How to remove passenger seat?

[augkuo]

Hi everyone - just wondering if there’s a trick to removing the last bolt on the passenger seat towards the door and glove compartment. It’s a tight fit with the seat and manual tray it the way to get a tool in there. I can loosen the bolt with a hex key but I can only turn in small increments.

 

[Nvbob]

We were having the same issue until my wife suggested we use a long spade drill bit with a hex end on it. I think it was a 1/2 or 3/8 inch long drill bit. The hex end fit the bolt exactly and we used pliers or a vise grip to turn the bit. Worked like a charm.

 

[ML Auto]

A long hex with a ball end works. Just make sure you protect the seat where it rubs.

 

[hcsharp]

I've used a ball-end hex wrench as @ML Auto recommended. Pay attention to his advice to protect the seat. After nearly damaging my seat I also made my own tool by cutting off a short portion of the hex wrench, so that when inserted in the bolt would extend about 3/8 inch above the top of the bolt. Then you can use an open or closed end wrench from the side of the bolt.

 

[ML Auto]

A straw over the hex wrench works great.

 

[augkuo]

Great thanks for the advice! That worked to get the last seat bolt out. I used a 6mm ball-end hex bit and that was the right tool. Now how did you get the bolt from the emergency brake off that’s connected to the seat? Thanks!

 

[ML Auto]

Just take the clip off the cable and disconnect it.

 

[augkuo]

Just take the clip off the cable and disconnect it.

Ok got that - but before you can move the rear seat, you’ll have to remove the plastic trim which means removing the emergency brake handle as well.

Thanks to ML Auto for all his suggestions - I've documented my progress in the following pictures:

On the bottom of the emergency brake handle, you’ll find two small hex nuts holding it in place. You can loosen these to remove the handle.

There's some leather that's attached to the plastic trim beneath the emergency brake so you need a screwdriver to pry off the metal nut clips.

The nut holding the plastic trim covering the emergency brake at the rear bulkhead is easily accessible but the one towards the front you'll need
to hold the screw with some pliers to get the nut off.

To get the iphone trim piece off, the front one is easy enough but for the rear one at the back, you'll need a ball hex key so that you can separate the emergency brake plastic trim from the rest of the console.

Now you should be able to lift off the plastic trim over the emergency brake

Now you'll have full access to remove the bolts holding the seat into the frame - two on each side plus the seat belt and seat belt holder.

You should be able to move the seat with the frame on and access the bottom - two more nuts to remove and the heated seat wires. You'll have to slide the seat out from the frame with the manual holder in the way so it'll require a little jiggling.

All done! The rear seat was a much more difficult task than the front seat mainly because of all the other little things like removing the console, emergency brake handle, etc.