2nd Row seat latch in locked stuck position (1 Viewer)

[gerbilunit]

Hey all,
Just seeing if anyone knows how to fix this or has run into this? The second row on my LX 470 seems to be stuck in the latched position. I just recently got this car so I'm not sure if its something new or been like this. I've tried using a screwdriver to pry it apart but had no luck. I've tried pulling on the release handle but nothing either. I've seen some threads about a metal wire/cord inside but not really sure what to do with it. Hoping someone else knows what may be going on or something else I can try to do to unlock it. Feels a bit wearing driving around with this not latched down. In the picture you can see the other latch open.

 

[3_puppies]

have you tried opening it with a pry bar/screw driver while the handle is turned to the open position?
have you removed the plastic cover and looked underneath?
was the seat up when you bought it?
my wife runs around with the seats up, sometimes both sometimes just 1 seat, no issues unless you recline the driver seat.

 

[gerbilunit]

have you tried opening it with a pry bar/screw driver while the handle is turned to the open position?
have you removed the plastic cover and looked underneath?
was the seat up when you bought it?
my wife runs around with the seats up, sometimes both sometimes just 1 seat, no issues unless you recline the driver seat.

I did and no luck. I unscrewed the plastic cover and both sides look almost identical except the troublesome side is latched closed but doesn't show any sign as to what is causing it. The seat was in the normal down or seated position but I didn't happen to try to lift that seat that time when looking through the vehicle. I'd still like to use 2nd row so I'm hoping there's a trick im missing.

 

[mitchclem]

I had the same thing happen last weekend. Is there any movement whatsoever in the latching arms? Mine had a small amount of movement, and I ended up trying to move them with my hands while playing with the release and I got it to go.

 

[gerbilunit]

I had the same thing happen last weekend. Is there any movement whatsoever in the latching arms? Mine had a small amount of movement, and I ended up trying to move them with my hands while playing with the release and I got it to go.

There's no give I tried pulling the latch and a screwdriver but no budge. I sprayed some WD-40 and letting it sit hopefully it might give a little. I looked inside and I can't see why the latch is in the lock position or what's causing it to stick.

 

[3_puppies]

so it was latched in place, you raised/tilted the seat and now the 1 latch is in the lock position?

 

[gerbilunit]

So after some fiddling I was able to get the latch unstuck. Just sharing in case anyone runs into this in the future and hopefully this helps someone else.

Its kind of hard to see but directly underneath the spring on the left side of the picture, there is a curved or hooked lever. This is the approximate location of where it should be seated, semi even with the metal circular nut/disk. When I compared this side to the side that was not latched, this side was protruding further out. I just took a screwdriver and pushed back and felt a little resistance but there was some give, when I did that, I could hear/feel what I believe to be the locking mechanism disengage and the latch unstuck itself.