How do you release Avant rear seat when the handle breaks?
05-06-2009, 07:09 AM
#1
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How do you release Avant rear seat when the handle breaks?
Plastic handle is cracked on the rear seat back release, driver's side. I have Bentley and ETKA and I have searched the forums and the consensus seems to be that you have to replace the whole latch cover assembly. To do that you have to be able to access the screw on the side, which requires the seat back to be unlatched. I believe the A6 Avant is the same, it certainly looks like it in the pictures on the forum post I found.
My handles have no locks, unlike the sedan. The sedan has locks to keep car occupants out of the trunk. Not an issue with an Avant.
Another poster said they were able to get their sedan seatbacks loose by pushing on the red safety indicators from inside the trunk. I can pull mine up but they feel flimsy and not like they will take much pulling.
I'd rather not pry off the cracked handle and destroy it because I have some pretty good plastic glue and clamps and I'd at least like to try to fix it -- it's not broken that badly yet. But even if I had the new latch cover assembly in my hand, how can I release the seatback?
My handles have no locks, unlike the sedan. The sedan has locks to keep car occupants out of the trunk. Not an issue with an Avant.
Another poster said they were able to get their sedan seatbacks loose by pushing on the red safety indicators from inside the trunk. I can pull mine up but they feel flimsy and not like they will take much pulling.
I'd rather not pry off the cracked handle and destroy it because I have some pretty good plastic glue and clamps and I'd at least like to try to fix it -- it's not broken that badly yet. But even if I had the new latch cover assembly in my hand, how can I release the seatback?
05-06-2009, 07:50 AM
#2
Can you gently pry it with a putty knife or something like that? I've never tried.. I'm also not sure if pulling up on the tab will work, I think that's only there as a visual indicator to the seat latch status.
05-06-2009, 08:34 AM
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I thought of that first, using a thin metal spatula, but there's nothing to pry. The latch tab itself is recessed into the side of the seat cushion. There is no clearance between the cushion and the fixed part of the side bolster (from the front) and the cargo area trim covers that whole area from the rear. Looks very finished. I might be able to take that side's cargo area trim out, but it would be just my luck that there are connectors that can only be accessed with the seat back folded (!)
05-08-2009, 02:45 PM
#4
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release avant seat back with broken lever
My wife's A6 avant handle broke clean off and the stealer wants a load to replace the hole latch assembly.
If it's the same on an A6, I can poke a flat blade screwdriver in from the back side in the trunk and release the latch right where it latches to the body pin.
Good luck with the glue, my gut tells me that glue won't help much because there's so much leverage and the lever seemed kind of whimpy to start with.
If it's the same on an A6, I can poke a flat blade screwdriver in from the back side in the trunk and release the latch right where it latches to the body pin.
Good luck with the glue, my gut tells me that glue won't help much because there's so much leverage and the lever seemed kind of whimpy to start with.
Plastic handle is cracked on the rear seat back release, driver's side. I have Bentley and ETKA and I have searched the forums and the consensus seems to be that you have to replace the whole latch cover assembly. To do that you have to be able to access the screw on the side, which requires the seat back to be unlatched. I believe the A6 Avant is the same, it certainly looks like it in the pictures on the forum post I found.
My handles have no locks, unlike the sedan. The sedan has locks to keep car occupants out of the trunk. Not an issue with an Avant.
Another poster said they were able to get their sedan seatbacks loose by pushing on the red safety indicators from inside the trunk. I can pull mine up but they feel flimsy and not like they will take much pulling.
I'd rather not pry off the cracked handle and destroy it because I have some pretty good plastic glue and clamps and I'd at least like to try to fix it -- it's not broken that badly yet. But even if I had the new latch cover assembly in my hand, how can I release the seatback?
My handles have no locks, unlike the sedan. The sedan has locks to keep car occupants out of the trunk. Not an issue with an Avant.
Another poster said they were able to get their sedan seatbacks loose by pushing on the red safety indicators from inside the trunk. I can pull mine up but they feel flimsy and not like they will take much pulling.
I'd rather not pry off the cracked handle and destroy it because I have some pretty good plastic glue and clamps and I'd at least like to try to fix it -- it's not broken that badly yet. But even if I had the new latch cover assembly in my hand, how can I release the seatback?
05-11-2009, 08:51 AM
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It's not the same. The trim in the rear hatch area (covering the subwoofer) covers up the side of the seat cushion.
08-15-2009, 05:36 PM
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OK. I got it out. Here's how:
Remove rear seat cushion (not hard, push toward the back of the car and lift up)
Remove side bolster (this is harder). Lift up springy triangular metal piece under bolster while pulling bolster forward until the copper bracket slides off the springy triangular metal piece. Lift and twist the bolster to get it loose from its upper catch near the seat belt slot.
