This is hopefully not off-topic.

I recently re-acquired a 2001 Montero XLS. I have a number of cosmetic issues to fix on this vehicle. one of which is the passenger side mid-row seat is stuck in the upright position. To be specific, the seat-back will fold-forward but the bottom half will not release from the floor to tumble forward.

This is a particularly hard to figure out problem as the middle seats are designed so that they are fairly flush to the floor & all the cables and or levers that release the seat are all incased in the seat bottom.

I'm guessing there is some cable from the release handle on the side of the seat to the latch/s holding it down near the rear but access to this is not easy to determine.

Does anyone on the forum have any suggestions?

Have you tried it from both sides?

I have tried it from both sides. And the front & pushing from the rear.

It's a split bench seat & the smaller (one seat) section behind the driver seat is fine. The larger section (seats 2) is the one that's hung up. The damn anchor & claw assembly is not accessible in any easily determinable manner as the seat is flush over them onto the floor.

I have been thinking about making a sugical incision to access the release.

Hey nice to see you on here finally Mike. & yes she was an <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" /> for mistreating you and especially your rig. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Most of you won't know this but Mike works with me at my company so treat him as you would treat me... like <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Do you really want us to treat him that bad?

On My 95, single folding seat, the cable only works from one side. It did work from both sides when I bought it but I f'ed it up just pulling the handle a bit to hard. I expect if I broke my own when i rarely ever break things then I expect there are many more overstretched set cables. The seat could have used a stop on the handle that would have prevented this from happening but unfortunately they were not made that way.

When we first got our 2003 it took me awhile to figure out how to fold the seat up. It takes one smooth motion while folding the back down put some pressure on the bottom lifting up. if you try it in two steps it's a no go.

That could well be how I broke mine. Pulled the handle harder thinking it was not released already.

i have an extra fold and tumble bottom track for a 1995 sr

Don't know on the 2003. On both our 98 and the 97 I grabbed split-second seats from for the 95, they had one broken cable each. On them, there are two cables each, one on each side of the seats, that release the hooks from the bottom hoop-anchors. If yours are broken, better hope they are not the same cables that the Gen II - II.5 used, as they are no longer available.

Don't know what to tell you on getting it to release, based on your description of the undersides. On the Gen II-II.5, as long as one of the folds, you can get to the hook-latch on the broken one from the exposed side.

Oh, and welcome to the wire. We'll hold off prejudging you based on the Ray-connection... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

On the 95 seat there is a pull strap under the back of the seat as another release. Do the split seats have this rear mounted release?