If I could give this video a thousand stars I would. Mine broke like so many others and Honda really dropped the ball. They said I would have to replace the seats which would be a special order. Thank you for the time and effort and superb step by step guide to fixing the problem. Did mine this afternoon and it work. I studied your video like a manual book. Thanks a million.

I had same problem and found this video through a car forum in Vietnam. The instruction cant not be clearer. I fixed it just within 1 hour. Thank you very much for uploading this useful guidance.

I just fixed my seat with the ties. Last time I had to take it to Honda and it cost me a fortune. Thank you so much, this video was really helpful and easy to follow. problem sorted, free as I already had the zip ties!

A thousand stars for the sharing, manage to fix mine follow the video. The initial “unleash” to fold the seat were tough, the broken piece however jammed the proper movement of the latch. But once the back folded, things all can be done accordingly. One last thing, thanks for the update on “pull up” to remove the plastic cover, the plastic plug can be remove easier via pulling the cover to side and the plastic plug will pops out.

Over 18k views - sure sign to me that Honda dropped the ball with this design. When I stripped mine about a year ago to see what had gone wrong, I was so annoyed by the blatant engineered obsolescence that I refused point blank to even look at it again. So chuffed to find this easy fix - will do it this weekend, thanks for the viddy!

Somebody buy this man a drink! Thank you sir for a great, cheap but very reliable solution to what now seems to be a very common occurrence, and for taking the time and effort to make such a great explanatory video that really helped a guy literally on the other side of the planet!

Your super clear process of explaining and showing (even alternative approaches) how to do something with parts and tools actually available to real people is something most other KZfaq DIYers should be copying. Thanks for all the time and thought you put into that. Now all you need is someone else to hold the camera.

I just fixed both seats after watching this video and it worked perfectly. Your instructions is very clear and concise. Thank you for making this very comprehensive tutorial video; I just saved myself a few hundred dollars. Keep up the good work!

For those who cant figure out the positioning of the piece, listen carefully at 15:15. Dont worry about how the piece is oriented in the back, you cant see it. Just get the metal part behind the assembly so you can thread the zipties thru the holes that he talks about. Do both it loosely at first then tighten. It will snug up into position. Note, i found it easier to remove the whole assembly from the seat, its only 3 bolts.

This is fantastic, thank you so much. Both my latches broke within hours of each other. This is clearly a common problem and should have been covered for free by Honda. Awesome video, really appreciate you going to the trouble of putting this together for everyone.

It was incredibly awkward trying to fit that piece in there, especially since you didnt really show how it fit in place. I ended up unzipping the back of the seatcover (you can see the zipper in your video) and then removing the 3 bolts holding the latching mechanism to the seat back, then disconnecting the pull cables. I took the whole assembly to my bench and then used thin but long (6 inch) zip ties loosely fit to thread thru the holes you described. Then took it back to the car and refit the pull cables. Then I tightened the zipties and reattached the latching mechanism to the seatback with the 3 bolts. Otherwise it was near impossible to get the cables back into the little slots...

Thank you for this great video. I was able to save some bucks with this hack. The only minor limitation is that you won’t be able to push the back seat any further because the tie wire is blocking the hole. Overall this is great!!! 😀

It's been said lots of time, but add my thanks for posting a very fine fix.

Thank you! A very good tutorial even for a non car-oriented person like me. Watched it twice then applied the trick and it worked immediately.

I just bought one of these cars yesterday. And neither side works. THANK YOU for making this video. ❤

After watching this video, I fixed the passenger side latch using the zip ties. I took the time to grease the driver's side which is not broken yet. Looking at the working side the plastic is kind of a lever.cam shape plastic that glides in a small metal pin. The entire thing took less than an hour. Thank you for the video.

Thank you so much for the video and I’ve managed to fix my dad’s CRV right hand side rear seat which has failed after eight years of use and I was able to get it fixed watching your video in about an hour. Thank you

Thank you so much. Took a bit of fiddling around the get the screwdriver trick to work, but the zip tie solution was easy.

