How do I Remove Front Car Seats?

The front seats in your car may be either bucket seats or a bench seat. Bucket seating consists of two individual chairs and a bench seat is one continuous seat that spans the passenger compartment. Either way, you will need basic hand tools such as a socket set, ratchet, wrenches, a flat-head screwdriver and a plastic bag. Tools required will vary depending on vehicle make and model of your car.

In some older cars, the seats are bolted directly to the floor; in newer cars, the seats are bolted to a mounting bracket. In any case, four bolts will secure the seat in place, two in the front and two in the rear. Occasionally, the bolts are concealed by decorative plastic caps that can be popped off with a screwdriver.

Adjust the seat if necessary so you can access the bolts. Using the appropriate tool, turn each bolt counterclockwise to loosen and then remove. Repeat this step for each bolt. Place the fasteners inside a plastic bag.

Re-center the seat for removal. If the seat is powered, turn off the ignition and gently unplug the wiring. Carefully tilt the seat to fit through the doorway without scratching the door jam, seat, dash or headliner.

You may have to adjust each seat to allow extra space to remove the bolts. Consider loosening the bolts until they are nearly out to prevent the seat from moving prematurely. Once all of the bolts are loosened, remove them by hand while the seat is in a neutral, stable position.