Seat Backrest - Front, Without Fold Flat: Disassembly

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2014 Lincoln MKX and 2014 Ford Edge. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

WARNING: Always carry a live airbag with the deployment door, trim cover or tear seam pointed away from the body. Do not place a live airbag down with the deployment door, trim cover or tear seam facing down. Failure to follow these instructions may result in serious personal injury in the event of an accidental deployment.

WARNING: Never probe the electrical connectors on airbag, Safety Canopy or side air curtain assemblies. Failure to follow this instruction may result in the accidental deployment of these assemblies, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death.

WARNING: Front seat backrest trim covers installed on seats equipped with seat side airbags cannot be repaired. A new trim cover must be installed. Cleaning is permissible. Failure to follow these instructions may result in the seat side airbag deploying incorrectly and increase the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

WARNING: If the seat side airbag cover has been damaged or separated from its mounting, or if the airbag material has been exposed, install a new seat side airbag assembly. Never try to repair the seat side airbag assembly. Failure to follow these instructions may result in the seat side airbag deploying incorrectly, which increases the risk of serious personal injury or death in a crash.

NOTE: The air bag warning indicator illuminates when the correct Restraints Control Module (RCM) fuse is removed and the ignition is ON.

NOTE: The Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) must be fully operational and free of faults before releasing the vehicle to the customer.

All seats

Remove the front seat backrest. For additional information, refer to SEAT BACKREST - FRONT .
NOTE: The seat backrest trim cover and foam pad have been removed to show the backrest trim panel retainers.

Remove the backrest trim panel.
1. Release the 2 pin-type retainers at the bottom of the backrest trim panel.
2. Slide the backrest trim panel down to release the upper clips.
3. Turn the backrest trim panel to release the middle clips and remove the backrest trim panel.
  
  Fig 1: Identifying Backrest Trim Panel And Pin-Type Retainers
  Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
NOTE: Lower outer J-clips are unfastened to show inner J-clips.

Release the backrest trim cover outer and inner J-clips.

Fig 2: Locating Backrest Trim Cover And J-Clips
Courtesy of FORD MOTOR CO.
Push the release button in on each of the head restraint guide sleeves and remove the head restraint.
Pull out and remove the 2 head restraint guides.
- Discard the secondary head restraint guide.
  - For assembly, install a new secondary head restraint guide.
NOTE: When installing, make sure the side air bag module wiring harness is not pinched between the side air bag module and the backrest frame or damage to the wiring harness can occur.

NOTE: When installing the side air bag module, new bolts must be installed.

Remove the side air bag module.
1. Remove and discard the 2 side air bag module bolts.
  - For assembly, install 2 new bolts and tighten to 23 Nm (17 lb-ft).
2. Remove the side air bag module with wire harness.
  - Detach any side air bag module wire harness retainers.
NOTE: Use care when separating the backrest trim cover from the hook-and-loop strips, or the hook-andloop strips can be torn from the backrest foam pad.

NOTE: A new heater mat will come attached on a new foam pad.

Remove the backrest trim cover from the backrest foam pad in the following sequence.
1. Invert the backrest trim cover in an inside-out fashion to the wire in the backrest trim cover attached to the clips in the backrest foam pad.
  - Separate the hook-and-loop strips.
2. Separate the backrest trim cover wire from the clips in the backrest foam pad.
  - If equipped with climate controlled seats, on assembly make sure the climate control seat manifold is in place before snapping the backrest trim cover wire back into the backrest foam pad clips.
3. Remove the backrest trim cover.
Separate the backrest frame from the backrest foam pad.
- If equipped with climate controlled seats, on assembly make sure there is no air gap between the backrest TED and the backrest foam pad.
If equipped, separate the wire harness pin-type retainer from the backrest frame, release the 3 clips and remove the TED .
If equipped, remove the power lumbar assembly in the following sequence.
1. Disconnect the power lumbar motor.
2. Release the power lumbar assembly clip at the top of the backrest frame.
3. Slide the lumbar wire frame up and out at the bottom of the backrest frame.
4. Remove the power lumbar assembly.
If equipped, release the manual lumbar hooks from the backrest frame, route out the manual lumbar cable and remove the manual lumbar assembly.
Seats with power recline
NOTE: The recliners are synchronized. Avoid rotating the recliner shaft until fully installed to keep the recliners synchronized.

Remove the power recline motor in the following sequence.
1. Remove the clip from the torque shaft on the power recline motor side.
2. Slide out and remove the torque shaft.
3. Remove the power recline motor bolt.
  - To install, tighten to 8 Nm (71 lb-in).
4. Disconnect and remove the power recline motor.
NOTE: Manual recliners are only serviced with the backrest frame. Do not remove the bolts retaining the manual recliners to the backrest frame.

NOTE: To install a new power recliner, using the torque shaft, rotate both recliners to their front or rear stop.

Remove the 4 bolts and the inboard and outboard power recliners.
- To install, tighten to 50 Nm (37 lb-ft).
All seats
To assemble, reverse the disassembly procedure.