SOLVED: Can't get the back of the rear seat to lock upright

[JDCinVA]

***6/4/2019 Update*** TSB: 19-2146 - 2019 Ranger - Crew Cab - Folding Rear Seat Back Excessive Latch Effort When Return...

Anyone else have this problem? The latch seems to function o.k. when I engage it with my finger when the seat back is pushed forward. However, I just get a metal on metal sound when I try to latch it back upright. There is a rubber piece next to the latch that seems like it's there to dampen the impact of the latch hitting the catch attached to the rear panel, but it seem like it's not giving way / flexing enough to let the latch spring around the catch. I've tried to slam it pretty hard and I just get a metal thud.

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[uthunter]

Anyone else have this problem? The latch seems to function o.k. when I engage it with my finger when the seat back is pushed forward. However, I just get a metal on metal sound when I try to latch it back upright. There is a rubber piece next to the latch that seems like it's there to dampen the impact of the latch hitting the catch attached to the rear panel, but it seem like it's not giving way / flexing enough to let the latch spring around the catch. I've tried to slam it pretty hard and I just get a metal thud.

Same here!!!

 

[Pinecrestjim]

?? Try lifting the seatback or pushing it down while closing ??

 

[uthunter]

I tried slamming it with up, down, left, and right pressure and couldn't get it to latch. I tried holding the release cord up and slamming it. I tried loosening the torque bolts to see if the alignment was off but that wasn't it. I tried lifting the bottom seat cushion up to slightly adjust the backrest angle and that got it closer but it still wouldn't latch. I could feel on the release cord that it was making better contact though.

I finally put a grade 8 washer around each bolt between the truck and the latch to adjust the latch slightly forward and that, combined with raising the seat bottom, was enough to get it to latch. Barely. I still have to get entirely in the back seat with my butt practically on the center console and slam it... but it goes.

They'll need a fix for that if it is an ongoing issue.

 

[StAugKid]

I had that same problem after I did a test drive and then checked out the back seat. I couldn't get it to latch, either.

 

[FULLSCALE]

Same issue here on my test drive last weekend. I folded it down to check out the sub and amp and I couldn’t get it to latch back up.

 

[Vandave]

Same here looking at a Ranger on the lot. I couldn’t make it work. I Googled it out of interest and it sounded like they had the same problem with the global model.

 

[FX4Offroad]

Same here looking at a Ranger on the lot. I couldn’t make it work. I Googled it out of interest and it sounded like they had the same problem with the global model.

Same here. Looked at one in a showroom. Couldn't get it to latch.

Looks like a recall is on the way.

 

[Bubbabiker]

Wonder if the Ranger latches are similar to the F150's. Here's a video installing the BuiltRight F150 latch kit and it shows the alignment and how to adjust. I went through this installing the kit.

 

[Vandave]

Same here. Looked at one in a showroom. Couldn't get it to latch.

Looks like a recall is on the way.

Seems like a safety issue to me so I would imagine a quick fix.

 

[JDCinVA]

On a related note, does the hook underneath the rear seat bottom (circled in red in the picture below) actually do anything on anyone's Ranger? It seems like it should engage the catch circled in blue in the picture below, but mine misses it by a few millimeters. The hook doesn't move when I try to move it by hand, and it doesn't move when I pull the strap that releases the seat bottom to move it up or put it back down. The seat bottom only seems to be held in place (rather weakly, I might add) by some mechanism at the pivot point. It seems like this hook is there to keep it locked down, but mine doesn't.

 

[FX4Offroad]

Because the seat back DOESN'T FOLD FLAT (ridiculous), I'd never use it anyway. It's completely useless. Ford dropped this ball for sure.

Still needs to be fixed.

 

[Deleted member 773]

Local dealer got one in today (lariat).. same thing, I pointed it out and he messed with it for a while but couldn’t get it to latch. Checked the other truck (xlt) and same thing there

 

[Vandave]

Looked at another today. Same problem. So the salesman slammed the seat back a bunch times and eventually it took. He said that’s how it’s supposed to be. I said if a child can’t do it, it’s not functioning and it didn’t work the first five times you tried you jackass.

The centre console lid didn’t close very precisely either. The rubber mounts seemed to be a little too thick for the latch to take, so it took more force than should be needed. The receiver looked like thin plastic so I’m not sure that would last 1000 cycles.

 

[uthunter]

On a related note, does the hook underneath the rear seat bottom (circled in red in the picture below) actually do anything on anyone's Ranger? It seems like it should engage the catch circled in blue in the picture below, but mine misses it by a few millimeters. The hook doesn't move when I try to move it by hand, and it doesn't move when I pull the strap that releases the seat bottom to move it up or put it back down. The seat bottom only seems to be held in place (rather weakly, I might add) by some mechanism at the pivot point. It seems like this hook is there to keep it locked down, but mine doesn't.

Mine doesn't latch or make contact either. Maybe it's a safety catch in a collision?

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