Seats locking

[firemonk]

Hi

Im trying to work out if I have a problem or not

My front seats in my 91 firebird do not lock back in to position. I am wondering if this is an american thing or if there is a fault?

Hope someone can advise

Regards
Mark

[firemonk]

Just to clarify this.. what I mean is that the seats pull forward without locking.

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

they are supposed to lock back
most dont, as this is a common fault
technically this is an MOT failure, though it depends on the tester
it can be annoying every time you brake hard the passenger seat flies forward, and they tend to rattle
not done one but assume once the seat mechanism is uncovered it is easy to fix

[firemonk]

Ok cool thanks. I will look at fixing this. Saying that I quite fancy a new interior so I might get saving and look for something nice. 4th gen seats go straight in right?

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

indeed
though they suffer from same problem

[SuperDuty455]

I don't think they're supposed to lock back, at least on the 3rd gen seats I have.
There's a pendulum inside the locking mechanism (I have one right next to me from my '84 T/A Lear Siegler seats), if I lean the mechanism forward, it's locked and won't move unless you pull the little tab on the back. If you place it in a normal, horizontal position, or backwards, the back moves freely. I'm not sure why they did that.
It's the same for my 1989 standard seats.

[SuperDuty455]

Actually it's explained in the manual, I found this on an old thread on thirdgen.org :

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/attac ... atback.jpg

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/body/ ... cking.html

Or another one here :
http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/attac ... elease.jpg

So they're NOT supposed to lock in most situations, it's just a weird design for lazy people so they don't have to pull the little tab

But from what I understand, they've redesigned the mechanism on later seats and 4th Gen seats.

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

according to the link they are supposed to lock back

http://www.thirdgen.org/techboard/body/ ... cking.html

seems unlikely GM would fit a release lever to unlock a seat that dose not lock

[SuperDuty455]

It's explained on both of the owner's manual scans I've posted, the lever is only useful if the car is "parked going down on a fairly steep hill". It's not a wear problem, at least on the seats equipped with the same locking mechanism, it's how they're supposed to act. It also locks when it's leaned aside, it doesn't even need much to lock.
I have only two types of 3rd gen seats : 84 L/S seats and '89 standard seats, they both work the same. Now for Ultima seats or other types, I have no idea.

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

other links show only log in message

[Firebrewed]

The seats backs don't lock in position until you stop suddenly and a pendulum swings forward and causes them to lock. If you park facing down on steep hill or drive they will also lock, hence the need for a release lever. You can easily make them lock using nothing more than a spring made from a hairclip in the right place. I did this with mine to save having to try to convince to mot man at every test.

[SuperDuty455]

other links show only log in message

Ok, I guess you need a thirdgen.org account to see the images hosted on the forum :

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

so many 3rd/4th gens are MOT failures
seats must lock back (designed to lock or not) according to test manual
someone on SVA import inspection (or loads) has cocked up it seems

[bhm1712]

Thank goodness for friendly MOT men!

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

[firemonk]

With my mot coming up I thought I would get to the bottom of this.

From what I made of all the posts and manuals...
The seats always fold forward. In the event of an emergency break they will lcok.If you are parked on a steep hill your seats might lock and then you use the latch to release.

Problem being is MOT inspectors are told to fail cars with seats that dont lock.
Only hope is to have a friendly MOT inspector right? Or replace the seats but they seem hard and expensive to replace

[Caz]

You need a good Mot guy. I no a few in Essex plus Mr Bryden

[SUPERCHARGEDGTA]

if the seats don't lock back as standard then they should pass
like seats that don't adjust forwards and backwards should fail, but if it is a fixed seat such as a racing/bucket seat then we are supposed to pass them (with advisory note)

[dexyman]

my last third gen my mot man was going to fail it on the seats not locking. showed him that picture from the manual and it wasnt an issue .

[thebandit92]

The place i go for MOT they just tell me to put my belt on,that's drivers checked,they open pass door,clip belt in,that's pass done and that is the nearest they get to getting in the car,so no seat check.I don't like going anywhere that don't let you see them testing the car.

[thebandit92]

Actually ignore that,i don't really see them testing it anyway as i am sat in the car throughout the test