Removing 2nd row seats

[Lederman]

How hard is it to remove one side or the other or both of the 2nd row seats? I am planning a vacation and I'd like to get more space in the rear of my 2013 4Runner. I have the 3rd row seat option so that takes up some height in the cargo area.

I'd like to remove the 2nd row then put them back after the trip.

Thanks!

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Five minutes -

 

[Monkeymenno]

How hard is it to remove one side or the other or both of the 2nd row seats? I am planning a vacation and I'd like to get more space in the rear of my 2013 4Runner. I have the 3rd row seat option so that takes up some height in the cargo area.

I'd like to remove the 2nd row then put them back after the trip.

Thanks!

It doesn't look to be too bad. Six Bolts for the outer two seats, a couple more for the center. These are just parts diagrams but it shows how they are mounted.

2nd row seats
center

 

[Ron4RNevada]

Each center row seat bottom has two hinges. Fold it forward; pop off two plastic clips and remove the two bolts. Lift out the seat bottom. FIVE MINUTES MAX.

Then just fold the seat back forward on to the floor.

 

[Randyman...]

Just be careful. I cross threaded one of the bolts on my 1-Month old T4R when I had the rear seats in and out out like 5-6 times when doing my audio install.

A quick trip to the hardware store and a set of metric taps fixed me up in a jiffy

 

[Orlyg1521]

the center hinges are accessed from the back with the seat folded down by popping the rectangular access panel off

 

[Lederman]

Not as easy as 5 min but not insurmountable either. My 4Runner in 2013 with the 3rd row seat option. I don't know why but it is different than the detailed explanations above but similar.

My second row consists of a single seat and a double seat they both slide forward and back and recline and fold flat. No center seat or console.

The process starts with pulling off the plastic. This always sucks as I worry about the little clips breaking. There are about 4 separate plastic pieces on each seat.

Then remove all 5 bolts and the one nut. The nut is attached to a stud that comes out after your remove the nut. I guess they didn't want to be boring and use 6 bolts.

Once the fasteners are removed it's time to attach a crane to the seat to lift these super heavy and awkward things out of the truck.

All in all for a first try it took about 30 minutes.

The hard part about reinstallation will be lifting these things back in and getting the plastic snapped into place otherwise it should be a piece of cake.

I tried to take the third row out but can't get to the rear bolts. The front ones are easy. There is a lot of plastic surrounding the area so for now it's a no go.

Thanks again for all your thoughtful responses.

Josh

 

[Nolarola]

That's a really dramatic description of how to remove the backseat. I did this in like 7 minutes.

 

[Lederman]

I just wanted to be clear for the next person who might use the thread as guide.

I'm including running up and down the stairs searching for the correct socket and erroneously thinking the stud used torx wrench instead of just the eventual vise grip on the non-threaded end. Searching for the right torx wrench took many minutes.

Yes, unscrewing the 6 bolts was not that time consuming.

 

[Invisible_Ordinary]

I have a couple questions…*

Does anyone know whether the 2015 seats are the same as 2013? Seems they would be (and I went to Toyota Parts Direct and the most recent T4R year they have is 2013…) and if they are, which control cable is the one that controls the folding latch?

One of my second row seats - passenger side - won't fold down, and it seems that it should just be that the cable has slipped loose from the release…*but was hoping for a diagram or help in how it's connected…

I have a '15 T4R SR5 with third row seats…

Thanks

Dave

 

[BlackWorksInc]

I have a couple questions…*

Does anyone know whether the 2015 seats are the same as 2013? Seems they would be (and I went to Toyota Parts Direct and the most recent T4R year they have is 2013…) and if they are, which control cable is the one that controls the folding latch?

One of my second row seats - passenger side - won't fold down, and it seems that it should just be that the cable has slipped loose from the release…*but was hoping for a diagram or help in how it's connected…

I have a '15 T4R SR5 with third row seats…

Thanks

Dave

Is the vehicle still under warranty?

If not, I have had one come in with a similar issue. I had to remove the seat from the vehicle to get the panel off on the inner side of the seat and access the cable. It had popped off, not sure why; but haven't heard from the customer in a month or two since I fixed it on his 2016.

 

[Cornfed97]

My cable came loose on that same seat as well. Dealership fixed it once under warranty. I put the cable back a few times myself. Took it too the dealership again and they fixed it permanently by tightening the bracket thing that held the cable, all under warranty.

 

[Invisible_Ordinary]

Thanks for the response... I might try pulling out the seat next weekend.
We purchased it used and there is some coverage, will. We'd to check whether this is covered or not. I just thought that this should be simple - it's a cable pull, after all - and I could do it in less time than it takes to drive out there and wait (they are 40 minutes away).

 

[Mindflex]

Thanks for the response... I might try pulling out the seat next weekend.
We purchased it used and there is some coverage, will. We'd to check whether this is covered or not. I just thought that this should be simple - it's a cable pull, after all - and I could do it in less time than it takes to drive out there and wait (they are 40 minutes away).

Just took mine out!

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk

 

[MC14runner]

My driver side 2nd row seat is stuck in recline and passenger side 2nd row seat won't recline. Any suggestions for fixing?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

My driver side 2nd row seat is stuck in recline and passenger side 2nd row seat won't recline. Any suggestions for fixing?

Is the vehicle still under warranty? If so, let the dealership deal with it.

Otherwise you're gonna have to take the seats out and see if a cable is loose, broken, and/or binding and go from there.

 

[JaasonD]

2017 T4R LTD - 2nd row seat removal

Took about 20 minutes total. More time taking off all the plastic than removing the 6 bolts. Easier than I thought.

Having the 40 split seat removed makes it perfect for the dog to jump up and gives him a place to lay down when the cargo area is full.

2 kids fit very comfortable in the back now... 4 in a pinch!

 

[Snake Breaks]

2018 2-seat version - how to remove second row?

I've got the bottom of the seats out, it's the backs I'm not sure about. I see bolts I can access in the middle, but the sides of both seats seem to be attached to the outside walls through the plastic molding. Can anyone walk me through this, please?

 

[donkol]

Me, too, Snake Breaks. Can anyone let us know how to remove the seat backs from a 2nd-row-only 5th gen? Thanks!

 

[4RExplorer]

Me, too, Snake Breaks. Can anyone let us know how to remove the seat backs from a 2nd-row-only 5th gen? Thanks!

There are probably more detailed write-ups, but this is how I did it:

Removing 2nd row seat backs