Rear Seat Recline Cable

[saabdriver59]

Bought a 2007 last week, noticed the right side rear seat cable was broken.

Got some good info in another post ( 06 avalon rear seat removal ) but thought this thread was worthy of its own.

Took a few pictures

1. Remove bottom cushion. I used a pickle fork, but an large doo-hicky should work. Place in about 12" from the side and pop it. Repeat on other side



2. Note where/how cables connect to the cam and stay of the hand-operated handles. May be better to unhook them to make sure one don't break.



3. Remove head rest

4. Remove access panel hidden behind where the head rest was.




Note - this next step will disengage your seatback from the vertical position and will be hinging towards the front.

5. #12 socket to remove bolt. and pull seat forward. Carefully routing seatbelts.



(The new cable assembly will directly replace the old one. You will recognize those "hook things" from the back of your trunk.)

6. Two #12 nuts remove the assembly, maneuver hook thing through access hole. Replace with new, follow cable and fit to exact path of old one.



7. As seat back comes back to position - 2 things... the seat belt needs to stay out of the way, and the recline mechanism has a T-bar that hooks into that nut latch behind the head rest. I used fingers from one hand to grip the nylon collar to lift it to position and watched the latch mechanism from inside the car.

8. Fit new cable end to hand-operated cam and fit collar to the stay, then after making sure the seat tabs are under the bar, pop the bottom seat back into place.

The cable assembly was about $91.80 +shipping at the dealer. Here's what you get for the cash:

[grandpapa]

Good luck trying to figure out how to post pictures. It took me a while but once you know how, it's easy. Here is the link

How to post pictures

[grandpapa]

Originally Posted by saabdriver59

Bought a 2007 last week, noticed the right side rear seat cable was broken.

Got some good info in another post ( 06 avalon rear seat removal ) but thought this thread was worthy of its own.

Took a few pictures, will have to figure out how to upload them.

1. Remove bottom cushion. I used a pickle fork, but an large doo-hicky should work. Place in about 12" from the side and pop it. Repeat on other side

2. Note where/how cables connect to the cam and stay of the hand-operated handles. May be better to unhook them to make sure one don't break.

3. Remove head rest

4. Remove access panel hidden behind where the head rest was.

Note - this next step will disengage your seatback from the vertical position and will be hinging towards the front.

5. #12 socket to remove bolt. and pull seat forward. Carefully routing seatbelts.

(The new cable assembly will directly replace the old one. You will recognize those "hook things" from the back of your trunk.)

6. Two #12 nuts remove the assembly, maneuver hook thing through access hole. Replace with new, follow cable and fit to exact path of old one.

7. As seat back comes back to position - 2 things... the seat belt needs to stay out of the way, and the recline mechanism has a T-bar that hooks into that nut latch behind the head rest. I used fingers from one hand to grip the nylon collar to lift it to position and watched the latch mechanism from inside the car.

8. Fit new cable end to hand-operated cam and fit collar to the stay, then after making sure the seat tabs are under the bar, pop the bottom seat back into place.

The cable assembly was about $91.80 +shipping at the dealer.

I am trying to figure out how to replace/check the 3rd brake light on my Avalon. Did your steps allow me to do that?

[saabdriver59]

Looked at my third light and noticed the subwoofer is in the same boat... what a mess... so I searched on subwoofer - came up with this. I wouldn't have thunk it, but the recliner mechanism gets you about halfway there!

How to remove rear subwoofer / center speaker?