Seat release

[Christien]

I just bought these seats (standard seats from a 3.2) which were both recovered and I can't get the side lifter switches to release to fold the seats forward - same issue on both seats. I've checked the cable on both, and it's not detached. They don't feel loose or floppy at all, in fact they feel like if I push really hard they might release, but I'm worried about breaking them. They seem to lever each other, like a see-saw - should they do that? I've tried the trick of pushing the chair back a bit then trying to release. That didn't work. Any ideas?

[Len 911]

Mine did the same the other day, I pushed back on them and pulled up on the release handle and it worked. I cant remember if I pushed on one side or in the middle .. Hope it works for you

[Christien]

Tried that, didn't work.

[tratza]

Mine were exactly like that after I had both redone. Left them like that for a year until reading a post here that said pull them forward and pull up the side lever. If that doesn't work try the other direction. Immediately worked for mine and has continued without pulling or pushing them ever since. Seems to be something regarding resetting the cable. Just my guess. And hopes it get's your's working.

[petrolblue83911]

The tracks may in upside down or jammed

If you take the seat off it should be clear


There's a sliding toothed track on each side; my guess is that when the seat was re assembled, they may have jammed the mechanism or put one on the wrong side - it sounds crazy but it's possible to do

I'll take a picture of how it should look for 4

[Christien]

The seat moves forward and backward fine, it's the tilt forward that won't release.

[Trailbraker]

The lever with the black plastic knob on the outboard side of the seat pulls a cable that lifts a spring loaded lever at the bottom back of the seat. That lever, at the bottom, back of the seat, can be pulled up by hand. That is what I do to tilt my seatback forward, to access the back space, to place my briefcase or other things in the back. I do it all the time.

The cable broke, had it replaced, and a year or so later it broke again. Problem was that the replacement cable had an end fitting that was straight, but the factory fitting has a jog. So your cable might be broke, you can feel around at the top but also at the bottom to identify a loose broken cable. But bottom line it that the activating lever to release the seatback is accessible easily at the bottom, if you make the effort to find it.

By the way, my car is an '84 Carrera coupe.

[Christien]

The cable wasn't broken, but it didn't have enough tension to move the release when I lifted the lever. This was clear when I took the cover off and watched it. This thread has a great explanation: Failure to recline on an 8-way electric seat. "89" 3.2L

Basically, you remove the c-clip on the tab the cable attaches to. That tab sits on a splined post, so you just rotate the tab (with the cable still attached) to tighten the cable, slip it back on the post and reinstall the c-clip. Took 5 minutes per chair.