Can you remove front seats without jacking the car up?

[sabian92]

Afternoon guys,

I'm curious if you can remove the front seats without jacking the car up as I don't have access to a lift or anything like that - or even a drive, in fact.

Carpets are in desperate need of a deep clean and I figured if I'm going to do it I may as well do it properly (and it'd give me better access to the rear seats as I've only got a 3dr Clio). All the stuff I've seen on it though requires you to raise the car to do it and I can't really do that! Plus I need to replace the driver's side cable for the seat folding mechanism as it's snapped as well, so may as well kill 2 birds with 1 stone and all that.

Car is a Mk2 Ph2 53 plate Clio.

 

[Joe#]

Unfortunately not. Each seat is secured down with 4x nuts under the car.

 

[car.crash]

Outer 2 can be got to easy enough.
I've managed it with car on floor but much simpler to Jack it up

 

[sabian92]

Unfortunately not. Each seat is secured down with 4x nuts under the car.

Outer 2 can be got to easy enough.
I've managed it with car on floor but much simpler to Jack it up

Bugger.

Best way to jack the car up then? Presumably the jack in the boot is a bad idea :smile: Don't fancy squashing my head!

 

[car.crash]

Axle stands or Ramps.

 

[McGherkin]

I've done it with my 1.2, on standard suspension. Parked it half on a kerb if I remember correctly.

 

[Matt W]

Did the same as above! Long arms help though.

 

[sabian92]

Right, kerb it is then :smile: Well, I'll try it anyway. If not then I might have to borrow my uncle's lift at his garage then push the car out of the garage and clean the interior there as I don't need water for that bit.

I wouldn't take the seats out but the interior looks like a tramp's been living in there. 😊 Plus it'll give me chance to treat the whole lot with a fabric protectant etc.

Also, what do I need to do to disconnect the airbags? Disconnect the battery, give it 10 minutes then I presume it's just a wire under the seat? Don't fancy maiming myself with an explosive charge in an enclosed space, that's all.

 

[dmallett]

Ive done it, I wouldnt recommend it. Its easier to just jack it up and pop a stand under it, you can easily do it with only one side lifted.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

You can take the seats off their runners for plenty of access to carpets, you won't be able to get the carpet out without taking the runners off (the bolts for which are under the car).

 

[sabian92]

Ah, I wasn't planning on removing the carpet, just want the access to underneath so I can give it a good hoover/shampoo/protect plus give me far better access to the rear seats as I've only got a 3dr Clio.

The rails can stay in, it's just the seats I want to take out.

 

[aucky]

You can take the seats off their runners for plenty of access to carpets, you won't be able to get the carpet out without taking the runners off (the bolts for which are under the car).

This

 

[StuOwen86]

I have done it but its awkward and lots of guess work and feeling about. But so much easier just to jack it up.

 

[sabian92]

Fair enough, I presume in that case it's just a case of sliding the seat forwards and backwards and undoing some bolts then if I'm just removing the seat and not the runners?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Fair enough, I presume in that case it's just a case of sliding the seat forwards and backwards and undoing some bolts then if I'm just removing the seat and not the runners?

It's a piece of piss.

You need a torx to undo the screw holding the rail/pretensioner covers off. The screw is on the back of the plastic covers, angled down toward the floor.

Once they're off you have 5 nuts to undo the seat from the rails. The seat then just lifts off, and the slide lever also comes off easily. Then you're just left with rails on the floor.

 

[sabian92]

It's a piece of piss.

You need a torx to undo the screw holding the rail/pretensioner covers off. The screw is on the back of the plastic covers, angled down toward the floor.

Once they're off you have 5 nuts to undo the seat from the rails. The seat then just lifts off, and the slide lever also comes off easily. Then you're just left with rails on the floor.

Job's a goodun then. Better to start with the seat fully forward or back?

Also, do you know what size torx/sockets I need to remove the screws/nuts?

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Job's a goodun then. Better to start with the seat fully forward or back?

Also, do you know what size torx/sockets I need to remove the screws/nuts?

You taking the piss son?

Not off the top of my head.

 

[sabian92]

You taking the piss son?

Not off the top of my head.

Not at all, just... mechanically challenged. As in, you'd trust a crackhead with a loan more than me with a toolkit. :smile:

Keep in mind I'm the sort of person who can fall over fresh air. And I'm not making that up, I genuinely have done that!

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Not at all, just... mechanically challenged. As in, you'd trust a crackhead with a loan more than me with a toolkit. :smile:

Keep in mind I'm the sort of person who can fall over fresh air. And I'm not making that up, I genuinely have done that!

No probs, it's something like 17 or 18mm for the seat bolts and a torx 12 maybe..