Polo 3dr Passenger Seat will not fold forward

[scrappy_doo]

2002 Polo 1.2 3 door has a passenger seat that will not fold forward to enable people top get into the back. The handle moves fine and it feels like the opposite side of the seat that is holding the seat in place as the handle side of the seat seems to be OK to move.

[scrappy_doo]

Anyone had the same problem?

[kenney]

The wire which runs from the handle to the locking device,is either broken or stretched

[scrappy_doo]

Whats the best way of getting to it to replace it? Also how much is a new one usually?

[kenney]

You need to pull the upholstery up to access the wire,the it can't cost all that much

[dannyboy123]

Same problem a while back.

Pull up the seat cover from the bottom on the back of the seat.

Check that the plastic clips that hold the wire/cable sleeve to the seat frame are OK. One of mine snapped a while ago.

When it snaps the wire and the sleeve move together meaning you can pull all you want but the far side doesn't unhitch.

Simple cable tie it back on and it stops the movement of the sleeve and allows the cable to move inside again.

Hope this helps.

Dan.

[scrappy_doo]

Dan and Kenney,

Many thanks for your pointers, the sympton you've mentioned Dan are the same with this one. I'll have a cushy next week and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again ;)

[scrappy_doo]

Have checked the seat and the cable on the handbrake side is stretched. How can I go about replacing this, I'd prefer not to remove the seat but I'd imagine it'll make the job a lot less fiddly. Also the guide I've got is for an older Polo as handle removal is very different!

Also is the cable I need an outer or inner one and has anyone got the part number so I can ask the main dealer for a quote.

[ozzieosprey]

I had the same problem but it was a coin trapped against the mechanism down the side of the seat.
It wasn't allowing the release catch up far enough to let the seat go forward. It ruined the 50p coin but glad to get it working again.

[scrappy_doo]

Unfortunately having poked around and investigated the cable I can confirm it is stretched and it hasn't got any foreign objects blocking the mechanism unfortunately for me! :zx11:

[kenney]

I can help you with the diagrams,but i need your e-mail address is it a polo type 6n or 9n

[scrappy_doo]

Kenney,

Polo is a 9n and PM sent with my address.

[scrappy_doo]

Seat removed but the one torx bolt on the side that holds the seat back to the seat base has rounded meaning it won't remove! Anyway I can replace the cable leaving the seat back in situ?

[kenney]

The cover can be pulled up without removing the back rest

[scrappy_doo]

Oh OK, if I was to refit the negative lead on the battery without the seat back in place will it throw up an airbag fault on the dash?

[kenney]

Yes

[scrappy_doo]

Yes

I was hoping you wouldn't say that! Are these cables also available from eurocarparts or GSF? Just working on plan B if the main dealer ain't got any!

[kenney]

If the cabel is not broken i think you can repair the fault without replacing the wire.The fault is usually the fact that the wire has too much slack,you can over come this,One way of doing it is to make a loop in the wire,and put some kind of fixture on the loop,it is just to shorten the wire,make sure the fixture does not rub against something when you pull up the handel

[scrappy_doo]

Fingers crossed tomorrow then! The mechanism that actually pulls the cable looks a little tricky to remove, it's just pull off unlike the older Polo's which were screwed in.

[kenney]

you need to make the loop at the other end of the wire,you can not access the wire at the top with out taking the cover off

[scrappy_doo]

I don't mind taking the cover off as long as I don't need to remove the seat back from the base to do it. Also I think I can make a tidier job of it if I can get to the "innards" of the cabling and make a nice neat job of shortening it.

[scrappy_doo]

Think I've found the problem, the white plastic bowden guide bracket had broken meaning the longer cable that goes through it would never have been able to gain any tension hence it looked stretched. (which sounds similar to what Dannyboy123 had happen)

I'm going to try and drill a hole in the plastic bracket to then enable me to cable tie it securely to the seat backs metal mounting plate.

[scrappy_doo]

Didn't drill it in the end, just cable tied it in place. Now working though I haven't had chance to refit the seat yet. Only thing that didn;t go to plan was the *****/clear plastic gromits that hold the cushion wires in place at the base of the seat back. On removing them they fell to bits so the wire is in place without a gromit to hold them, they are under a lot of tension though so hopefully it won't be an issue.

[scrappy_doo]

:aargh4:

Before I had chance to refit it to the car, I tested it again and it's broken again!!!! Think I'm going to have to replace the whole cable as the bracket is integrated into it. Will full cable replacement still be possible without removing the seat back from the seat base and any idea roughly what cost will be from the dealers? Or am I wiser to got to an independent.

[kenney]

You should be able to replace the cable without removing the backrest,and i can't imagine the cable can cost all that much

[scrappy_doo]

Kenney,

Job completed! Managed to get the cable for only£6.51 from the main dealer, almost fell over when he told me the price....thought it'd be 5 or 6 times that!

Seat now folding fine again now, thanks very much for everyones help :beerchug:

....got to change the rear shoes now! :aargh4:

[simfin]

Old Thread, but thanks for all the info guys.


The Lads drivers seat handle stopped working last night, so the seat wont tilt forward.

Just had a look this morning and a 20p was Jammed "solid" in the release mech. Managed to remove it, but still got a "floppy" hanndle, so I reckon the 20p jammed the mech, which meant that they pulled the handle a little too hard, which has in turn broken/snapped/dislodged something in the release cable run.

Hopefullly, when it stops raining I will get out and manage to get the rear of the seat removed without having to remove the whole Seat.

[lozdudek]

This is an old thread but I am having the same issue, however when I lift up the back of the seat I can't seem to get the fabric up very far so cannot see the top of the cable. I don't know if mine is stretched because the clip for it has come off but I cannot tell where it should be clipped to in order to take the slack out of it.

any help would be great! thanks