Loose front driver seat 97 4runner

[4runner_pr]

This is kind of hard to explain, the two holes where the front driver seat is fastened to the floor somehow got torn out and now the seat is loose. Has anyone had this problem or have any ideas as to how to fix it. I did some research and found a floor cross member on toyotapartsoverstock.com part # 57452 but I'm not sure this will fix the problem. It's a 97 4runner in line-4 . I would appreciate any help you guys can give, Thanks

 

[Kanger328]

Is the threading on the floor of your truck stripped? If not, you can just replace the bolts. If so, you can probably just buy a bolt and nut and tighten the seat down. It's weird this would happen, unless for some reason the bolt holding it down was too small.

 

[1blink]

I had one of the captive nuts break loose from it's welds at the front left mount for the driver seat. I welded it back in. It's an easy fix....seat needs to be removed, carpet folded out of the way, and the rest of the interior protected by fireproof blankets. Then the captive nuts can be welded back to the cross member. Should be simple for nearly anybody with a touch of welding experience and a mig welder.

 

[TheDurk]

I had my seats out to replace the carpet and two of the captive nuts came loose. I just got much longer bolts, and then drilled through the old hole into the floor of the cab. I put the long bolt through the seat and both holes, added a fender washer and lock nut from the underside and tightened her up. Then I sealed it up with RTV. I'm pretty sure it's stronger than factory.

I got the idea from someone else in another thread.

 

[BlackCat914]

I stripped one doing my heated seat install. I busted out the welder and welded a new nut to the floor.

 

[TheDurk]

I stripped one doing my heated seat install. I busted out the welder and welded a new nut to the floor.

To the floor? Or that funky cross member where the factory nut was? Or maybe you did one of the nuts in back?

 

[BlackCat914]

To the floor? Or that funky cross member where the factory nut was? Or maybe you did one of the nuts in back?

The funky cross member.

 

[itsnottim]

I have the same problem, the top left bolt just snapped the mount

 

[cstraface]

My driver seat is loose too, but no bolts snapped. To clarify, the bottom cushion is loose, not the seat. Has anyone else experienced this or know how to fix it? Sorry to thread jack.

 

[4runner_pr]

Thanks to you all for your suggestions, sorry it took so long to respond was out of the country for a few weeks, I'll see wich remedy works, Thanks again!

 

[wc11]

Were you talking about the whole seat to the floor of the truck or the seat cushion to the seat frame?

 

[4runner_pr]

The whole seat to the floor.

 

[wc11]

A few options.
- stainless nut & bolt though existing hole in the floor
- weld new correct thread nuts to the floor
- re-tap the holes to a larger size

 

[Brian757]

I had this issue as well. It was the drivers seat, front left bolt. It blew out the mount, so I tapped it to a larger diameter and then drilled the hole on the seat mount to the larger diameter. Mounts nicely now. I think I've added a lot more stress to that bolt being that I sort of fall out of my truck now.

 

[joelpalmer]

4 runner driver's seat mounting fail

It appears from my research on line and personal experience with my daughters' 1998 4 runner SR5 that there are two (2) problems with the driver's seat left front mount. 1. The first is that it is prone to metal fatigue and was inadequately engineered. Stress cracks cause the mount to weaken and fail; allowing the bolt to either shear, or pull loose; and the nut becomes loose from its spot welds and fails OR 2. Water is channeled from the sunroof drainage system onto the mount, causing it to rust under the carpett and fail. I have written to Toyota asking for their assistance as I am completing a thorough repair, including reengineering and welding in new stronger metal and better hardware, as well as fixing the water intrusion problem. If you have had this problem, please weigh in as I believe Toyota should assist owners financially. My repair will be about $400.00 for something that should not have happened at all. We purchased the car new; it has 123,000 miles and it is near perfect condition otherwise. THX JP

 

[pluton]

The seat cushion easily removes from the whole seat frame with 4 bolts, two on each side at the side/bottom of the cushions. You'll have to remove the seat from the car to access all of them.

 

[joelpalmer]

4runner; driver's seat mount failure 1995-2002

After having the drivers seat fail on our 1998 4Runner SR% (owned since new), I notified Toyota and them NHTSA as this is a wide spread failure common to all 4 runners of this build. It is a safety issue in the the driver's seat is loose and cannot be easily repaired without welding. Please check your own 4 runners for the left front mount on the drivers seat. If loose, carefully tighten it; if it cannot be tightened with a wrench, it has failed and will need the seat and carpet out to fix it. About $300-400 at a body shop. I intend to pursue this via class action if Toyota does not step up and admit the problem and offer to fix or reimburse owners.

 

[JayRolla]

After having the drivers seat fail on our 1998 4Runner SR% (owned since new), I notified Toyota and them NHTSA as this is a wide spread failure common to all 4 runners of this build. It is a safety issue in the the driver's seat is loose and cannot be easily repaired without welding. Please check your own 4 runners for the left front mount on the drivers seat. If loose, carefully tighten it; if it cannot be tightened with a wrench, it has failed and will need the seat and carpet out to fix it. About $300-400 at a body shop. I intend to pursue this via class action if Toyota does not step up and admit the problem and offer to fix or reimburse owners.

Drill, coat, washers, bolt, nut, fixed!

 

[jeremyc74]

I have written to Toyota asking for their assistance as I am completing a thorough repair, including reengineering and welding in new stronger metal and better hardware, as well as fixing the water intrusion problem. If you have had this problem, please weigh in as I believe Toyota should assist owners financially. My repair will be about $400.00 for something that should not have happened at all. We purchased the car new; it has 123,000 miles and it is near perfect condition otherwise. THX JP

ON A 18 YEAR OLD TRUCK?!

You're COMPLETLY out of your mind. :loco:

 

[pfhat]

After having the drivers seat fail on our 1998 4Runner SR% (owned since new), I notified Toyota and them NHTSA as this is a wide spread failure common to all 4 runners of this build. It is a safety issue in the the driver's seat is loose and cannot be easily repaired without welding. Please check your own 4 runners for the left front mount on the drivers seat. If loose, carefully tighten it; if it cannot be tightened with a wrench, it has failed and will need the seat and carpet out to fix it. About $300-400 at a body shop. I intend to pursue this via class action if Toyota does not step up and admit the problem and offer to fix or reimburse owners.

Local body shop welded up a fix for me for like 75$.