[Frogger]

Tried to remove the second row seats today. Owned Gen2 and Gen3 and never had the least problem with this. Read the owner's manual, followed it, and these sliding seats are truly unmanageable. Searched here, could not find anything mentioned.

First, in Gen3, can fold the seat back flat on the cushion. Am completely unable to do this in my 11 Touring, seat just wants to slide forward even if I hold it all the way in the furthest back position as stated in the manual... 30 degree forward cant seems to be the limit. So then I need to lift the back out and the seat just keeps sliding all over the place... took the first one out while its sliding forward and back mercilessly, this just can't be. Second try, I just left the seat back up and wrestled the thing out of the van (not enough room top to bottom to get it out cleanly), but this will surely cause damage eventually.

Anyone know the trick? Can't imagine Honda let this go this way.

 

[vytas]

I just take out my second seat out yesterday on EX-L. I just move front seat forward to have space, then fold second seat and move it all way forward and lift back (there is handle), then just pull up and back (while seat was in front position and in angle). I think what you did wrong that try to do all this while seat was in furthest back position.
Let us know if that helps.

Tried to remove the second row seats today. Owned Gen2 and Gen3 and never had the least problem with this. Read the owner's manual, followed it, and these sliding seats are truly unmanageable. Searched here, could not find anything mentioned.

First, in Gen3, can fold the seat back flat on the cushion. Am completely unable to do this in my 11 Touring, seat just wants to slide forward even if I hold it all the way in the furthest back position as stated in the manual... 30 degree forward cant seems to be the limit. So then I need to lift the back out and the seat just keeps sliding all over the place... took the first one out while its sliding forward and back mercilessly, this just can't be. Second try, I just left the seat back up and wrestled the thing out of the van (not enough room top to bottom to get it out cleanly), but this will surely cause damage eventually.

Anyone know the trick? Can't imagine Honda let this go this way.

 

[Frogger]

Thanks for your reply. I will have to try with the seat forward. Can your seat back fold flat to the seat cushion bottom? That was always the case in the past, and suggested in step 3 below.

Here are instructions from the manual:

 

[richysh]

i think you're pulling the wrong lever. Reach the side of the seat and look at where the cup holders in 3rd gens middle seat are used to be, like where is parallel to the cushion part of the seat. That way you can fold the seat flat.

 

[Frogger]

To add to frustration, today I dropped my kids and wife on sidewalk of the city, they had to jump out quick. Kid comes out of the back seat and I drive away, he hasn't push the 2nd row seat back to position, so while I am driving... the rear seat is sliding forward, slam, and then backward, slam... until I can get some room somewhere in the city to stop, get out and correct the situation. Hate these seats, please give me my Gen3 seats back.

 

[wktjr]

I'll give it a shot and report back. My 2nd gen was a piece of cake.

 

[teamTMS]

To add to frustration, today I dropped my kids and wife on sidewalk of the city, they had to jump out quick. Kid comes out of the back seat and I drive away, he hasn't push the 2nd row seat back to position, so while I am driving... the rear seat is sliding forward, slam, and then backward, slam... until I can get some room somewhere in the city to stop, get out and correct the situation. Hate these seats, please give me my Gen3 seats back.

Honda needs to address this annoying issue. My kids always forget to lock the seats before they close the door and leave. Honda should have made it lock in place when it slides back.

 

[mpouxesas]

I think it was answered pretty well by Vytas. The key is to move the front seat forward enough so you can pull all the way forward and DOWN the 2nd row seat. Then lifting it from the back it's very easy. I did it with the second attempt after my first failed, I realized that I had to bring the 2nd row seat forward and all the way down (you may need to remove the headrest to make it easier if it fails).

 

[Frogger]

Honda needs to address this annoying issue. My kids always forget to lock the seats before they close the door and leave. Honda should have made it lock in place when it slides back.

Got even worse last night. Slid the chairs forward to let some kids in the back, and then during the drive, had to slam the brakes. My kid was in the second row and his seat toppled him forward, rear anchors were not held down... absolutely no idea how this happened, as we have not messed with those chairs in a week. Scared the bejeesus out of my kid. OK, we have had Odysseys for 10 years now, and the last month, one fail after another unlike anything we ever experienced. What's the deal?

