How to repair a rear seat strap

So one day I get in my truck and notice that the pull strap is missing! I looked on TacomaWorld, Google, and YouTube and found a variety of solutions. After a couple of hours, I was able to gain access and replace the missing strap.
Please note that the release rod on the driver side is different from the one on the passenger side. The driver side is a semi-closed Y-shape best handled by a coat hanger. The passenger side is flat and straight, allowing for a hemostat (or needle-nose pliers) to reach in and pull the rod.
I found it difficult to work with the backing, even with the front passenger seat positioned fully forward, so I used a 14 mm socket wrench to remove the bolts from the bottom of the rear seat. This allowed me to take the seat back out of the truck to work on it.
The plastic tabs are delicate, so take care and be patient when removing them.
Next, you will find a fabric liner. I was able to bend the loop on the end of the retaining rod only so much, so I had to use bolt cutters to nip off the end. No worries, now you have complete access!
I fed a shoelace through the hole in the rod and tied it several times before looping it through the access hole and braiding it for increased grip-ability.
The retaining rod kept snagging the fabric when I reinserted it, so I used a screwdriver to keep the hole patent.
Good luck!

 

You have NO IDEA how glad I found this post! I bought my truck 2.5 month ago and have been going nuts!

 

You know how many members will be happy you used the search function…lol!

 

Members? My girlfriend is as she is tired of hearing about my truck and is willing to put out. Ha
The write-up and pictures taken had been the key.

 

Thanks for posting this!!! What a nightmare of a failure! Never mind the complex fix! I flip down the rear seats every time I go camping, fly-fishing or hunting so I can lock everything securely inside; not worried so much about theft: it's BEARS that are the main PIA/concern. It would be a major game-changing disaster for me if my truck experienced this before or during a trip. Documenting the fix here is BIG! Mine is working fine currently, but if nothing else, it will change how I operate that release loop when folding down the seat back going forward in the future: i.e., less force pulling the release and lot more gently.