2nd row seats lay flat

[Thorsmom]

New here hope I'm in the right place for this thread. I have a 2008 escape and need slightly larger. Looking at explorers. I need help determining which years model to look for.

The two important factors are the ability to lock the car while running as well as all back seats have to lay flat. This is due to dogs. Yeap, dogs. I do agility and need addtl room for a second dog crate. The escape I have now I can take out the bottom of the back seat and the top lays flat.

Just finished looking at a 2010 and the seats fold over but are not flat. Do I have to go to older models?

Plus I would really like some lumbar support.

Any advice is appreciated!

 

[colintrax]

What do you mean by older models? My 97 will lay flat if you smash it down and lock them down. Not nearly as easy as the escape.

 

[polizi212]

The back 2nd row will lay flat!

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/10expog2e.pdf
look at page 178

 

[Thorsmom]

when asking about 'do I need to look at older models', I meant older than the 2010 I just looked at.

as for the 2nd row laying flat, I am gonna be really disgusted if we missed that! we were so ready to buy that explorer! I have called the dealer and he's gonna check it in the AM. thanks so much for the PDF!!!!

 

[mvallyman]

Thorsmom,
I recently bought a 2010 XLT and while searching I found that.
If the car has third row seating, the Second row will lay flat. This is probably true for any Explorer 2006 thru 2010.
I found that when you're looking at cars online, look for the lever on the side of the second row seat, its a tell tale sign that it has third row seating and those kind of second row seats fold flat.

 

[Boomyal]

....stay away from models that have captain's chairs with a console, in the second row. Not only would the console be in the way, the seat backs do not fold flat.

 

[thebrakeman]

Yes, the 2nd row folds flat if you have the 3rd row seating. Not sure if that's true if lacking 3rd row seating.

You probably only went half-way. You have to fold down the 2nd row seatbacks. Then pull the lever on the back of the seatback, which will allow the entire seat assembly to drop down another 8" or so.

 

[mvallyman]

As I was looking for 2008-2010 Ex's none of the seats were able to lay flat nor did they have the extra seatback handle to lay it down Unless it had third row seating.

 

[thebrakeman]

That seems quite strange. But perhaps it's because, without the 3rd row seating, the cargo area is actually lower than trucks with folded 3rd row seats. In that case, dropping the 2nd row seats to the cargo position would still not be low enough to make it a flat floor al the way to the front seats. I also know that the 2nd row seats used in 5-passenger models do not recline, while the 2nd row seats in 7-passenger models do recline.

I can't figure out why they would have different seats between the 2 models. Even if the more feature-laden seats are a bit more expensive, avoiding complexity is usually the larger cost savings, for economies-of-scale, and simplicity at the assembly plant.

 

[gadourym]

I have a 2009 with the third row. The second row does fold flat but the setbacks need to be folded down and then there's a "cargo mode" lever in the seat back that lowers the seats flat. When they go flat they move forward and there is a good size gap between third and second row.

 

[Explorer_PL]

My 7 seater EB 2006 folds flat with the cargo mode handle in the back of the seats.

 

[monty73741]

how big are your doggies, i have a large kennel & it only fits one

 

[Stic-o]

I just went and looked at my '06. No third row. They lay down...maybe not completely flat..but close. I know what you mean about the escape seats.

 

[mvallyman]

Close Stic-o but no cigar.
The only ones that lay flat have the "cargo handle" to lay them down the rest of the way completely flat.