The pull knobs to lower the rear seat backs is broken. On the passenger side I was able to use pliers to pull on the metal rod and fold the seat down.

But on the driver side I can't see or feel the metal rod. I want to remove the seats and fix them but I can't get to the seat out until the lock releases. I also tried unbolting the male part of the lock on the truck body with no luck.

How can I get the seat out, or the lock to release?

Jamie

 

Would help to know what kind of truck you have?

 

It is a 1988 4runner canadian with 50/50 split folding. Thanks for the tip.

Jamie

 

Any suggestions guys?

I may try cutting the body around the seat area since this is a parts truck. Then I can pull the seat apart out of the truck and see whats wrong.

Jamie

 

you might be able to move that latch that connects the seat

 

I tried that on the seat I have removed. But the latch seems to lock in place until the knob is pulled. Thanks for the reply. I will go try it again.

Jamie

 

Can you post A pic ? . Anyone know if the 87 and 88 4runner seats are the same ? I think
I know what to do .

 

I worked on the seat last night and found a workaround until I get a new pull handle for the top of the seat.
I removed the fabric seat cover by bending back these little metal tabs.

Here is the arm that the pull piece screws onto. You cant grab it with pliers because it falls to the side under the metal bracket.

I found a nut to put on the end to keep it in place a bit better.

Now my work around is that I found that I can work the mechanism to release the seat by sticking my finger in through the back of the seat and pressing up on the horizontal part of the metal bar.

This is shot from the back of the truck looking at the back of the seat. With the fabric back on the seat there is a little gap between the latch and the fabric above the latch mechanism. I can slide my finger in and press up to release the seat.

This is still temporary until I can find a new pull piece for the top of the seat but now I understand how it all works and that the top plastic piece will come off simply by unscrewing it (and I know not to do that). Let me know if you have any questions.

Here is the plastic piece I need to buy to screw on the rod and fix this permenantly.