What's the Operational Secret on the Redesigned Seats?

[aesculus]

I don't think I know how the operate them like the original ones. When I first got the car after the replacements were installed I had a new rattle. I found it was because one of the seats that was down was not really locked. So I push harder on it and I heard a distinct latching sound. Rattle fixed.

The other day I needed to haul 5 people and felt it was better to have both rear seats up. Seemed to be pretty straight forward. Then this weekend I put them down. Again straightforward.

But then today someone wanted to see the 3rd row. For the life of me, my wife and I could not get them back up. We heard motors running and latches clanking, but try as we might the seat backs would not go up. After about 10 attempts on one side and 6 on the other we finally got them up. Then putting them down again was not easy. It took at least 3 or 4 attempts per seat.

 

[OTUSPIKE]

I don't think I know how the operate them like the original ones. When I first got the car after the replacements were installed I had a new rattle. I found it was because one of the seats that was down was not really locked. So I push harder on it and I heard a distinct latching sound. Rattle fixed.

The other day I needed to haul 5 people and felt it was better to have both rear seats up. Seemed to be pretty straight forward. Then this weekend I put them down. Again straightforward.

But then today someone wanted to see the 3rd row. For the life of me, my wife and I could not get them back up. We heard motors running and latches clanking, but try as we might the seat backs would not go up. After about 10 attempts on one side and 6 on the other we finally got them up. Then putting them down again was not easy. It took at least 3 or 4 attempts per seat.

On the Facebook Model X Owner's Club page the other day someone mentioned the new seats and noted that to pull them back up required pushing them down slightly as they're released, then pull them up. Try that and see if it helps.

 

[aesculus]

Thanks. I tried that but they did not seem to release at all. Perhaps there is a setting that can make the catch a little less tight.

Since I use the seats rarely I will wait until others have the issue or at least until the SC slows down to a reasonable rate, unless others weigh in with other tips.

 

[Monkey]

They're a bit tricky at first, but a breeze once you figure them out.

To lay them flat, I push gently on the seat back and depress the button and they lay down once the latch disengages. Hold on to the seat so it doesn't just drop if your 2nd row is all the way back -- you can potentially scuff the backs of those seats. The 2nd row will automatically slide forward, just be sure you wait for them to move a bit.

To raise the seats, push down on them gently and depress the button. As the latch releases, the seat will drop a bit and that's when you pull up.

The trick is to be gentle and patient. Once you figure out the timing, they just work. The concept is great with the seats, but the execution is not very intuitive. It also seems to help a bit when first figuring it out to hold the button down, especially when raising the seats from folded position. My wife and I had them pretty well figured out after a day or two.

 

[timf]

The trick seems to be holding the button down. I couldn't get them to stay unlocked when I pressed and released, but holding the button allowed me to lift the seat up.

 

[aesculus]

OK. Best I can determine is that my seats are a bit finicky. The latches don't release reliably. After cycling the passenger one about 40 times its started to behave better. So either it needs to wear in a bit or I have defective seats or ones that need adjustments.

Hopefully it's just adjustments and the installer was a bit aggressive on the tolerances for the latches.

This does not give me the best feeling though. If they unlatch haphazardly, do they latch the same? I might have been better off with the old models. They latched and unlatched much more reliably.

 

[Gwgan]

Just got my car back yesterday with the new third row seats. Spent a little time just now with the new mechanism and it is finicky. Press button, push down, not exactly at the same time and not too late either, the pull up, but don’t dawdle or it will remain locked. The middle seats do still move out of the way if they are all the way back. The lock is very firm in both up and down positions. There is now a label showing the location of the child seat anchor attachment. I don’t have great pics for reference, but the seats don’t look as lush and the leather covered parts around the middle hinge and seat belt attachments is a bit sloppy but overall the finish is very tight. The open back area of the hinge with the seat down is tidier but there is exposed metal and a number written in marker. My impression is that the seat back is a bit thinner and I sit a hair deeper and thus have more leg room (still not enough).