# Rear seat won't fold down



## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

Hi

Anyone know how the folding mechanism for the rear seats works or how to get at it?

I went to fold down the rear seats this morning and the one on the drivers side won't disengage. I called Audi and was told I'd have to book the car in and there's a 3 week wait for a slot, longer if I want a loan car. Fecking disgraceful service. So, DIY is my only option as I desperately need to get the seat down. Once it's folded, it can stay there for all I care.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks!


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

The parts picture of the seat re;ease mechanism shows the bowden cable going to the hinge position.

Hence I'd suggest removing the rear seat squab (pull up sharply on the front edge) and then see what you can see.

Equally, you may be able to access the hinge/release by taking out the boot floor, all the stuff and the polystyrene stowage mouldings.


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## jhoneyman (Aug 8, 2012)

This issue was discussed in the past where this has happened with new MK3's and I have been meaning to try it out on my own one as how often do we actually fold them down.. Probably be out of warranty until I need them down.


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## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

brittan said:


> The parts picture of the seat re;ease mechanism shows the bowden cable going to the hinge position.
> 
> Hence I'd suggest removing the rear seat squab (pull up sharply on the front edge) and then see what you can see.
> 
> Equally, you may be able to access the hinge/release by taking out the boot floor, all the stuff and the polystyrene stowage mouldings.


This is what I love about this Forum  Thank you so much! You're a star! I'll have a bash at it in the morning. I think something has broken, as when I push the lever forward, it's not doing anything. I have now booked the car in, as the bonnet release has also broken, but I managed to bodge that so it works, well sort of. But in the meantime, I can't go fishing until I get the seat folded. That's life and death for me. LOL.

Thanks again.

Mark.


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## Stanyer (Jun 24, 2015)

Exactly both things happened to mine too. It went to audi and they fixed the bonnet release and seat. But now seats broke again grrr

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

I took off the plastic housing around the lever at the top of the seat and then used a screwdriver to leverage the wire inside upwards, whilst pushing against the seat. Hey presto, it disengaged and the seat is now folded. I re-engaged the seat back to locked and then repeated what I'd done and it again released to folded. I'm pretty sure if I do that enough times I will snap the cable. So, will leave folded until it goes in to the Dealer.

The bonnet release is also broke, but I am able to use it with care. Same thing happened on my RS3 after only a month from delivery. You'd think Audi of all manufacturers would not fit such cheap crap on their cars. Obviously bought in parts from the cheapest supplier they could find in the Far East... car is booked in with Audi in two weeks' time, which is the earliest they could take it, but means I'll have to take the day off work as they couldn't get me loan car, well, only unless I am prepared to wait five weeks for a slot. What a joke. They want it for the whole day as well. Service department told me they've never heard of these kind of problems with the TT. Yeah, right. You have to laugh really.


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

That's good you've got the seat working on a temporary basis.

The extended time to get an appointment at an Audi dealer seems common now. They do not seems to have matched their repair and service capacity to the number of car sales.

Many people broke the bonnet release on the Mk2 and I bought a "come-in-handy" spare just in case. I found that placing my thumb against the pivot point gave a feeling that it was less likely to break under the strain and I use the same method on the Mk3.

These are just a couple of the things that make me think that the Mk3 is less well made, in certain areas, than the Mk2.


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## Mark Pred (Feb 1, 2017)

The bonnet release lever snapped on my mk2 TTS as well. So that's 3 out of the last 4 Audis I have had where it's broke  To my eyes they've all been the same design.


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## Bob Murray (Jan 16, 2018)

Have just had a similar issue on my Mk 3. When I took off the plastic cover around the lever (part No. 17 in Brittan's picture of 18 May 2017), I found that the within the lever assembly the wire of the Bowden cable is supposed to run over a plastic pulley. It had jumped off the pulley and was therefore effectively too long to operate the mechanism. Coaxing the wire back onto the pulley did the trick and the catch now operates properly.
I dare say it will happen again, but the surgery required is not too intrusive although how many off/on cycles the plastic cover will survive is questionable.


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## no name (Feb 16, 2014)

Just repaired mine and as above it had jumped off the plastic guide/pulley.


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## macaddict111 (Jun 13, 2018)

One of mine was inoperative when I got the car (release handle moved limply, no connection). Don't remember exactly what they had to do, but it involved taking the rear seats out and replacing the Bowden cable.


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