Help! Offside rear seat stuck - won't fold forward

[ejstubbs]

Setting out to remove the rear seats to accommodate a large load today, I found that the offside rear seat wouldn't fold forward.  When I pulled up on the release bar at the back of the seat squab it moved upwards, but the mechanism under the seat didn't release the retaining hook in the floor to allow the seat to fold forward.  As far as I can see you can't release the catches at the front of the seat when it's in the normal position, meaning that it can't be removed.  The other two seats came out no problem at all.

 

When I pull on the release bar it seems to come up against the trigger-like mechanism that grips the retaining hook in the floor, but it doesn't seem to move the final small amount that's required to trip the mechanism to release.  Either that, or the mechanism itself is jammed somehow and won't release.  I had a look around the back end of the seat but there is very little clearance between the seat base and the floor, so access to the release mechanism when the seat is in place seems to be pretty much impossible 🙁

 

Has anyone else come across this problem before, and if so is there a straightforward way to un-jam the mechanism, or will it have to be a dealer job?

Edited 15 March by ejstubbs

[J.R.]

Do you have the seat pushed all the way back?

 

Do you have the backrest folded fully forwards?

 

Could there be anything trapped preventing either of the above from completing their travel?

 

Another possibility is that when the seat was last dropped back into position a foreign object was trapped and is putting pressure on the release mechanism, you may have to push the seat further down to release it.

 

The problem I used to have was after folding the seat forward not being able to release the clamps to remove it from the securing rails. That was down to its sideways position I think, were all 3 seats fitted?

[J.R.]

55 minutes ago, ejstubbs said:

When I pulled up on the release bar at the back of the seat squab it moved upwards, but the mechanism under the seat didn't release the retaining hook in the floor to allow the seat to fold forward.

 

Moving upwards is folding forwards is it not?

 

Or have I misunderstood something?

[ejstubbs]

The bar moved upwards, the seat didn't.

[gumdrop]

Can you photo the catch, it might help someone to identify a fault.

 

[Robjon]

9 hours ago, J.R. said:

Do you have the seat pushed all the way back?

 

In one of my Roomsters (same setup) it was not enough to push the seat back by hand.  It needed leg power!  I had to get into the seat, then slide it fully forward, then push it back hard against the stop before the mechanism would allow me to lift the seat.

[ejstubbs]

Thanks everyone for your advice. I'd forgotten that the rear seats moved back and forward because I only ever have them fully back. Except that, in this instance, the offside one had somehow shifted very slightly forward - barely noticeable alongside the other seats, but sliding it fully forward and then firmly back (sat in the seat and pushing with my legs) it released and folded just fine. So all is now good 👍

 

Now I just have to remember this next time it does it...

[Brijo]

On 16/03/2024 at 10:04, Robjon said:

 

In one of my Roomsters (same setup) it was not enough to push the seat back by hand.  It needed leg power!  I had to get into the seat, then slide it fully forward, then push it back hard against the stop before the mechanism would allow me to lift the seat.

Yes, a good jolt did the trick for me.