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

[Rob Aries]

....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!

 

[FFF]

....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!

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

 

[Bill Pelka]

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

 

[Ralph E Lindberg]

...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!

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.

--

 

[Rob Aries]

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

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?

 

[subedude]

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.

 

[Bill Pelka]

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

 

[Rob Aries]

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 initial message said I didn't have the manual. I just got the
car. I went to my.subaru.com, registered, then found out they only have
pdf's of manuals back to '98.

 

[Rob Aries]

There is a Pain in the Ass latch assembly in the trunk.

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

 

[RICHARD SOBE]

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.

--
Richard Sobe
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 initial message said I didn't have the manual. I just got the
car. I went to my.subaru.com, registered, then found out they only have
pdf's of manuals back to '98.

 

[Rob Aries]

Not than anyone cares <g>, 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

 

[RICHARD SOBE]

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.

--
Richard Sobe
Not than anyone cares <g>, 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

 

[Rob Aries]

Richard,

I appreciate the sentiment, believe me. I used a <g> 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