Really really really helpful.. Same condition with my 4th gen Crv 2.4, i follow all the steps carefully.. It works.. Thanks a lot from Indonesia

I figured I wasn’t the only one with this problem. Thanks for making this video! This was super helpful!

Dang. Someone must have tried to fix mine previously. The seat won't budge even with the latch completely clear of the hook. I'm glad it's worked for most people.

Just picked up on your video after my local Honda dealer quoted me $620 to repair both my rear seat release latches. The broken plastic part is worth all of $5? yet a full replacement part is required. Reading some of the comments below it's all been said before me, so a massive thank you for sharing your wisdom and easy to follow video. Kind Regards James. Australia

This is a fantastic video.. thank you so much. I was about to take it to someone to try and get it fixed and I thought, I'll just check youtube first. I am so grateful for you sharing your knowledge and experience. Fixed with a cable tie. how amazing!

Thank you so much! I repaired the seats in a 2012 Honda CRV today by following your video tutorial. However, I have a suggestion for improvement. Instead of using zip ties, I recommend using safety wire. Moreover, it is advisable to wear safety glasses during the process to protect the eyes. Although I followed the instructions closely, I faced difficulties in positioning the zip ties correctly, as they kept breaking. Eventually, I switched to safety wire, which was not only stronger but also easier to handle with diagonal cutters and needle nose pliers. By the time I got to the second side, it took me about 30 minutes.

Best video on how to fix this I've seen. I was going to tackle this about a year ago but the parts are very expensive. Thanks a million!

Great video, just did the fix and its all working - interested to see how long it lasts, but at least if its only temporary, its an easy and cost free fix to do again.

a big thank you to you. thanks to your video I was able to solve my problem. I live in France and this is the only video I found. everything is clear, well filmed. the explanations are also very clear. thank you again

Thanks for the tutorial video. Had the same problem but ended up using different method. I remove the broken parts, and use simple steel wire to pull the latch. So far it works, let’s see how it holds.

Thank you so much for this tutorial video. I just bought a 2016 CRV 2 days ago and even though I tested every single thing in it I didn't think about the rear seats. I was very disappointed when I tried to lower the back seats to get some large items in the back and the read seats didn't fold down. I'll have to try this trick over the weekend and fix it. Just a shame that it failed otherwise it would have been the perfect 2nd hand car.

I can't thank you enough for this video. I just did it and it's great. FYI, the Honda company service centre said they don't know what is the problem and they need to do inspection to the seat and then order the parts from Japan because they don't have it and that will cost latterly a fortune. You saved the day

Thank you for putting the time in to make this video. Worked like a charm!

Thank you for the great video, I stay in South Africa, I just fixed my seat with your help

Thank you for detailed explanation! I did not repair my Honda yet, but I am quite sure that this will fix it! Thanks!

Thank you for sharing this , it was really helpful . However in my case both the passenger and drive side back seats were stuck and I opened up both together . N missed which side of latch ( metal part) belongs to where .. so please make a note its written as R and L in latch however , on the latch where R is written it is on the driver side and on latch where L is written It is of Passenger side . It wasted my 15-20minutes as I was fitting other way around but finally made it and all because of your beautiful video . Thanks again

Thank you so much, it works on the newer CRV as well (2020?). A bit of effort but definitely better than going to the workshop 😅

Thanks for this DYI video. The part as of Dec 2022 $171.00 then add your labor to remove and install the new one. Took me 30 minutes and $4.00 for 25 zip ties (cable ties). Enough to fix it 25 more times. I mean come on it took over 10 years for it to break ☺

Thanks this is really helpful and has saved me a lot. Here where I live it costs $100 to get 1 mechanism replaced at Honda service center. I got both seats having the same problem so that’s $200 total. I don’t understand why Honda chose to make that one component out of plastic when the rest of the mechanism are metals. It’s either a very poor design choice or an intentional aftermarket parts sales strategy.

personally, i found it much easier to remove the lock mechanism after removing the plastic cover and undoing the zipper - 3 bolts and it's out and so much easier to fit the cable ties *and* test it p.s. the bit that you move with the screwdriver to release the seat is called the *latch* and the rectangular metal bar bolted to the car is called the *strike*

This is an excellent video with good instructions. After I put the plastic tie wraps on, they stuck when I pulled the handle all the way up. I put some lithium grease on the tie wraps and that seemed to fix the sticking issue.

