I am a new member of DodgeForum.com. I bought my 05 Dakota Quad-Cab 4x4 Laramie new in late 2004. It has a few faults, but I am generally happy with it.

Recently, I was putting something in the back seat when I slipped and pushed against the back of the front seat. The back jumped forward to about a 45 degree angle, and now I cannot get it to go back to a normal position. The truck is not drivable since the seat back is just inches from the steering wheel.

The power seat still works fine. The mechanism for moving the back of the seat does not work at all now.

Has anyone faced this problem? Any clues about how to fix it? Can anyone point me at seat mechanical diagrams? Any ideas appreciated...

 

Sounds like you broke the gear on the inside of the seat, or pushed it beyond its limits.

I looked through the service manual and they have no diagrams of the seat mechanism.

I think your only options are to pull the seat cover off, or see if you can just force it back.

 

If I were you, I would just brute strength it! lol

 

I had the same problem...I fixed it by removing seats, and then used a crow-bar to persuade the lever-side of the mechanism to move slightly while working the release lever. I had determined that the side with the spring was not stuck by wiggling the crowbar at the back hinge and it compressed the spring slightly, did the same to the lever side it didn't want to budge...but with working the lever and juggling with the crowbar it released. apparently the rod end had gone too far backward when the seat was pushed forward, and the lock system had somehow blocked the return of the rod when trying to bring back to sitting position. with lots of wd40 such was able to get the rod back in position and it now functions as it should with out breaking anything

 

Had the same issue. Torched the seat Bolts to get them out and then beat the **** out of it. Nothing. Wouldn’t budge. Beat the **** out of the pin and that seemed to do the trick. That and lots of pb penetrating oil.