Rear seat removal tip

[JohnnyG]

After 5 years of ownership, and some pretty rough service (the car sits for 6 months at a time) my battery bit the dust. Just refused to hold a charge. I thought I'd pull the back seat and check the connections but found it nearly impossible to do, probably since it's never been out before. After struggling with it for a bit, I came upon a solution to help me push in on the bottom edge of the back seat. I moved the front seats all the way forward, and made a short piece of 2X4 just long enough to reach from the lower lip of the rear seat to the hard plastic "base" of the front seats. I wrapped the 2X4 in a terry towel to help protect the leather, then started moving the front seats back. This helped me push in on the rear seat lower lip just enough to get the catches released and the seat removed. Take it slow so as not to damage the seat motors, as the motors were just about to stall, but it worked like a charm.

$125.00 for a new battery and a few hours later, it's ready for the road again! (At least I hope it is, time will tell!)

[Logan]

Umm....you may have been trying too hard. On my 2001 (same car)...you simply pulled straight up to unlatch the rear seat. I think they tried to make it easy for a woman to do since the battery is..in fact..under the back seat.

Not like the rear GM seats of yesterday where you really had to push-in to get the lower cushion to unlatch.

[Texas Jim]

Both of my 2006's were really hard to get the back seat cushion up the first time...

After that it was a lot easier.

And you are right... the lower lip of the seat has to be pushed IN and then the cushion lifted up.

I haven't removed the back seat cushion on the 2011 yet.

[Logan]

Not sure why you guys are struggling with it.

From the 2008 owners manual...

To remove the rear seat cushion, do the following:

1. Pull up on the front of the cushion to release the front hooks.
2. Pull the cushion up and out toward the front of the vehicle.

I don't think you have to push-in the front edge at all. That may be why your having a hard time with it...Heck of a lot easier then the older cars. Just pull the front edge straight up....pops right out.

[Texas Jim]

Not sure why you guys are struggling with it.

From the 2008 owners manual...

To remove the rear seat cushion, do the following:

1. Pull up on the front of the cushion to release the front hooks.

2. Pull the cushion up and out toward the front of the vehicle.

I don't think you have to push-in the front edge at all. That may be why your having a hard time with it...Heck of a lot easier then the older cars. Just pull the front edge straight up....pops right out.

LOL... that may be what the owners manual says... but it isn't that easy. Especially the first time the seat comes out... LOL

[Logan]

I think you are trying too hard...it's so easy a child can do it.

Found this on youtube for changing the battery on a Deville.....you dont even have to climb in the car like this guy...all of 35 seconds to get the seat out of the car..

[rockfangd]

sometimes they can be difficult. Especially when they have the plastic insert into the pan. Some are always easy, some are not.

I had a 01 that felt like I was going to damage the seat. One of them inserts pulled out with the seat.

My 96 comes out easy but my 97 is very difficult to remove and install

[KHE]

My '05 Deville rear seat comes out just as easy as in the video. I removed it the first time to run a wire for my radar detector a couple of days after I bought it at 4 years old. I doubt if anyone ever had the rear seat out before.

[Logan]

It should be noted...if you have seat heaters in the rear (mine did)...you will have to unplug those once the seat cushion is loose.

[JohnnyG]

I think you are trying too hard...it's so easy a child can do it.

Found this on youtube for changing the battery on a Deville.....you dont even have to climb in the car like this guy...all of 35 seconds to get the seat out of the car..

Nope, doesn't work that way on my car. In fact, I had a short pry bar under the front lip of the seat HOPING it would come out. I don't think I'd want the seat to come loose that easily, in an accident I can see it hitting the back of the front seats and who knows where it would end up from there.

Anyway, for those that have the properly secured rear seat (and I've seen at least one post on this board asking for help) this is the way to go.

The new battery seems to have fixed my issues, so I'm ready to head south again!

[Logan]

GM service manual info for the 2008 DTS: Rear seat cushion replacement:

1.Lift up on the front of the seat cushion and pull up and out to remove.
2.Disconnect the electrical connector.

[Texas Jim]

GM service manual info for the 2008 DTS: Rear seat cushion replacement:

1.Lift up on the front of the seat cushion and pull up and out to remove.

2.Disconnect the electrical connector.

If it were only that easy....LOL

At least on MY car it isn't and evidently on JohnnyG's car also.