Thanks so much for this video. Just found out the other day that one side of my CRV back seat won't fold down. Was hoping someone had a solution cause I know the dealership would be expensive.

Thank you Thank you. I am in Jamaica and my seats not folding down when I check Honda Jamaica it would cost lots of money to change parts. after more than a year I watch your video it did not cast me a cent because I had plenty of those zip ties and so it took me a long time but I fix one side per day and they are working fine after over a year. Once again thank you so much.

Thank you for this great video. It really helped me when I was in a hurry to transport furniture today. I will try the zip tie fix too for a longer lasting solution.

Fantastic video! It just happened to my 2012 CRV on 02/24/24. I'll be fixing it very soon.

Worked perfectly on 4th gen. 1.6 Thank you so much!

You are a wallet saver...I can't say enough thank yousssssss for making and sharing this video with us. Probably would have cost me a few hundred bucks here in Australia to get this fixed since we are getting ready to sell this car. I managed to do this within 30 minutes after watching your video a few times and only ended up with a tiny cut on the finger as I tried to refit the metal piece back in. THANK YOU SOOOOOOO MUCH!!!! GOD bless u for your generosity :)

Amazing video thanks. I took all the steps but found removing the 3 bolts holding the mechanism to the seat made tying it so much easier. Also I used hard wire instead of tie wraps great video thanks

I had the same issue and tried the same method of utilizing zip ties to fix the problem. I found it pretty easy to remove the whole catch altogether, so in addition to using zip ties as a temporary fix, I've also ordered a new part. You're right - they aren't cheap! However, after easily removing the catch and seeing how the inner workings of it operated, I surmised that zip ties aren't going to cut it long term: the cables operating the catch system were now being pulled from the prime anchor point at angle - which I don't suppose is how they were designed to work. This places the cables under stress at this anchor point and in time, they may fray and break altogether. Replacing damaged or broken cables could well be another kettle of fish altogether. Just don't understand why Honda would go to the trouble of making a robust catch system that works really well, but then, they incorporate a plastic component into the workings which, besides doing all the hard work, is prone to breaking down at the first opportunity.... unless it's all part of the planned obsolescence regime manufactures incorporate into their products these days.

Great video... very good description! ( suggestion)..... On video, your hand hides our view..... ( ty wraps).... use a needle nose plyers, to help you 'zip' !! Again, good job.... My sister-in-law has the exact problem. Now I will fix it !!

I am facing same issue in my Corolla... Looks lot of work... Lets see how i manage to fix this... But yes your video is really helpful

Hey, Great video! I replaced the lock mechanism at the dealership twice already and it broke again. I'm going to buy some zip ties now

Thank you my Honda Odyssey mini van rear seat has the same issue I will try your technique on it. Since your CRV and my Odyssey both are Hondas it should be the similar concept. Thanks a bunch!

I'm saving this. Really saved me today. Didn't know the magic seat mechanism can fail.

God bless you and your family! It worked. I can tell you're some kind of engineer/ have some kind of engineering background! 😉

Thanks mate! I just had the same problem and your incredibly descriptive video really helps. I'm off to try the fix now (same side as the one you did in the video). Great tip on the thin zip ties, I would have tried big ones too.

Thanks for the video. I just made a few tweaks like using several galvanized wires instead of zipties. Thanks again!

