I converted my 07 XJR to a coilover suspension. When I went to remove the rear seat back to fix the control module, I was unable to release the right (passenger) seat back latch with the release strap. The left side release latch is working fine but the right side will not release.

On closer inspection, I found that the left side seat back was seated properly in the swivel hinge at the bottom but the right side was clearly out of the swivel hinge by at least a quarter inch or more. See the attached photos (the 'trouble' side is the left photo). I had the headliner replaced about three years ago and they apparently had some issues with the seat they didn't tell me about. The seat back is wedged in there tight and at one point there were three of us in the car trying to get it out with no luck. I just can't get it out.

Is the 'seat catch' that the seat latches on to accessible from inside the trunk? Will I have to cut through the seat back to manually release it? Should I go ahead and release the left side latch and take that side out to see if it helps the left side? I did see a post on here saying that may only make matters worse so don't try it, but I don't know what else to do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

Try taking it to a dealer machinic or taking out the right side.Hope it helped and if all else fails youtube is the next best option

 

There should be a long strap that is attached to the upper latch all the way down to the floor of the vehicle.

Pull the strap firmly and the upper latch will release and the seat back will swing out straight.

Your pics are showing the bottom attachments. Nothing to do with releasing the upper part of the seat back.

No way to access those releases from the trunk or deck lid. Hopefully the installers of the headliner lined up the release strap (looks like a seat belt) properly before securing the seat back in the car.

Hope this helps.

 

I've wrestled with mine a few times.
One thing I learned is that the moment you get one side to release, the other side becomes that much harder to remove. Try leaving the "good" side attached, and then trying to release the tougher side first - hope that helps.

 

Is it possible to force the lower seat swivel attachment home so that everything is lined up properly?

If that is possible it might make things easier.

 

+1

Try levering the swivel into position.

 

One of the X350s on which I did a coil conversion had a similar problem. I was able to eventually get the stuck side to release by simultaneously pulling on the release strap at the bottom with one hand, while firmly slapping the upper seat back with the palm of my other hand. I stopped a couple of times to alternately push up and pull down on the seat back, then resumed the slapping routine. Eventually the latching mechanism popped free.

Cheers,

Don