I just went to the garage and pulled up one side of the rear seat... it was easier than in my 2006 but I would not classify it as EASY by any stretch of the imagination... it took both hands and a lot of GRUNT to pull it up.

Hope I didn't pull a muscle in my left shoulder.

[airmike]

I can tell you on my 99 sts it is extremely hard to lift the seat! In fact, it has torn the plastic approximately 1/2 inch. One side is easier than the other but still hard in anybodys book.

[JohnnyG]

GM service manual info for the 2008 DTS: Rear seat cushion replacement:

1.Lift up on the front of the seat cushion and pull up and out to remove.

2.Disconnect the electrical connector.

In this case the GM Service manual is incorrect.

Much like airmike says, my '99 STS was the same way. You must push in (toward the trunk) on the lower edge of the seat cushion to disengage the hooks (yes, they are there) from the wire loops that protrude down from the seat cusion edge. I'd post a picture, but with any luck I won't need to pull that darn thing for another 5 years.

[JohnnyG]

Yes, I'm going to let it go, but in re-reading the quote from the manual, it doesn't even make sense.

It should read:

1. Push in on the front of the seat cushion and pull up and out to remove.

Why would it say "Lift up..." and then say "pull up" later in the same sentence? Something must have been lost in translation.

I hate errors like this!

[DTS CADDY DADDY]

Ok I'm Confused seeing as I've read MANY comments here and basically there are 2 different answers. One says to push the seat in towards the trunk and lift it up and out. The other says you DON'T need to push it back towards the trunk just pull up on it and lift it out. My DTS has a MINT MINT MINT Black heated and cooled leather massaging front seats and floor shifter and i need to replace the battery and i DON'T want to Damage the rear seat in ANY Way!!. WHAT is the Correct way to remove the rear seat??? Thank You CADDY DADDY 😉

[DTS CADDY DADDY]

I was able to remove the seat with NO damage. YaY!!!! 

THANKS to No one for a helpful reply.

[BodybyFisher]

1 hour ago, DTS CADDY DADDY said:

I was able to remove the seat with NO damage. YaY!!!! 

THANKS to No one for a helpful reply.

@DTS CADDY DADDY  I and I am sure many here saw your question.  You didn't post a year, and I moved on given that removing the seat is pretty much a no brainer and a TON of information was posted above.

However for your information, and just as I thought, GM would not leave you in the lurch without directions on how to get to your battery within your arms length.   This is right out of your owners manual usually located in glove compartment, Logan referred to the owner's manual above.   If you do not have an owners manual, you should download or find one, they are very helpful.    By the way, on my 96, you needed to push toward the rear of the vehicle, but the battery was not located there.

The battery is located under the rear seat cushion. To access the battery, see “Removing the Rear Seat Cushion”.  (page 5-99 in a 2004 manual)

Removing the Rear Seat Cushion

Notice: If you touch the exposed wires with the metal on the seat cushion, you could cause a short that could damage the battery and or wires. Avoid contact between the rear seat and the fuse center whenever you remove or reinstall the rear seat. Do not remove covers from any of the covered parts, and do not store anything under the seats.

To remove the rear seat cushion, do the following:

1. Pull up on the front of the cushion to release the front hooks.

2. Pull the cushion up and out toward the front of the vehicle.

 

[DTS CADDY DADDY]

Yes there was a Ton of information offered above but as my post clearly stated there were 2 different ways posted as how to remove the seat. 1 post even stated cutting a 2x4 wrapping it in a towel and using the front power seats to then push back on the rear seat. YIKES i didnt want to use the front seat as a Porta Power...Especially seeing as this DTS has a MINT never smoked in interior that looks and smells new. And seeing as the original post was for a 2006 Deville i just figured that ANYONE reading the whole thread would know what year it was. Irregardless i got it out by using my God given common sence with out any damage to anything. 😉

Thanks for your comment better late than never i suppose....

 

[BodybyFisher]

Listen I am not sure what is so difficult for you to understand, Logan posted the answer immediately and you failed to read your manual.  

I was suppose to ASSUME yours was a 2008?  The 2x4 was posted by JohnnyG who was having a problem, the fixes followed in detail.

Its you that seems to have a problem communicating and a bad attitude here on your THIRD POST, go back to Facebook with the attitude.  Try reading your owners manual