Dude you just saved me a TON of time and effort!!! Now I can move my couch tomorrow 🎉

Thanks! I had to loosen the spring unit to be able to attach the bracket, but this worked well for me 😁😁😁

Thank you so much for sharing the clip I have the same problem, but is on the right side of the backseat that the dealership maintenance screwed me up and denied to fix it

Did this fix a while ago and I can only do 1 ziptie, the bottom hole one. The top ziptie keeps ketting cut when i fold down the seats, did a lot of repositioning and still it cuts the top ziptie. Will see how long the bottom ziptie lasts.. Got the seats folding though. Thanks for this. 😅

I followed the procedure diligently and got success! The only slight departure was that I threaded both the zip ties through the same hole on the shiny small plate. And the reason was that once the small plate got inserted behind the latch and the first zip tie got secured, I just couldn’t locate the second small hole. So I guess two zip ties through the same hole would work just as well. And thus far there has been no problem. Thanks for the lucid explanation.

Thank you for video! Saved my bacon. Explanation was very easy to follow 👍

Great video, but it seemed you left out the part where the little clip gets put behind the latch. Worst part of the whole job. Little ball end kept falling out as I was maneuvering it. Had to zip tie the two cables together to keep the one in place. Getting the ties to go through and tighten didn't go as well for me as in the video. It all worked out, and I thank you for the visuals and the directions.👍

Thanks for great tutorial, good sir! You really saved my money, time, and nerves. Greetings from Łódź, Poland!

Thank you so much for your excellent, comprehensive and useful video tutorial

Same problem here...will be trying this today, thanks for the video!

Your guide is perfect. But unfortunately I couldn't find the part that is connected to the wire at all

Many many thanks! Only took 30 min and problem solved…

Thank you Awkward Hamster by the way. I actually removed the stitches to access this not seeing the zipper access you point out. Just more work now but when or if the zip ties break, I'll use the zipper. I will also take the screen shots of this to Honda parts and give them so proof it's a defective part parenting a recall. Never will I buy Honda again.

Thank you very much.I have used wire instead of cable ties,working perfect.Great video .

Thanks for this amazing tip :) I follow your procedure and it works properly. mMer-in-law is delighted to be able to fold down the seat.

Man you saved me - ingenious method to tackle the problem! Thanks a million.

Thanks very much! Just fixed this problem in 40 minutes, greetings from Australia!

Thanks so much for taking time to make this video. Very thorough, easy to follow and it works!

Hey man, just found your vid after getting the exact same problem. I really appreciate the time and effort you put into it. Many thanks from Darwin, Australia.

Thank you so much. Worked a treat.

@AwkwardHamster .. Another thank you from Australia.. Was tight having to work in that area in somewhat darkness but the struggle was worth it when the levers work again!! Thanks for the effort put in to make this video and the explanation.

I faced with similar situation. Tq for your video. Can we use thin wire instead of strap? Can you explain using straps can replace the white piece of plastic. How the plastic work? TQ

Joining the many to thank you for this one. Well narrated, the video showed every step as necessary. Thanks for the save 😃

Thank you so much for this video. Awesome and helpful!

Thanks for the video, very detailed and great help

Great thanks from France 🇫🇷

this is very usefully video..thank you for your best sharing..hopefully you can make other2 video for crv

Thanks a lot ... It works and amazing , I done that only take half hr 👍👍👍👍..

Thanks i will try it

thank you very much, you solved my problem

Great advice! Works very good.

Thank you so much, I believe mine also would last after 8 years of work time. Can you please tell this fix still works after you uploaded this video?

Awesome video and you saved me $100s. Can't thank you enough mate!

The video and the explanation really really helping, thanks!

Thank you so much!!!! 🙏

Now this is a very helpful tutorial, thanks mate!

Great Video , Thanks so so much for the explanation. Sharing your knowledge makes you a GREAT MAN.

Absolutle champion amigo

Thanks a Lot Guy !

Thanks, this was super helpful and i had it fixed in no time

You're a life saver! Thanks for sharing.

Thx for posting very helpful work around.

Would it be better to reverse the metal plate for more clearance around that latch closing back and forth?

Works like a charm, thank you.

You're great, your video is very good, I've already solved that problem