Seat Backrest - Front: Disassembly

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Mercury Montego, 2006 Ford Freestyle, and 2006 Ford Five Hundred. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

NOTE: Passenger seat shown, driver seat similar.

Fig 1: Passenger Seat & Driver Seat Replacement Components With Torque Specifications

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

WARNING:

Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) vehicle and when handling an airbag module. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
Carry a live side air bag module with the air bag and tear seam pointed away from your body. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
Do not set a live side air bag module down on the cover tear seam. This will reduce the risk of injury in the event of an accidental deployment.
After deployment, the air bag surface can contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, a product of the gas generant combustion that is irritating to the skin. Wash your hands with soap and water afterwards.
Never probe the connectors on the air bag module. Doing so can result in air bag deployment, which can result in personal injury.
Side air bag modules with damaged covers must be replaced.
Front seat back trim covers installed on seats equipped with side air bags cannot be repaired, they are to be replaced. Cleaning is permissible.
To reduce the risk of personal injury, do not use any memory saver devices.

CAUTION: It is necessary to rezero the occupant classification sensor (OCS) system when a front passenger seat cushion is disassembled, a new trim cover is installed, or an OCS service kit is installed. A diagnostic tool is used to trigger the active command to carry out rezeroing of the OCS system.

NOTE:

If a side air bag deployment took place, the seat back pad, trim cover and side air bag module must be replaced. The seat back frame should be replaced if necessary.
If a seat equipped with a supplemental restraint system (SRS) component is being serviced, the supplemental restraint system (SRS) must be depowered.
The air bag warning lamp illuminates when the RCM fuse is removed and the ignition switch is ON. This is normal operation and does not indicate a supplemental restraint system (SRS) fault.
The SRS must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.

All seats

Position the seat to access all the seat track-to-floor pan bolts and the safety belt anchor.
Depower the SRS. For additional information, refer to DEPOWERING PROCEDURE .
Remove the front seat. For additional information, REFER to SEAT - FRONT .
Remove the seat backrest. For additional information, REFER to SEAT BACKREST - FRONT .
Remove the head restraint.

Seats with manual lumbar

Remove the clip and the lumbar adjust handle.

All seats

Release the backrest trim cover lower J-clips.

WARNING: Front seat back trim covers installed on seats equipped with side air bags cannot be repaired, they are to be replaced. Cleaning is permissible.

CAUTION: Use care when separating the seat back trim cover from the hook and loop strip, or the hook and loop strip can be torn from the seat back foam.

Place a hand between the backrest trim cover and backrest foam pad and carefully separate the hook and loop strips, then carefully roll up the backrest trim cover in an inside out fashion to the first row of hog rings in the front.
- On passenger seats, pull the backrest fold-flat release strap through the trim cover bezel opening.
Remove the first row of hog rings.

Fig 2: Locating First Row Of Hog Rings
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Release the hook and loop strips and carefully roll up the backrest trim cover and remove the second row of hog rings in the front.

Fig 3: Locating Second Row Of Hog Rings In Front
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Release the J-clips at the back of the backrest trim cover.

Fig 4: Locating J-Clips Back Of Backrest Trim Cover
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Seats with a side air bag module

Release the side air bag module backrest trim cover chute J-clip from around the side air bag module cover.

Fig 5: Identifying Side Air Bag Module Backrest Trim Cover Chute J-Clip
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Feed the side air bag module backrest trim cover chute and J-clip retainer out through the side air bag module backrest foam pad opening.

Fig 6: Locating Side Air Bag Module Backrest Trim Cover Chute & J-Clip
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

All seats

Release the hook and loop strip, and carefully roll up the backrest trim cover and remove the third row of hog rings in front.
Release the hook and loop strips in front, roll the backrest trim cover up and remove the hog rings at the back.

Fig 7: Locating Hook & Loop Strips In Front
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

NOTE: The head restraint guides are not interchangeable.

Release the tabs and remove the head restraint guides.
Remove the backrest trim cover.

NOTE: Vehicles with manual lumbar adjust shown.

Fig 8: Locating Hog Rings Attaching Lumbar Basket

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Remove the hog rings attaching the lumbar basket (if equipped) or backrest support (if equipped) and backrest foam pad to the backrest frame.
Remove the backrest foam pad.

Seats with a side air bag module

NOTE: Note the routing of the side air bag module wiring for installation.

Fig 9: Locating Side Air Bag Harness Pin-Type Retainers

Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.

Release the 3 side air bag harness pin-type retainers and remove the nuts and the side air bag module with wire harness.

Passenger seat and driver seat with manual lumbar

Remove the tie strap.

Seats with manual lumbar

Remove the 2 screws and separate the lumbar adjuster.
Release the lumbar basket at the bottom and top and remove the assembly.

Passenger seat

Separate the backrest latch cable pin-type retainer at the lower left corner of the backrest frame.
Remove the 4 bolts and remove the backrest latch assembly and cable.