I hope this sliding forward thing is the answer to the safe removal, but that would make it the exact opposite of what the instructions say.

 

[Participate]

Thanks for this post. Off to move my second row seat.

Thanks for this post. I need to move the 2nd seat to the middle in my 2001 Honday Odyssey (yes, 2001) and it is kicking my butt!

Going to head out in the Washington rain to try again. Lots of posts say move the 2nd seat forward and then the directions in the middle post says move it back. I'm off to try.

P.S. I think there is a 10 year self-destruct time in the Odyssey. This year both our doors stopped working (first one and then the other) and then our trunk wouldn't open... think I need to get the hint and buy another.

Will report back on 2nd seat progress. Truck just stopped working last week and I have to get a bike in for this weekend so I am going to try and go in the side.

 

[mommykay]

Looking to buy the 2011 oddesy! HELP!

Can the 2nd row seats be removed individually? i just want to be able to take 1 out for a very small wheelchair. the dealer said the seats cannot be removed but after reading this forum i see that he was wrong.

 

[jdskycaster]

2nd row seats can be removed individually. Also, the seat lock on the 11' is no different than my 06' it just works differently because now it can move laterally and the release lever is in a much improved position.

If the kids released the seat on the 06' to slide it forward (lever located on the top outside of seat) and did not return the seat to the upright and locked position it would also slide forward and backward while driving. No difference here.

I would not see this as something specific to the touring model but on my EX-L the seat adjustment and removal process is an improvement over the 06.

JD

 

[techbrute]

This is going to come off as insulting, and I don't really mean it that way, but holy cow, how can anyone have so much trouble with something to simple?

First, you're pulling the wrong lever. There are two levers, the upper one that is vertical is designed for third row ingress/egress. The lower lever that is horizontal is to adjust the angle of the seatback and will fold the seatback flat against the seat bottom if so desired, ie for removal.

Second, if your kids can't be trusted to lock the seat in the correct position, DON'T TRUST YOUR KIDS TO LOCK THE SEAT! While you're at it, you probably shouldn't trust them to drive, either. You could a) get out and do it yourself, or b) take the center seat out of the second row, making the whole issue moot.

Third, you messed with every lever on the seat, and then have no idea how the seat anchors were disengaged? Really? See Occam's Razor. Basically, YOU were the reason your kid's seat toppled, and thankfully you found out before you got in a wreck.

Can the 2nd row seats be removed individually? i just want to be able to take 1 out for a very small wheelchair. the dealer said the seats cannot be removed but after reading this forum i see that he was wrong.

I can't imagine how clueless the dealer must be to make that statement. The second row has either two or three seats, depending on the trim level. All three in the second row can be removed independantly of each other. You can remove the right or left side to accomodate the wheelchair, or remove the center seat to allow people access to the third row without moving the outboard seats. Additionally, the center seat slides forward, and the left and right seats can be moved outboard a few inches for more hip/leg/shoulder room.

The dealer may have been referring to the third row, which cannot be removed, but is a 60/40 split and each section can be folded into the floor.

I think the biggest failing of the seating configuration in the 4th gen is the loss of the feature that I had in the 2nd gen where you could move the outboard seats to one side. With my family of 6, it would be nice to be able to remove the small center seat, put it in the cargo area, slide the right seat into the center, fold the right section of the third row down, and have a space down the right side of the van for very long items. Yes, you can accomplish something similar by removing the right hand seat, but the right hand seat is twice the size and weight of the center seat, and I don't know if it will fit in the cargo area.

 

[bar10dah]

This is going to come off as insulting, and I don't really mean it that way, but holy cow, how can anyone have so much trouble with something to simple?

Great post, techbrute. Yes, simple. But, sometimes it's those simple things that elude us the most. However, very nice explanations.

I think the biggest failing of the seating configuration in the 4th gen is the loss of the feature that I had in the 2nd gen where you could move the outboard seats to one side.

I hadn't realized that wasn't a feature carried over from the previous gen. One day, I was trying to configure as such, with no luck. I just couldn't get the outboard seat to slide into the middle! After several unsuccessful tries, I finally looked down at the attachment points on the floor and noticed they didn't align with the "feet" of the seats. I really miss that feature...