the first thing I look for when buying a car. I managed to find a way of releasing them with a screwdriver and dentist probe but that's just short term. Skoda themselves proved to be useless on the subject, after a week of emails and explanations over and over again they finally gave me a price for just one catch...all in...£55. I need 4.  I can buy a whole interior for that.

I was just wondering, is this a common problem ?  the little release prong is made from cast metal and very brittle so it's amazing to me that such a cheap material is used for such a part as a seat securing part.

In the past 2 months I've found it 10 times cheaper and 10 times quicker using a breakers yard than any Skoda division to sort out any parts requirements I've needed so far.

 

[malcster]

Can't say its an issue if come across yet

Which catch is it out if curiousty

[edbostan]

I only removed the seats a few week ago for lugging car boot stuff around. Once the seats are tipped up the red lever is used to unhook the seats off the bars. Do you mean that the red levers are broken?

[Redman99]

No..not those. I know the ones you mean. The ones I'm trying to describe are very hard to see. Lift the seat up (not the centre one) and look at the underside of the locking catch. pull on the release bar and you will see it rocks two arms that push down on two pins.

These pins release the first stage lock release mechanism (you can then lift seats up). When the seat is lowered back, another lever within the "lobsterclaw" snaps back the lock when it connects to the base anchor bar.

It's these pins that snapped off. It took ages and many emails to Skoda to find out what these actually are called. Still not clear.

All 4 have snapped and to get them replaced from Skoda would cost (I found out yesterday) £54 each post/pack etc. I needed 4.     After much faffing with the parts department I realised I was getting nowhere.

By accident I found 'Motorhog' late last night online......a breaker in Doncaster who has quite a few Skodas.    They will post all 4 by Friday for about £40 (£15 per pair + postage)

I just wanted to know if this has happened to anyone else...seems not. I must have 4 dodgy locks.    

I only found out they were broken when I tried taking them out for a camping trip.  

[edbostan]

I have just inspected my rear seats and I see what you mean. The lifting handle presses on the pins to open the catch. What I did find is that the seats can only be tipped and released by the handle if the seat is slid fully back on its runners otherwise the handle will not tip the seat. Those pins are not under any real stress but I suppose if the seat is not fully slid back on its runners the previous owner could have used brute force to release the seat and broke those pins. How did you release the seat with those pins broken?

[edbostan]

Do not blame yourself for not checking the seat operation before buying the car. It took me 1 year of car ownership to remove the seats. I still do not know what the fabric pull cord does as it is not used when removing the seat. On my previous Multipla the pull cord released the seats but on the Roommie it does not.

[Robjon]

I still do not know what the fabric pull cord does

 

They hook over the front seat headrest supports if you only want to tip the rear seats forwards without removing them.  They stop the tipped seats from dropping down again whilst driving.

[edbostan]

The pull cords I am talking about are the fabric loops which come out of the seat base above the release handle. What do they do. I have used the hook ones which go over the head rests

[Robjon]

I have owned two Roomsters in six years and never given the fabric loop at the rear of the seat a second thought.  

 

I've had a look at mine and discovered the fabric is connected to the handle at the front of the seat. This is the handle which must be lifted in order to slide the seat forwards on its rails.  

 

If the rear seat is left in the forward position, the fabric loop can be accessed from the boot to pull the seat back to its "normal" position.  Quite what use this is to anyone escapes me!

[edbostan]

It may be a quick and easy method to bring the seats back on their runners prior to removing them

[bryanb]

Just looked in the owner's manual. It's all there page 52-53ish. The outer seats may damage the locking bolts if not in rear position when tilted. It even tells you the fabric loop is an alternative to the front handle.

[Redman99]

Hi again.... Update on Roomy seats.  I've read all the posts so far and I'm now probably the most expert rear seat scientist "...in...the..........world !" 

I too found out about the fabric handle at the rear. I can see it's usefulness (can't help thinking they should be on front seats too)  

I'm mystified as to why the seats need to be all the way back just to lift, all it's done is added more "bits" to go wrong....which they did. All Four !

I suspect they snapped when the seats were dropped shut, I'm more than certain now I've had them in bits. The scrap yard promised me, yes promised, to send the locks out within 2 days.....and I got them too ! 

