Front Seat Backrest Removal/Installation

FRONT SEAT BACKREST REMOVAL/INSTALLATION

WARNING:
- The safety belt pretensioner is a pyrotechnic device. Always wear safety glasses when repairing an air bag equipped vehicle and when handling a safety belt buckle pretensioner or safety belt retractor pretensioner. Never probe a pretensioner electrical connector. Doing so may result in pretensioner or air bag deployment and may result in serious personal injury.
- After deployment, the air bag surface can contain deposits of sodium hydroxide, a product of the gas generant combustion that is irritating to the skin. Wash your hands with soap and water afterwards. Failure to follow this instruction may result in serious personal injury.
- Never probe the connectors on the air bag module. Doing so may result in air bag deployment, which may result in serious personal injury.
- To reduce the risk of personal injury, do not use any memory saver devices.

NOTE:
- If a side air bag deployment took place, a new seat back pad, trim cover and side air bag module and nuts must be installed. The seat back frame should be replaced if necessary.
- The air bag warning indicator illuminates when the restraints control module (RCM) fuse is removed and the ignition switch is ON. This is normal operation and does not indicate a supplemental restraint system (SRS) fault.
- The SRS must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.

1. Remove the front seat and depower the SRS.
2. Remove the recliner handle cover by pulling it forward.
3. Remove the outboard front seat side cushion shield.
- If removing the outboard passenger seat cushion side shield, remove the screw and slide the shield forward.
- Release the rear clip and push forward to release the front clip.
- If equipped, disconnect the seat control switch electrical connector.
- If removing the outboard driver seat side cushion shield, remove the 3 screws.

4. Remove the inboard front seat cushion side shield.
- For the driver seat, remove the 2 inboard side shield screws.
- For the passenger seat, remove the screw and slide the side shield forward to release the front hook.

5. Remove the wiring harness tie strap and detach the side air bag wiring harness pin-type retainer from the safety belt buckle pretensioner.
6. Disconnect the side air bag module electrical connector and detach it from the seat track.
- Detach the pin-type retainers and wiring harness from the seat cushion.

7. Remove the bolt and position aside the safety belt buckle pretensioner.
- To install, tighten to 40 N.m {4.0 kgf.m, 30 ft.lbf}.

8. If equipped, disconnect the backrest heater mat electrical connector.
Access the electrical connector by slightly pulling the wiring harness out from the backrest trim cover.

9. Disconnect the side air bag electrical connector.
- Route the side air bag wiring harness from between the seat track and cushion frame.

10. Remove the 4 backrest-to-seat track bolts (power seat) or 3 remaining backrest-to-seat track bolts (manual seat) and backrest.
- To install, tighten to 45 N.m {4.5 kgf.m, 33 ft.lbf}.

CAUTION: Make sure the side air bag module wiring harness is not pinched between the side air bag module and the mounting bracket. Damage to the wire harness may occur.

11. To install, reverse the removal procedure
12. Install the front seat and repower the SRS.