How can I remove the passenger seat when the key will not work?

[Poasttown]

My key will not unlatch the rear seat on my 2019 F3L. I have removed the seat many times, but now, when I push the key in and turn it right, it does not unlatch. I placed my hand on the key switch under the tupperware and can feel the cable moving. I think I know approximately where the latch is located under the seat, but I can’t see it. I have completed all the suggestions I could find by searching with no success. There were a few similar threads in the past, but for some reason, I didn’t see any mention of what they did to actually get the seat unlatched. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks
Poasttown
2019 F3L

 

[Gwolf]

Might help to bump down on the seat while trying to turn the key. I kept working with it on mine until I got it off. Then I put a piece of cable with a loop on the seat release and stuffed it up under the right side of the seat. Trying to unlock a seat with a cable system and using a small key to turn it is not very good engineering. I have eliminated all the key operated cables on my 2019.

 

[djh3]

I haven't had any issues with the seat yet, but the frunk seems to have a mind of its own.

 

[Gwolf]

The cable operated by the ignition key system is terrible engineering. It over-complicates something that could have plenty of very simple solutions. The real problem is when you do have one of the compartments or the seat hang up and refuse to unlock, then you have to find a way of getting in so that you can fix it, or worse, make it work again, which will only lead to it failing again at a bad time. Worse case is breaking the key used to start the bike while trying to get it to turn the cable operated locks. The way to fix this is to get rid of the cables before they cause problems. Then you won't have to deal with trying to get a sticky cable lock to open.

Yes, there are cable operated hood latches and trunk latches on cars and trucks. Maybe BRP thought they could imitate those on the Spyders? The difference is, the hood latch and trunk latch systems on four wheelers don't use the ignition key to open them. They can & do put large, lever operated devices to pull the cables. If you think the engineers know more than the people who have to use these devices, or the mechanics who have to work on these devices, then you've never worked for a large corporation that hired junior engineers straight out of college. They know what is in the books, but have no clue how the world really works... or sometimes doesn't work. Not saying all engineers are bad, but there are good engineers and bad engineers, plus a few clueless ones - just like any other profession!

 

[Poasttown]

What would a BRP dealer mechanic do in this case. Surely there is some access to the latch under this seat.

Poasttown
2019 F3L

 

[Peter Aawen]

What would a BRP dealer mechanic do in this case. Surely there is some access to the latch under this seat.

Poasttown
2019 F3L

Probably nothing that hasn't already been suggested here &/or on the Forum somewhere!!

There is no trick, no easy access or an easy way around this - in fact, in most cases that I'm personally aware of, the BRP Dealer mechanics I know of locally who have had someone ask them to try and fix this sorta locked frunk/trunk/seat thing didn't even TRY any of the suggestions here, they just said, and I'll quote particular one of them as close to verbatim as I can recall:

"****! That's stuffed. You're going to need at least a new seat, a new locking mechanism, likely a new ignition unit & keys cos I might break that getting the cable out so you'll need to replace that; and I can't promise that I can get in without breaking some of your tupperware too, so it's going to be VERY expensive for you!" ​

Nope, not joking at all!! The dealer that ^ tech worked for has since gone out of business and another place has opened up/been awarded the State Franchise for Can Am on road; but the techs the new place had were no better, just less up-front about who they thought would end up paying... Oh, and I said 'had' there on purpose, as I believe that 'new' dealer has also recently been passed into Administration!

I truly hope you don't need to take it to a dealer!

 

[Gwolf]

It may help if the seat has the passenger grab rail on it to take that off or loosen it as much as you can. That will give more wiggle room to work the seat loose. The seat latch is a pin on the seat that sticks into hole on the latch mechanism under the seat, and attached to the frame. the cable pulls a small lever over when it unlatches. The pin that is on the seat has a smaller diameter cut near the end of it. The cable supposed to pull the lever piece back to move it out of the depression in the pin.

Removing the grab rail completely might let the seat move enough to push or hook the lever part enough to release it.

Go to https://www.spyderlovers.com/threads/seat-release.117792/
There is pictures of the seat release mechanism as well as some more solutions fore eliminating the key cable system.

Also see; https://www.spyderlovers.com/threads/secondary-frunk-release.113189/

Edit - I brought the pictures of the seat latch mechanism forward. Leaving a copy here where it will be easier to find. This shows the emergency pull ring to open the seat in case it will not unlatch with the key. I disconnected my cable to the key and use only the cable and ring stuck up under the edge of the seat.

. . . . . .

 

[blacklightning]

This seat latch has been an ongoing issue. I still have not gotten the one on my 2016 F3L free. But I have also not taken too much time to tinker with it. I can get one side up enough to check the rear air bladder pressure and that has been enough for me. But once i do take the time to really attempt to get it off, an axilary cable will be put into place.

 

[Poasttown]

Well after about four hours of work I still can’t remove my rear seat.
So I suppose I will not remove it. This eliminates access to some electronics, I think the tool kit, and adding a backrest and what ever else is under there.

I used a borescope camera to see the latch under the seat but didn’t have any success. The camera did show me that there is a straight shot to the metal seat latch bolt which will allow me to inset a hacksaw blade to cut the bolt in half. So for now I am done with this and maybe it will begin working on its own. If for some reason I “must” remove the seat I will just cut the bolt.

I plan to share this with my dealer at some point but based on posted comments I’m not expecting a “yes there is a procedure for this” comment.

Thanks to all who commented.

Poasttown
2019 F3L

 

[Gwolf]

Well after about four hours of work I still can’t remove my rear seat.
So I suppose I will not remove it. This eliminates access to some electronics, I think the tool kit, and adding a backrest and what ever else is under there.

I used a borescope camera to see the latch under the seat but didn’t have any success. The camera did show me that there is a straight shot to the metal seat latch bolt which will allow me to inset a hacksaw blade to cut the bolt in half. So for now I am done with this and maybe it will begin working on its own. If for some reason I “must” remove the seat I will just cut the bolt.

I plan to share this with my dealer at some point but based on posted comments I’m not expecting a “yes there is a procedure for this” comment.

Thanks to all who commented.

Poasttown
2019 F3L

Don't give up yet. If you can see the lock bolt and get a hacksaw blade on it, then you can see the part of the lever the cable is attached to sticking up too. If a hacksaw blade will go in there and have enough room to work, then a wire coat hanger with a hook bent into the end of it will go in there too and pull the lever enough to release the seat. See the pictures I put up there..... the center hole is what the locking pin goes in. The piece with the return spring and the cable attached is what you need to hook and pull. If you are working from the other side of it, use a thin piece of flat bar and push on the lever. Moving the lever toward the cable is what releases it.