What's the fix for the Golf rear folding seat release latch?

Went to load a weed whacker in the Golf last weekend and when I pulled on the 60/40 split seat release latch, it was no longer engaged. Just slops about not connected to anything.

Anyone know the fix? How do I unlatch the seat back such that I can troubleshoot it?

Oh...no I haven't looked in Bentley yet!

I just replaced one in my wife's Golf. After breaking the old one out I discovered that the end wasn't broken: the latch was replaced previously as it wasn't the right color. It's like the end just popped out; I suspect had I popped it back in it might have worked, but for how long I don't know: I suspect that the end might have been fatigued- not sure how they fail for/on others. New ones are silly cheap from the dealer. BUT...

Next time this happens I'm going this route (this fix ain't likely going to fail!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYAd-IkVmeg

UhOh said:

I just replaced one in my wife's Golf. After breaking the old one out I discovered that the end wasn't broken: the latch was replaced previously as it wasn't the right color. It's like the end just popped out; I suspect had I popped it back in it might have worked, but for how long I don't know: I suspect that the end might have been fatigued- not sure how they fail for/on others. New ones are silly cheap from the dealer. BUT...

Next time this happens I'm going this route (this fix ain't likely going to fail!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYAd-IkVmeg

Click to expand...

Excellent! Thanks man!

Just an update for future searchers...

I was able to unlatch the seat back from inside the trunk without too much trouble using a flat blade screw driver. Then, since I couldn't get the pull-up handle and housing out of the top of the seat, I left it in the seat top and simply drilled a small hole in the pull handle and threaded a long zip tie through the hole and down to the latch mechanism leaving the head of the zip tie at the top (it can't get through the small hole and acts like the head of a fastener.

It took 5 or 10 minutes of fiddling with screw drivers, needle nose pliers, etc., to get the tongue end of the zip tie to thread into the hole to which the original pull cord resided on the latch mechanism. Once that was threaded through the latch hole, I pulled the zip tie all the way down tight (such that the pull-up latch at the top of the seat back was down in its well) and took the heads off of a couple of other zip ties and used them to cinch up the zip tie nice and tight to the latch mechanism.

That's it. Now when I pull up on the release latch, the catch opens just like new. No slop and nice and firm. Should out last me!

Good job!

Yeah, when I went to remove the failed one in the wife's car it didn't come out without breaking part of the handle. Didn't matter in my case because I had a new one (which was properly color-matched!).

OlyTDI said:

Just an update for future searchers...

I was able to unlatch the seat back from inside the trunk without too much trouble using a flat blade screwdriver.

Click to expand...

Thumbs'-up on the flat blade screwdriver. Always have one on board. (And other essential tools as well.)