I don't see a more appropriate forum to ask this question in, so, here goes...I bought a 2004 toyota corolla le used, and it didn't have the owners manual with it, and I've since arranged to get a manual, but in the meantime, I need to transport some furniture, and I just can't figure out how to put the back seats down. I see three like switch/lever things above the back seats, where I would normally expect to find a button to press to put the seats down, but those don't appear to do what I need. I know this is a silly question, but I can't figure out how to put the seats down. do they go down? how?
Thanks!
Maria
Maria,
On the 2003 and later Corolla, the release for the folding rear seats is inside the trunk. If you open the trunk you will see two little knobs close to the trunk hinges. These knobs are the seat back releases. If you pull them towards yourself, you will see the seat backs "pop" a little. Then you can get inside the car and fold the seats the rest of the way down.
When you go to put the seat backs up, make sure that you slam them shut. Give them a little pull just to make sure they locked in position. You don't want them coming open if you have to stop quickly, especially if someone is sitting in the seat!
BTW, those three switch/lever things are LATCH anchors. Your Corolla, like mine has LATCH on all three rear seats. LATCH is a child safety seat attachment system. In the late 1990s the insurance companies found that almost 90% of child safety seats were not installed properly. They pushed for a fool-proof system. LATCH is what the automakers came up with. Instead of using the seatbelt to anchor a child seat, LATCH uses a tether that slips through those switch/lever things and two attachment points that clip into two steel hoops mounted in the space between the seat back and seat bottom.
-the99contour