Broken drivers seat on early 2002 Explorer XLT

[Roadblock1945]

So I went to get into my car the other day and the drivers seat just tipped right over backwards until the back of it touched the the rear bench.

I got out and started to play with the seat and you can just tip it right back like it's not attached to anything.

I flipped it back and found some tubular pipe thing that has 90 degree bends on either side of the seat it broken off on both sides. I don't see where it connected though.

What the heck has happened, why did this break off like that? What can I do to fix it? The pipe looks like cheap aluminum piping.

 

[zpn_by]

was the break within the seatback itself? Fords used to be really bad for this back in the 80s, when the seat frames were made out of stamped sheetmetal. When someone gets in, they rarely hit their comfortable "sweet spot" right away and have to adjust in the seat, often with a diagonal move with the left foot against the floor and the right shoulder against the seatback. This puts a lot of stress on the seatback. Same thing with trying to get your wallet out of your back pocket at the drive through or when speaking to the nice officer! A lot of stress gets put on one side of the seatback. Check an older car (10+ years) and you will often find the seatback is angled to one side, usually the centre of the car). I had a Tempo which had both seatbacks broken when I bought it (not ready for the road) and it happened to one of my Mustangs and one of my Cougars. Really sucks, and that sharp metal stuck right through the seat. Now I put my right elbow on the centre console and lift off the seat to reposition that way... no more broken seats.

Sorry for the long story - if it's a different type of break (in the joint/hinge) it could be a faulty ratcheting mechanism too. Maybe with a new design (there was no tube steel used in the old seats) it's a bad weld? Either way, looks like time for a trip to the wreckers.

 

[Explorer0204]

was the break within the seatback itself? Fords used to be really bad for this back in the 80s, when the seat frames were made out of stamped sheetmetal. When someone gets in, they rarely hit their comfortable "sweet spot" right away and have to adjust in the seat, often with a diagonal move with the left foot against the floor and the right shoulder against the seatback. This puts a lot of stress on the seatback. Same thing with trying to get your wallet out of your back pocket at the drive through or when speaking to the nice officer! A lot of stress gets put on one side of the seatback. Check an older car (10+ years) and you will often find the seatback is angled to one side, usually the centre of the car). I had a Tempo which had both seatbacks broken when I bought it (not ready for the road) and it happened to one of my Mustangs and one of my Cougars. Really sucks, and that sharp metal stuck right through the seat. Now I put my right elbow on the centre console and lift off the seat to reposition that way... no more broken seats.

Sorry for the long story - if it's a different type of break (in the joint/hinge) it could be a faulty ratcheting mechanism too. Maybe with a new design (there was no tube steel used in the old seats) it's a bad weld? Either way, looks like time for a trip to the wreckers.

Instead you just destroy the console..lol.

Hey I hear ya man. My 02's seat back moved a solid 2 inches forward still locked in the same notch. It wasn't crooked luckily tho

 

[zpn_by]

Instead you just destroy the console..lol.

Hey I hear ya man. My 02's seat back moved a solid 2 inches forward still locked in the same notch. It wasn't crooked luckily tho

True the console lid takes a bit more wear, but it's easier to fix/replace than a seat frame. (cheaper from the JY too!)

I will say after stripping down my 3rd row seatback to deal with a spill from the previous owner, I'm glad Ford beefed up the seat frames - no more stamped sheetmetal, as it's now tubular steel. BTW - did you know that the "leather" seat coverings with the carpeted backs (rear seats) can actually go through the laundry with minimal impact? (front load washer that is)

 

[Explorer0204]

True the console lid takes a bit more wear, but it's easier to fix/replace than a seat frame. (cheaper from the JY too!)

I will say after stripping down my 3rd row seatback to deal with a spill from the previous owner, I'm glad Ford beefed up the seat frames - no more stamped sheetmetal, as it's now tubular steel. BTW - did you know that the "leather" seat coverings with the carpeted backs (rear seats) can actually go through the laundry with minimal impact? (front load washer that is)

Interesting... I don't have leather but that is good to know.