Nickerz

Anyone fool around with this yet? Is it the same for the C32's? On page 256 of the car manual it explains how folding the backrest forward works, however, I'm not sure the engineers fully thought this one through, at least without possible damage to the leather...

After unlocking the release handle (in the back trunk) and then in the back seat, the manual tells you to fold the SEAT CUSHION up and then fold the BACKREST down. However, when doing this, I have to slide my front seat forward so that the BACKREST'S HEADREST will clear the back of the SEAT CUSHION folded up.

Everyone still with me?

So I did this but then when I tried sliding my front seat rearward, it starts to CRUNCH the BACKREST'S HEADREST that is butted up against the SEAT CUSHION. I stopped only b/c I noticed this but the seat will continue going back if I wanted to. Did the engineers see this? I'm afraid to move the front seats further back (to my normal driving position), not knowing if it can cause damage to the BACKREST'S HEADREST. So I stopped!

After lifting up the BACKREST (not the SEAT CUSHION - just the BACKREST) there were these big indentations from it resting against the moldings that lay underneath the SEAT CUSHION when the BACKREST is lifted up. I'm sure if left like this for a long time that it would leave these indentations in the seat. Hmmmmm?

Last, I noticed that you can simply release ONLY the folding BACKREST without folding the SEAT CUSHION up, but when I tried doing this I noticed the middle seatbelt that sticks straight up creates an indentation in the leather of the BACKREST. So I'm sure after a prolonged period of time this could be bad for the BACKREST and I'm wondering if it would be a permanent mark if left like this for a long time.

Anyone else look at this closely? I can be a little ****-retentive but to me this whole process just didn't seem to be all that smooth without leaving bad indentations to the NAPA LEATHER. Am I missing something? Curious to know what ya guys/gals think.

Thanks,
Nick

PS I hope I was clear in trying to explain my concerns!

rguy

The point is never to lower your backrest without doing two things first. (1) cover the backseat with a blanket before lowering the backrest. (2) Make the seat more upright rather than more forward when driving.

The c55 is not a tow vehicle or an SUV. The folding rear backrests are meant as something to use in a pinch, not for regular use.

I hope this helps.

vitaman

Seems crazy that they would include this feature and then make it hazardous to the seat materials. I would think that if you used it according to the manual and it damaged the leather, they would be responsible for replacing it.

rguy

Bottom line, if it happened on your first try, then that is one thing. However, if you know about the problem and do it anyway, then you deserve what you get. You can easily work around the "problem".

rguy

P.S.

I have yet to see a vehicle ranging from a Saturn Vue to a Porsche Cayenne Turbo that doesn't have this same exact "feature" perform in exactly the same way with exactly the same results.

rbaker

Were your headrests in their lowest & folded position? I tried this at the dealer when I bought it & the seats could be lowered without hitting the fronts if careful. You just better not be very tall & have to move the front seats too far rearward after loading cargo. There are several details on this car that don't seem as well sorted as my previous BMW's, yet they do other things better.