This will give you a little access to the latch pin and latch. Using a screwdriver, or, better, a door trim removal tool, try to pry up the little flat piece behind the latch pin. This is the thing which pushes that little red indicator up. This took me a few minutes of probing, but eventually I got it loose.
I took the latch assembly out and found that the plastic handle is badly broken in several places. I think gluing it isn't going to work. The part number on the latch piece does not show up in ETKA or in ECS's database. There is a new part number on the corresponding part in ETKA, and that does show up in ECS. I might just take it to the dealer and see what theirs says. It seems silly that the handle alone isn't a replacement part, but when you have the whole latch apart it kind of makes sense. It doesn't come out of the latch cover very easily.
Remove rear seat cushion (not hard, push toward the back of the car and lift up)
Remove side bolster (this is harder). Lift up springy triangular metal piece under bolster while pulling bolster forward until the copper bracket slides off the springy triangular metal piece. Lift and twist the bolster to get it loose from its upper catch near the seat belt slot.
This will give you a little access to the latch pin and latch. Using a screwdriver, or, better, a door trim removal tool, try to pry up the little flat piece behind the latch pin. This is the thing which pushes that little red indicator up. This took me a few minutes of probing, but eventually I got it loose.
I took the latch assembly out and found that the plastic handle is badly broken in several places. I think gluing it isn't going to work. The part number on the latch piece does not show up in ETKA or in ECS's database. There is a new part number on the corresponding part in ETKA, and that does show up in ECS. I might just take it to the dealer and see what theirs says. It seems silly that the handle alone isn't a replacement part, but when you have the whole latch apart it kind of makes sense. It doesn't come out of the latch cover very easily.
08-31-2009, 09:50 AM
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have same problem
OK. I got it out. Here's how:
Remove rear seat cushion (not hard, push toward the back of the car and lift up)
Remove side bolster (this is harder). Lift up springy triangular metal piece under bolster while pulling bolster forward until the copper bracket slides off the springy triangular metal piece. Lift and twist the bolster to get it loose from its upper catch near the seat belt slot.
This will give you a little access to the latch pin and latch. Using a screwdriver, or, better, a door trim removal tool, try to pry up the little flat piece behind the latch pin. This is the thing which pushes that little red indicator up. This took me a few minutes of probing, but eventually I got it loose.
I took the latch assembly out and found that the plastic handle is badly broken in several places. I think gluing it isn't going to work. The part number on the latch piece does not show up in ETKA or in ECS's database. There is a new part number on the corresponding part in ETKA, and that does show up in ECS. I might just take it to the dealer and see what theirs says. It seems silly that the handle alone isn't a replacement part, but when you have the whole latch apart it kind of makes sense. It doesn't come out of the latch cover very easily.
Remove rear seat cushion (not hard, push toward the back of the car and lift up)
Remove side bolster (this is harder). Lift up springy triangular metal piece under bolster while pulling bolster forward until the copper bracket slides off the springy triangular metal piece. Lift and twist the bolster to get it loose from its upper catch near the seat belt slot.
This will give you a little access to the latch pin and latch. Using a screwdriver, or, better, a door trim removal tool, try to pry up the little flat piece behind the latch pin. This is the thing which pushes that little red indicator up. This took me a few minutes of probing, but eventually I got it loose.
I took the latch assembly out and found that the plastic handle is badly broken in several places. I think gluing it isn't going to work. The part number on the latch piece does not show up in ETKA or in ECS's database. There is a new part number on the corresponding part in ETKA, and that does show up in ECS. I might just take it to the dealer and see what theirs says. It seems silly that the handle alone isn't a replacement part, but when you have the whole latch apart it kind of makes sense. It doesn't come out of the latch cover very easily.
If I destroy the plastic cover on the catch mechanism can I work the latch via a spindle or some such mechanism. I have tried using a screw driver to try and tarn the remains of the latch buit to no avail.
Al
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08-31-2009, 05:37 PM
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08-31-2009, 05:56 PM
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Have same problem with 2003 A4 avant, but the bolter fitting must be different as I cannot remove it as it is one continuous part which surrounds the rear seat pin.
If I destroy the plastic cover on the catch mechanism can I work the latch via a spindle or some such mechanism. I have tried using a screw driver to try and tarn the remains of the latch buit to no avail.
Al
If I destroy the plastic cover on the catch mechanism can I work the latch via a spindle or some such mechanism. I have tried using a screw driver to try and tarn the remains of the latch buit to no avail.
Al