Removal of rear headrest lever

[Beatty2002SE]

I am working on replacing my trail upholstery with a Katzkin leather kit and am having a hard time removing the rear seat headrest lever that allows the headrest to fold down. I think it should be a matter of using a screwdriver to push into a slit to release a clamp, but can't get it to release. Anyone done this before?

 

[Nolarola]

You don't take it off. Just undo the clips at the bottom of the cover and slip the cloth off the headrest. When you are going to put the new headrest on, you'll cut a hole in the correct spot. The cutting of the new leather was the most nerve wracking part of changing the interior. I used a streamer to stretch the material so I could make the holes as small as possible - this works very well on the vinyl parts but not as well on the leather parts.

 

[TRD4runnin]

I am working on replacing my trail upholstery with a Katzkin leather kit and am having a hard time removing the rear seat headrest lever that allows the headrest to fold down. I think it should be a matter of using a screwdriver to push into a slit to release a clamp, but can't get it to release. Anyone done this before?

I'm getting ready to do my seats too. How do all of the seat bottoms, seatbacks and rear center cup holder skins come off?

 

[BigredTEX]

To back up what [MENTION=101668]Nolarola[/MENTION] said, I don't think the lever can be removed. I broke one and had to replace the entire headrest, under warranty thankfully.

 

[Beatty2002SE]

To back up what [MENTION=101668]Nolarola[/MENTION] said, I don't think the lever can be removed. I broke one and had to replace the entire headrest, under warranty thankfully.

It took some figuring out but the lever does come off. The easiest way for me to do it was to separate the front and back half of the headrest. There is a snap type connection on the bottom and on the sides. I just separated them enough to put a screw driver into the inner part of the lever and push down on the plastic piece that springs out into a void in the lever core so that the lever can be pulled off. It is Kindof the same principle as most of the wiring connections when you connect them and a plastic part springs out so when you disconnect them you sometimes have to use a screw driver to push a plastic part in while you pull the connector apart. It made putting the headrest cover on much easier. After it was on I just had to feel around for the place the lever was going to fit back into and cut an "X" in that location, and slide the lever back on.

 

[Beatty2002SE]

I'm getting ready to do my seats too. How do all of the seat bottoms, seatbacks and rear center cup holder skins come off?

I am actually having the bodies of the seats done hopefully next week by an upholsterer. I have done a few cars in the past and I have found I no longer have the patience (or back) for this work anymore. But I am also adding seat heaters so I ran the wires mast weekend so that when the upholsterer does the seats he can place the pads under the leather and plug them into the harnesses.

The front seats just have 4 bolts under the plastic protector caps. You just pry the plastic up enough to disengage them from the floor, and slide them forward. Make sure you disconnect the battery at least a few minutes before you disconnect the wiring under the seats assuming you have airbags. Pull the entire seat out to do your work.
The back seats I think have similar bolts under plastic caps. I haven't pulled the back seat back out before but there should be some threads on here if u do a search. I have found on the other cars that removing the hog rings from the old upholstery in the areas that hold the seat cover down, and attaching the new hog rings to the new upholstery is the most frustrating part. Some people use zip ties to put back on instead of hog rings.