2000 SW2 folding rear seats stuck
 

My 2000 SW2 has those 60/40 folding rear seats. I can fold the short one by itself no problem but I can't fold the both of them at once. I have managed to get them down like 2 or 3 times since I bought the car a couple years ago but it was only after wrestling with the latch for so long that when it popped loose I had no idea what I just did and couldn't duplicate it when I flipped the seats up and tried again. Now it has been about a year since I've managed to get the seats down and I really don't understand how the latch is supposed to work.
First of all, in what direction should the latch handle be made to go to drop both seats at once? I'm talking about that center latch.
When I try to operate it the only way anything will happen is if I move it up and then the catch on the driver's side will let go. Any other direction and nothing happens.
If I pull the strap on the passenger side, the smaller passenger section will drop down leaving that darn bar that's connected to the other seat back. Getting that bar to unlatch from the passenger side is what I can't get to happen.
Is this a common problem or has someone boogered mine up? Maybe I messed it up myself not knowing how to properly operate the latch?

no sarcasm intended -- but is it maybe covered in the owner's manual?

Doh!!
 

I forgot I picked up an owner's manual the last time I was at the junkyard.

It says to push down on the knob in the center of the seat back.

OK, the knob is missing but the shaft is still there. I push down and it rocks back instead of going straight down. I don't know if this is how it's supposed to work but it does unlatch one side of the seat back (the driver's side).
The shaft on mine is square and bent back from where it attaches to something inside. Again, I don't know if this is how it's supposed to be.
I might have to find my way to a junkyard again and look for another SW2 (those are hard to find) and see what I can see.

So that's what's wrong!
 

I finally managed to get the seat to come down a few days ago and today I took the back apart to find out what was going on. Now I understand how it's supposed to work. That's a lever sticking out of the back of the seat that you are supposed to swing down (the owner's manual says push down but that's over simplifying it; It's a lever not a push rod). The latches on each end of the seat are released by the pressure of the ends of a rod that's welded to that lever. Swing the lever back and down and the ends of the rod swing up and forward hitting the release levers on the catches. What was wrong with mine is that the plastic rod holders/bearings have broken and the rod is floating loose. I've got to either replace this assembly or repair it somehow. I'm taking pictures as I go and will post when I can.

please do so i can elevate this to sticky status

Since I bought my 1996 SW2 , new, I'll bet the back seats have only been in the "up" position a handful of times. I don't. typically, have passengers and I do like the openess that having the rear seats in the down position affords.

I'm not sure I'd remember how to actuate them either. The few times that I have put up the seat backs it seems as if I've done it one cushion at a time. I'll have to take a look tomorrow. If there is way to make them both come down at the same time, I've forgotten how.

If all else fails, I do have the owners' manual. lol

It amazes me that most people that get an owners manual with a car never even look at it. If they did, they'd save a lot of money by realizing that nowadays, the 3,000 mile oil change interval is obsolete. But the dealerships keep telling folks they have to come in every 3,000 miles for an oil change, and like the robots they are, they still do.

I still change my oil every 3k. But I also do it myself. Pulled my valve cover a few weeks ago, head still looks brand new. So I will continue to do so. A clean motor is a happy motor.


Owners manual is a wonderful thing. Have the original one for my 03 and bought one for my 06. They come in handy.

goalie -- synthetic or dino oil?

I have a nephew that changes his oil every 1500 mi.

1980-something Ford pickup, almost 400K, all original motor.

And S cars, unless you are using true synthetic from a synthetic base stock (Mobil 1 is not one of them---look it up), should not go more than 3-4K IMHO.
Today's cars are different. S cars were in the 90's and still need to be treated that way

I use conventional. Feel like there is to many additives in the synthetic. Just personal preference though.