Does anyone know a source for a track lock for the seat rails? I had them years ago, but can’t find one today. These were a small piece of metal you’d lock in the seat tracks, preventing it from moving past a certain point, very much like the locks for sliding patio doors in your house.
I have a pet barrier in my car. For some reason, mechanics shove the seat all the way rearward, and the barrier is knocked loose. It’s inconvenient and damages the headliner. I want to prevent this in my new car. Maybe they are no longer made or I’m using the wrong term?
They were also useful to keep your significant other, or your kids, from driving your car.
I have never seen such a product. If you don’t want your passenger seat slid back by mechanics, leave a note on the seat when you take it in for service.
Just how hard is it to remove before taking the vehicle to a mechanic . And how often do you need to have it in a shop anyway. Seat lock sounds like a solution that will make a minor problem into a major one.
Are these power seats? If so, doing what you describe could damage the motor.
Keeping a laminated sign on hand that you put on the instrument panel each time seems like an easy solution. If the mechanic can’t follow those instructions, then that might be a sign that you want to go elsewhere.
However, have you considered that the mechanic is doing this so that he or she can drive your car safely? Perhaps in the lot the seat could be left in your position, but this wouldn’t be reasonable for anything involving a test drive.
Others: Thanks, I do use a sign and have it in my dealer’s printout. That helped some. These are not power seats, the mechanic does not need the seat back that far, it’s 30 minutes to R&R the unit (kneeling in the driveway, usually in the rain), and he can safely drive the car. I am 5’ 11" but can’t reach the pedals. The car is serviced 4 times a year. Last time the seat was shoved back, it broke the barrier and ripped the seat.
I just don’t want that to happen with the new car. I’m thinking no one makes these any longer. They used to be handy for 2 drivers before people “needed” the $2000 optional seat. One set goes in front, the other behind. Slide to the bump and it’s adjusted.
Since it is not a power seat take a drill & drill a hole right behind where you keep the seat & put a bolt & nut so the seat can’t go back any farther,
Oil changes recommended every 3 months. Are you using pre-1970’s oil. or are you actually putting on the mileage that quickly. I had a delivery type job that required an oil change about every 6 weeks due to mileage. I just haven’t heard of a 3 month time interval in years.
Yep. The factory called for 5K changes, but they were
recommending 3K. It cost me nothing except 90 minutes.
They were frustrated b/c nothing was ever wrong, just
maintenance. It was over 16K in the last 3 years. Front pads wore
out at 140K and $300/labor after 180K… so it was worth
maintaining. (At 190K, I passed it to a relative.) Not bad for a
2005 Neon, that cost $10K new.
I can tell you this, I only got to 6’ 3" but most of it is legs. If I could not get the seat back on a Neon, I could not pull it into the shop because I would not be able to get my foot up on the brake pedal.
