A very stupid question about my "new" 95 Legacy L sedan w/split rear seats...

...how the hell do you get those seats folded down??!

I got this car used and there was no manual with it. I've been in the trunk and unlocked the rear seats there, but have searched in vain for some kind of latch or release in the passenger compartment side of the rear seats. I give!

Reply to
Rob Aries
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Only the center of the seat backs folds forward. There should be latches - which perhaps were trapped on inside in your car - that allow you to pull the seat backs forward.

florian

Reply to
FFF

Rob, I have a 1995 Legacy LSI. We have the leather seats with an Arm Rest that pulls out. But once we have released the latch in the trunk, I just go to the rear seat and pull on a little leather ring or tab. It does come down, but its kinda hard. I read your note and just had to go out and try it. It does come down. The newer Subaru's don't have a set up like on ours. they just have a narrow pass thru. Ours is a better way to go.

If you have any other questions, I do have the owners manual and would be more than happy to look anything in the book up for you...

Bill

Reply to
Bill Pelka

I suspect the pull strap is caught inside the seat (they are on the top), mine does that if I'm not careful and getting them back open is a pain.

Reply to
Ralph E Lindberg

Interesting, three replies: one says latch, another a pull strap and the last one a ring!

I haven't been to the car since any of these replies came in (staying in with my sick 3-yr-old today). I remember feeling my way around the edge of the piece that folds down. I detected some kind of latch on top but no way to release it. Didn't run into a strap or ring but then again I wasn't looking specifically for one. I'll be more observant the next time I try this. FWIW the car is an L with cloth seats. And I've only been trying to fold down the smaller seat back (driver side), since my daughter's car seat is on the other side. Maybe the strap or ring broke off?

Reply to
Rob Aries

ahhhhhhhh,

You can't fold the seat backs all the way down if you have a baby seat on the other side.

The bottom of the seat has to be pulled up 90 degrees and fold against the front seats before you can pull the seat backs all way down. It will only go down half way if you don't flip up the bottom seat.

FTFM and download it from Subaru if you don't have one.

Reply to
subedude

Subedude, you are correct BUT IF he were to remove the baby seat, he can fold both halves down. On the 1995 Model Year Vehicle, we have the option of either half or both. There is a Pain in the Ass latch assembly in the trunk. Once that is moved to the open position, the seat can be pulled from the top, by a ring, and the seat will fold onto the bottom of the back seat. This is for the Legacy LSI 4 door model. Not sure how any of the outback's work...

Bill

Reply to
Bill Pelka

No, subedude, the bottom of our rear seat does NOT move; I checked and it's screwed in. My fold-down rear seats appear to be the "split 60-40" kind. I was trying to fold down the section NOT occupied by the baby seat (obviously!).

And my > ahhhhhhhh,

Reply to
Rob Aries

I always thought those were to keep parking valets from getting into your trunk. They're still a pain in the ass!

Reply to
Rob Aries

The bottom of the rear seat will move, you just have to reach down between the bottom and top half underneath where the seatbelts latches are bolted down. There is a strap that you grab and pull up on (it will come out from under the seat) that will release a latch that allows the bottom of the back seat to hinge forward and lean up against the back of the front seats. It took me a couple of months to finally find it myself and when I did I was pretty surprised. The strap is located toward the center of the seat but it's set more to the drivers side in mine. It will take some digging to find it. Once you do have it flipped forward, it will be quite a task to get all the seatbelt latches to stay up out of the way when you go to flip the seat bottom back to it's normal position. My car has a small plastic cutout right where the seatbelt clasps can be sort of jammed into to hold them there while I flip the seat back to normal but they don't stay in very well and I usually end up digging one out anyway. Good luck.

Reply to
RICHARD SOBE

Not than anyone cares , but I finally got some free time yesterday (I had been out of town a few days playing a new year's eve gig) so I moved my daughter's car seat and THERE IT WAS--the pull strap for folding the rear seat back down (on the passenger side).

I had been looking on the driver side seat back. I couldn't find anything and now I know why--the strap is broken off! Also I realized that pulling on the strap also opens the latch, so it looks like it's going to be a bit of a bear to fix.

And Richard, I did try a bit to get the bottom of the rear seat up, but I really think that it doesn't move. I see those wire hooks on the bottom and they're bolted in. When I get another few minutes I'll dig around and see if I can find a pull strap. Remember I have an "L", not an "LS", and they're stock cloth seats, no armrest.

Rob Aries

Reply to
Rob Aries

Well... I do care. I wish I was there so I could help you or at least see that I'm really wrong. I have an "L" also but maybe they were made different? Who knows? I'd just like to see you and anyone else who owns a Subaru get the most out of their car.

Reply to
RICHARD SOBE

Richard,

I appreciate the sentiment, believe me. I used a because I thought this was a pretty trivial thing to be asking about!

I bought this car used, it's my third Legacy...but this is my first "2nd gen" model (before this I had a '91 & a '92). I am finding many differences between the 1st & 2nd gen models, mostly how the cars are cheapened.

As soon as I get a little free time, I'll find out for certain whether the bottom of my rear seat folds up or not and I'll get back to you.

Robert

Reply to
Rob Aries

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