Second row seat doesn't stay folded up.

[OVGreg]

Greetings, I recently purchased a 2004 GX470. I'll be back into the forum for suspension discussions etc but now I have an issue with the second row seat. The larger one (60 of the 60/40 seat). I keep the second row folded up (tumbled?) because the front seat is for the people and everything behind it is for the dogs and our stuff. The seats fold up as expected and seem to be held by the plastic sliding catch, but will randomly drop. Startling to the dogs and annoying to me. Has anybody else had such an issue or have a suggestion? Thanks for looking...

-OVGreg.
SouthWest slope of Mauna Loa

 

[Squirrelmaster]

I normally keep my second and third rows down on account of hauling my kids around all of the time, but I did try driving with my second row propped up while hauling some larger items. My seat fell down one time when I hit a bump hard enough to rock the seat forward and disengage the lock tab on the seat strut. I had considered using a small C-clamp to pinch the strut rod and keep it from moving down into the strut body, or an elastic cord or rope looped from the seat catch around the front seat head rest, but since it only happened the one time I never did anything about it.

 

[OVGreg]

I normally keep my second and third rows down on account of hauling my kids around all of the time, but I did try driving with my second row propped up while hauling some larger items. My seat fell down one time when I hit a bump hard enough to rock the seat forward and disengage the lock tab on the seat strut. I had considered using a small C-clamp to pinch the strut rod and keep it from moving down into the strut body, or an elastic cord or rope looped from the seat catch around the front seat head rest, but since it only happened the one time I never did anything about it.

Thanks for the response Squirrelmaster.

It doesn't seem like the catch is designed well, which is unusual for this vehicle. Good suggestions. I need something reliable and easy to use. I might just use a cord to tie the release lever to the grab-handle. Maybe I'll fashion a looped cord with a carabiner for easy latch/unlatch. Thanks again, food for thought.

-OVGreg.