Varioflex seat question.

[Routemaster1461]

First, apologies as I initially accidentally posted this in the Kodiaq forum. 

 

We are off to the continent next week. Only 2 travelling on our way there and 2 on the way back, and our daughter will be flying to meet us there. When I got the car and read the handbook, I remember there being an issue with the varioflex seats, I  have just read about them again, and it says that if you fols up a seat you cannot use the remaining seat for passengers. My plan was to actually remove one of the seats and the centre seat, and as far as I can tell there is no restriction on doing this. Can anyone shed any light on why you shouldn't carry passengers with one seat folded, and whether it is OK to use the car as a 3 seater. 

 

To deal with why this is necessary, my wife would pack the kitchen sink if she could, and we will be away for well over 3 weeks.

Edited 24 June, 2022 by Routemaster1461

[Sanqhar]

Just checked the Manual.  Never seen this "no passenger" bit with the seat(s) folded before ("Warning" on Page 37).

 

What is interesting is that if you just remove the centre seat and then move the outer seats inward then that is not a problem, see Page 38.   

It says nothing about carrying a passenger with just one or two seats removed.

 

tom

Edited 24 June, 2022 by Sanqhar

[kodiaqsportline]

Must admit I'd never noticed that myself.

 

Presumably Skoda aren't confident in the seat being secure when it's in the raised position - I wouldn't like my hand to be in the way if the retaining cord broke, so I see their logic. If you remove the seat altogether then no problemo.

 

If say the middle and one end seat were in the raised position and there was luggage or whatever you're carrying butted up against the folded seat - i.e. preventing them from accidentally collapsing, I can't see any risk to the remaining backseat passenger.

 

Edit - thinking about this again - if the rear seat passenger were to be in a heavy side-impact crash, I suppose their head could hit against the adjacent raised seat. Many moons ago someone drove in to the side of me at 30mph  -  my head certainly didn't go down as low as that but again, if you have luggage in the car then that could be a problem.

Edited 24 June, 2022 by kodiaqsportline

[kenfowler3966]

Did this on a number of occasions in previous Yeti moving student daughter around with all her stuff. 1 seats in back of car and rest full to roof!!

Its designed to do this, indeed on Yeti it was featured in all different combinations of 3 seats, 2 with centre seat folded for armrest, 2 seats with centre seat taken out where they can move closer together, and finally with one or no seats left in car.

[SurreyJohn]

The only problem I can see, is when folded forward there is brackets which could cause injuries in a crash to anyone seated alongside, if arms etc got flung into them, as they are not padded.

 

Similarly any loose luggage could fly in a crash and hit someone.  So really it is a function of how you pack the car

 

 

[kodiaqsportline]

3 hours ago, kenfowler3966 said:

1 seat in back of car - THAT'S OK.

2 with centre seat folded for armrest - THAT'S OK

2 seats with centre seat taken out - THAT'S OK

and finally with one or no seats left in car - THAT'S OK

 

None of those combinations are the issue being discussed.  As indicated in the owners manual, it's when you fold down the backrest on one or two rear seats, then flip the base up to the vertical position without removing the seat ( i.e. when using the retractable cords to secure ), that's the problem. The owners manual says you must not carry rear seat passenger(s) when any of the seats are folded up.

Edited 24 June, 2022 by kodiaqsportline