Brand new (practically) the donor car was written off after 2000 miles, I saw it. 

I mentioned before that the faffing with Skoda Parts (in the Midlands somewhere) took a couple of weeks and the quoted price made me ill....not much change from £250.

£42 later and a couple of days writing my book "Seats of Death"... the parts arrived.

Getting the seats up with all the locks broke took some contortions that Houdini would wince at ! But I did it in about an hour, once the seats were up, it was simple really. If anyone is interested, I can upload a couple of pictures of the lock (before & after).

I know a trick or two on how to get to the locks and what has to be done to release them, it's not easy but only two tools required. A long shaft flat blade screwdriver and any type of mini crow bar (Pounshop type is made for it). 

I'm glad it seems that it was only me it happened to, I guarantee if a mechanic was asked to sort it out they (or some shifty sods) they would charge a bucket of gold. 

Because I bought the car like that, it almost became normal so when they finally worked properly I got a bit excited. "Oooh...my seats work !"

I need to get out more.

Thanks for the replies. A little knowledge shared can save big headaches later.

[Redman99]

I have just inspected my rear seats and I see what you mean. The lifting handle presses on the pins to open the catch. What I did find is that the seats can only be tipped and released by the handle if the seat is slid fully back on its runners otherwise the handle will not tip the seat. Those pins are not under any real stress but I suppose if the seat is not fully slid back on its runners the previous owner could have used brute force to release the seat and broke those pins. How did you release the seat with those pins broken?

I shouted a lot, then shouted some more before doing some yoga to supple up for the task. 

1. Slid seats forward to get to the 4 torx heads on the plastic cover at base of seat (from the boot) and unscrewed, removed panel.

2. Slid seats back again to see locks and pulled on the release bar. ( I saw what it was supposed to do but there it was connecting with nothing) that's when I realised some bit was missing. I found a small bit of metal in the lock well and figured that this should be doing something.

3. Went online to find seat diagram and matched the bit in my hand with the part on the picture.

4. Faffed around for hours trying to undo the locks (at this time I didn't know the seats needed to be all the way back to lift) not that it mattered in this case. Using a flat blade screwdriver I pushed down on the stub where the pin shouldv'e been and with a crowbar lifted it a fraction, just enough for it to keep the lock from springing back. That was the left lock, I had to repeat with the right lock while the other was still open. 20 tries later and a bent ego, up came the seat. I had that to do again for the second seat. My sanity was in the danger zone. 

5. Find parts.....(chapter 6 in my autobiography)

6. Fitting was easy, 2 bolts per lock done with a ring spanner (8mm I think)....sorted. 

 

Finding the problem was  by far the most stressful followed in second place by releasing the locks. But my pain is everyones gain. At least there is a reference point here now and if it ever happens to somebody, I hope it doesn't, it can be sorted.

[haspden]

I'm struggling to find a diagram... Any chance you've still got a link?

Thanks

Henry

[Redman99]

Hi

There is one on the electronic manual but you have to buy, download and install it.

It's a bit of a faff. It doesn't tell you much either but the locks are simple enough, it's just getting them open if they've snapped the pin. I managed it and I'm a ham fisted lunk. I've searched again but there's very little about them....if at all ! I described how to pop the locks earlier and can upload a picture of what they look like before & after if you need a look. Let me know.

[haspden]

Yea I've removed the seats with a screwdriver. Its been broken for a few years and know exactly what's broken. It's just finding a part number to replace haha...

May just email photos to dealers and breakers for a price...

God knows how my car has passed it's mot for the last few years with this!

[Jonny5ive]

Have you checked my build thread?

I replaced a seat catch earlier in the year and can likely help you with a part number if it's the same part that you've broken.

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/209946-j5s-roomster-scout-front-seats/page-10

[Redman99]

Rear seat catches

[Redman99]

I'm looking at the part now, it's got 5 sets of serial numbers. I'll list the 3 shortest sets. (D524707) (L522701) & (L121735)

This is a VW AG part.

Skoda charge £55 each then a postage charge. You also have to mention which side lock it is...left rear seat, right lock or whichever lock it is that's busted.

I'll list the other numbers too (might as well eh)

(PL wB3 6Q7883809B) & (FG070938346890E).

Good luck.

[Redman99]

The actual part serial is 6Q7883809B.