Problem with folding rear seat, Multispace

[andy-womble]

Just when you are in a rush and time is limited, things go belly up.
Needed the back seat folded so I could go and dump some rubbish and collect timber on return trip before handing back the motor to the wife to go to work in.

Laws of sod, fold the single seat down to give flat deck no problem.
Try again with the double seat it it is firmly anchored down. This seat has two interlock catches to anchor the squab to the deck.
Could see the catch nearest the door had released but the inner one had jammed somehow. The catches are operated by pull cords connected to the back of the seat and folding of the seat tightens the cord which releases the catch, but this beggar was not doing it.

Pulled on the cord at the back of the seat and broke the attachment clip (cheap s*tty plastic, the hallmark of Citroen).

Further investigation revealed that a piece of loose carpet in the back of the car had been jammed beneath the seat preventing the catch from releasing fully.

Pulled the carpet out, grabbed the end of the cord, pulled and voila, seat released. Hopefully the part is available from Citroen cheaply otherwise I will improvise and use an old cotton spool.

[andy-womble]

Addendum

Remembered a thread about removal and stripping rear seats and good old pk7478 gave this link http://www.mediafire.com/?ndx75gar8w8gzd4

Looking at the exploded view it looks like some of the multispace rear seats had a pull-strop as opposed to a thin piece of cord so maybe this is the answer and certainly looks more substantial.

Off to the main dealer tommorrow to have a look at their parts micro-fiche and we go from there....
Keep you all updated of the outcome.

[andy-womble]

Went to the local main dealer, Evans Halshaw Citroen Stoke, yesterday.
The guy in parts department displayed parts on screen and three different types depending on age, model etc but managed to determine the correct one.
"Not in stock, will have to order." So I am thinking daft things like 3 weeks waiting, silly price etc.
"Possibly this afternoon or definately tommorow, price £3.17 inc vat".
Later in the afternoon he rang me to say he'd got the part, collected, fitted in 5 minutes. SNAFU, job's a good-un!!!

[dave tregidon]

Hi andy-womble, the cord on the double seat of mine has broken and the previous owner tied a thick piece of material around the end to enable pulling the catch back manually. But I was looking at the original fitting and if it is all still there (mine is) I am thinking about putting a piece of thin chain instead of the cord on all of the fittings.
Regards..Dave

[andy-womble]

Hello Dave and thanks for that.
The problem is with the clip type fitting that goes to the back of the seat, IMO it is not really up to the job, a tacky bit of plastic.
At the seat squab end you have a flat plastic piece with an elongated hole that fits around a spigot from the interlock catch. If you are making a new leash using chain or perhaps cable (Bicycle brake cable inner???) then perhaps you would consider fabricating new flat pieces from steel. This would be "Belt and Braces" and 100% stronger than the original fitment. Let us know how you go on and good luck.

I'm going to run with the fittings as standard for the time being and then if any more let go will consider making my own.

[dave tregidon]

Hi andy, sorry didn't get back earlier, still haven't got round to doing anything about it yet. My first reaction to bike cable is that it might well rub and cut into the seat fabric. In my case the top and bottom fixings still have a short length of the original cord there so I was going to try and tie? a suitable piece of chain to these remnants.
All the best..Dave

[andy-womble]

Hello Dave, what you have their is a similar ailment to myself.

It is called "Roundtuit Syndrome" .

Unfortunately there is no known cure and as a consequence, jobs tend to get left until you get round to it (certainly happens that way in this household)...... sorry about that one Hee Hee.

Your idea for repair would probably work quite well with nylon cord instead of chain, which may also in hindsight damage the seat fabric.

My link-piece had broken at the clip end where it attaches to the upright part of the seat so could not re-use the old ends. Think the actual length of the cord may be critical for correct operation of the interlock catch so maybe a little trial and error with getting the knots in the right place may be needed.

[dave tregidon]

Hi andy, I've just had a look at mine and the plastic end on the back of the seat is fixed to a raised cut out on the steel back. If yours is the same couldn't you tie a piece of your chosen cord to this top fixing and similarly at the lower end, or even better fix a key-ring ringle to the steel so it doesn't cut through the cord. Agree, though about trial and error re length of cord. But if you still got the single one working, then that plus a little would be my first attempt. Good luck but if not, my "grab" tied to the foot bit does the trick, but you have to clamber in the boot to reach it...Dave

[andy-womble]

Hello Dave, I have done a quick job using the old cord and plastic "whatsit" that fits to the interlock and made up a looped leash using a piece of extra nylon cord.

I have kept this as a "Get Me Out Of Jail" idea in case I break another cord and can't get one in a rush.

At present, parts for the mark2 seem readily available and for the sake of £3.00 for a new bit, I can't be ar*ed to make a new one. Maybe as they get harder to source and the motor gets older, I will have to try and make something

[dave tregidon]

hiya, and do you think it is easy to fix? cos' for three quid I'd agree totally
Dave.