GM Service Manual Online
For 1990-2009 cars only

Bucket Seats Second Row

If your vehicle has bucket seats, the seatbacks can be reclined, the seats can be folded for additional cargo space, or folded and tumbled for easy entry and exit to the third row seats, if your vehicle has them. These seats will have either the manual fold and tumble feature or the automatic seat release fold and tumble feature.

Reclining Seatbacks

To recline the seatback, do the following:


    Object Number: 1677341  Size: B3
  1. Lift the lever located on the outboard side of the seat.
  2. Move the seatback to the desired position, then release the lever to lock the seatback in place.
  3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

To return the seatback to an upright position, do the following:

  1. Lift the lever fully without applying pressure to the seatback and the seatback will return to the upright position.
  2. Caution: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

  3. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

Manual Fold and Tumble Feature

Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s)

To fold and tumble the seat, do the following:

  1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.
  2. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.


    Object Number: 1677341  Size: B3
  3. Lift the lever, located on the outboard side of the seat, to release the seatback.

  4. Object Number: 1657631  Size: B3
  5. The seatback will fold forward. Leaving the seatback in this position creates a flat load floor.
  6. If the seatback cannot fold flat, try moving the front seat forward and/or put the front seatback in the upright position.


    Object Number: 1657634  Size: A3

    Lift the lever again to release the rear of the seat from the floor. The seat will tumble forward.

Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position

To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following:

  1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the floor.
  2. Caution: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

  3. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats

Caution: Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place.

To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats, if your vehicle has them:

  1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.
  2. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.


    Object Number: 1677317  Size: A3

    Lift the lever, located on the bottom rear of the second row seat on the inboard side, to release the seatback. The seatback will fold forward.

  3. Lift the lever again to release the rear of the seat from the floor. The seat will tumble forward.

Power Release Fold and Tumble Feature

The transmission must be in (P) Park for this feature to work.

Folding and Tumbling the Seat(s)

Caution: Automatically folding and tumbling the seat when someone is sitting in the seat, could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always make sure there is no one sitting in the seat before pressing the automatic seat release button.

To fold and tumble the seat, do the following:

  1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.
  2. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

    Overhead Console Buttons shown


    Object Number: 1683148  Size: A2

    From the front seats, press one of the automatic seat release buttons located on the overhead console.

  3. When accessing the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, from the outside of the vehicle, press the button on the panel behind either rear door.
  4. One press of the button automatically folds the seatback flat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat.

Returning the Seat(s) to the Sitting Position

To return the seat to the sitting position, do the following:

  1. Pull the seat down until it latches to the floor. The seatback cannot be raised if the seat is not latched to the floor.
  2. Caution: If either seatback is not locked, it could move forward in a sudden stop or crash. That could cause injury to the person sitting there. Always push and pull on the seatbacks to be sure they are locked.

  3. Lift the seatback and push it rearward. Push and pull on the seatback to make sure it is locked.

Folding and Tumbling the Second Row Seat(s) from the Third Row Seats or Outside

Caution: Using the third row seating position while the second row is folded, or folded and tumbled, could cause injury in a sudden stop or crash. Be sure to return the seat to the passenger seating position. Push and pull on the seat to make sure it is locked into place.

To fold and tumble the seat from the third row seats, if your vehicle has them, do the following:

  1. Make sure that there is nothing under, in front of, or on the seat.
  2. Notice: Folding a rear seat with the safety belts still fastened may cause damage to the seat or the safety belts. Always unbuckle the safety belts and return them to their normal stowed position before folding a rear seat.

    Driver's Side Rear Panel Button shown


    Object Number: 1683185  Size: A2

    Press the automatic seat release button located on the panel behind the rear doors.

  3. One press of the button automatically folds the seatback flat and tumbles the seat forward. There will be a slight delay between the folding of the seatback and the tumbling of the seat.