Does anyone know how the seatback comes off of the 3rd row seat on an '02? There is a spring or something protruding from the seatback on the right side towards the bottom. I'm afraid it's going to stretch or poke a hole in the leather. Any help would be appreciated. I think if I can get the back cover thing off I can reach up under and fix it. I don't know if it's a spring our of place or what.

 

You need to remove the bottom seat cushion and the rear tool door panel (that covers the jack and tools). There are a couple of tabs along the lower front edge of the seat cushion. Then you'll find a nut or bolt at each side of the seat back. To access the rear nuts you'll probably need to take the panel off above the jack and tools if it's like my 2004 Aviator. I don't recall which module was mounted to the panel but it made it difficult to access the nuts.

-Rod

 

Okay, further investigation into my problem. The seat is fine, but the slide over part that slides over the seat when it is folded down is the problem. The rod on the right side must have come out of it's track. I pulled the thing up with the seatback up and I could tell right away that's what was poking against it from the inside. For now I have the seat back down and the cover pulled all the way up to the 2nd row to prevent damage to the seat. Now, how do I get the rod back in the track inside the seat back? Any suggestions?