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Westy: Rear seat won't unlatch
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Dauntae
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 9:05 pm    Post subject: Westy: Rear seat won't unlatch Reply with quote

I have a 1989 Westfalia camper and after returning from a recent camping trip, I now cannot open the latch to get access to the storage compartment under the rear bench seat. Something is preventing the exterior pull handle from coming out far enough to release the hook in the storage compartment.
Any suggestions as to what has happened?
I need to get it opened since I have my Bentley manual, tools, battery cables and other necessities in there.

Thanks
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Rhinoculips
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PostPosted: Sat Jun 19, 2010 10:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I had this happen once. It ended up that I put something under the bench that was slightly to high and added enough pressure on the latch to add resistance. This was a few years ago. IIRC, I either pushed or pulled on the lower bench forward/backward. After that, I disabled the latch. Couldn't figure out a reason to have it anyway. No mo probs now.

If that doesn't work, would unscrewing the mounts over the engine compartment help????
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BushChicken
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

While pulling on the latch, push on the 'wall' and pull on the bench seat.

It also sometimes helps to push down on the bench seat.

It's easy if you have seven hands Laughing
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Ahwahnee
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:53 am    Post subject: Re: Access to the storage compartment under the rear bench s Reply with quote

westywong wrote:
...Something is preventing the exterior pull handle from coming out far enough to release the hook...


Maybe I'm losing it (I'd be the last to know) but my recollection is that I pull UP on that handle, not OUT.

Perhaps we're talking about the same action and just have a different POV and (as suggested) something is jammed under there causing the works to bind.

Interesting idea about removing the latch altogether, I agree is hardly seems necessary.
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ashafer
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 2:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember this happening too. I had it crammed full of stuff. Take your rear cushion out (over the engine compartment) and there should be a space big enough to get your hand in under the bench seat. I think at the time a had one of the tables under there and it had jammed the locking mechanism. I just reached in there and rearranged some stuff as best I could and it opened just fine after that.
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Dauntae
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 4:19 pm    Post subject: Access to the storage compartment under the rear bench seat Reply with quote

Thanks everyone! I used the suggested technique from BushChicken to get it open. I have since removed the latch to prevent it from happening again.
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Belladonna30c
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PostPosted: Sun Jun 20, 2010 8:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

My technique for a similar problem that has nothing to do with how much stuff is in the compartment is to sit on the center portion of the bench seat and then pull on the latch to release it.
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gchristensen
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PostPosted: Wed Nov 27, 2013 10:32 am    Post subject: bench latch. Reply with quote

I know this is an old thread but here is a solution that I have found. I have found that if you adjust the depth of the latch. By this if you bend the catch to adjust the point that the latch engages it will become trouble free. I had this problam when I made a new face out of 3/4 ply instead of the original.
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Paulbeard
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 14, 2015 11:22 am    Post subject: Opposite problem: seat doesn't latch Reply with quote

There is something misaligned but without getting inside, I can't see what it is. The latch will close and the pull knob sits flush until I drop the seat, then the knob pops out. The seat seems to sit on the base fine. Not sure if this is a common problem with known solution, nothing turned up in a search.
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OldSpice
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BushChicken wrote:
While pulling on the latch, push on the 'wall' and pull on the bench seat.

It also sometimes helps to push down on the bench seat.

It's easy if you have seven hands Laughing


TY. I had too much stuff in my
Bench and I couldn’t figure out the right recipe of angles to get this out... defeated at 1 am and tired AF I found this thread through google search and now I’m peacefully laying horizontal.
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