A Toyota Sienna is an excellent family minivan that can fit many people. But what if you need extra storage space? Can you remove the seats of the Sienna? With the help of automotive experts, we will help you determine that.
Yes, you can remove both the 2nd-row and 3rd-row seats of the new Toyota Sienna models. However, it may take some time and effort to remove the 2nd-row seating since Toyota said these seats are "non-removable."
A cause for Toyota to say that the 2nd-row seats are "non-removable" may be because airbags are in the backrest. For more information about the Toyota Sienna, keep reading below.
Removing The 3rd-Row Seats Of The Toyota Sienna
Removing the 3rd-row seats of the Toyota Sienna is possible, but it will be more challenging than other vehicles with 3rd-row seats in which you can slide in and out. Toyota designed the 3rd-row seats of the Sienna to be stationary; that's why it will take time and effort to remove.
You'll have to disassemble the whole seat to be able to remove the 3rd-row seating. Note that the 3rd-row seats of the Toyota Sienna are a 40/60 split but will be similar in disassembling.
Pry tools and a 12mm socket are needed to disassemble the seats. Here are the steps you need to follow to remove the 3rd-row seats:
- Remove the plastic cover that runs across the bottom of the seats; you can access this through the storage area.
- Remove the second plastic cover located above the first plastic cover. You'll need to pry out the bottom part of this cover, and the upper part you'll have to slide out.
- Disconnect or unclip any wires connected or running through the seat.
- Remove the bolts holding the bracket to the seat. However, you can remove the seats with only the bottom bolts removed; it's best to remove this altogether to avoid it getting in your way when removing the seats.
- Remove the third plastic cover in the middle of the second plastic cover here; you'll find two more nuts that you must also remove.
- Unclip any wire harness from the black metal plate on the floor.
- Bundle up all the wires; you can hide them behind the carpet.
- Make sure everything is disconnected; if everything seems good, you can remove the 3rd-row seats without any problem.
Check out this Tresalto pry tool on Amazon.
Removing The 2rd-Row Seats Of The Toyota Sienna
Removing the 2nd-row seats will be more tricky than the 3rd-row seats since these seats have an airbag in them. Improperly removing the 2nd-row seats may cause the airbags to trigger.
Tools you'll need for removing the 2nd-row seats are a pry tool, a 10mm socket, and a 17mm socket with an extension. Below are the steps you'll need to follow to remove the 2nd-row seats properly.
- The first step is to remove or disconnect the 12-volt lead acid battery located on the right side of the storage area(you need to do this to deactivate the airbags on the seats). Push on the two tabs to open the compartment; disconnect the negative terminal when you can access the battery.
- Position the seat in the middle; you can access the seat from inside and outside the vehicle. It is also a good idea to fold the seats and remember to lock their seats to avoid them from moving around.
- Now remove the plastic covers. At the back of the 2nd-row seats, you'll find two plastic pieces at the bottom of each side which you can pry off using your pry tool. There is also a plastic cover at the front, which you can pry out, exposing the connector for the airbag.
- Time to disconnect the airbags (this is a good time to double-check if the battery is disconnected). Now disconnect the two airbag connectors and remove the bolts from the front and back using the 17mm socket.
- Once you remove the bolts and the connectors disconnected, you can now remove the seat from the vehicle. Note that the rails will still be there. You can slide the rails by pressing the lever; it is better to leave them in since they are more trouble to remove than the seats.
- Lastly, connect the negative terminal back to the battery. If your power doors don't work after reconnecting the battery, press the power door off button and manually close all the doors, cycle through the locks, and turn the power doors back on.
If removing the Toyota Sienna's seats may seem tedious, this is because Toyota designed the seats to pace only on the vehicle or folded up. Remember to double-check all the steps you are doing to avoid any problems.
Check out this YouTube video of the Toyota Sienna's 2nd-row seat being removed:
Do Toyota Sienna Seats Slide?
Yes, the Toyota Sienna does have sliding seats. The sliding seats of the Toyota Sienna are only available for the 2nd-row seats. Sliding seats are great since they allow a wide arrange of configurations, such as moving them forward for more space at the rear or moving them backward for more space in the middle.
But the primary purpose of the sliding seats is to gain access to the 3rd-row seats. You'd typically slide the 2nd-row seats forward so the passengers can reach the vehicle's rear.
Is The Toyota Sienna Good For Road Trips?
The Toyota Sienna is an excellent vehicle for a road trip, especially with family or multiple people. First of all, the Toyota Sienna can fit up to 7 or 8 people, depending on the trim. with the seating design, all 7 to 8 seats can comfortably fit adults.
Another is the amount of room and little bits of storage you have inside the Sienna. The Sienna is a spacious vehicle, a great feature when going on long trips since the car won't feel cramped. You also have a lot of spaces where you can store some of your belongings, such as bottles, bags, phones, and more.
The Sienna also has a decent range of 36 mpg when on the highway. A vehicle with a more extended range is excellent since you don't have to refuel as frequently, and you may even save money on gas. The option for an AWD also helps with driving on harsher roads.
A combination of these significant features makes the Toyota Sienna an excellent vehicle for road trips. If you want to maximize the storage space, it's best to have the 3rd-row seats folded down to fit more bags and belongings.
Is The New Toyota Sienna Smaller Than The Older Model?
A vehicle's size matters. The new Toyota Sienna is larger compared to the previous generation, both in exterior and interior. The latest Sienna has an exterior width of 78.5 inches, a height of 69.7 inches, and a length of 203.7 inches.
The previous generation of the Toyota Sienna has an exterior width of 78.1 inches, a height of 70.7 inches, and a length of 200.6 inches. As you can see, the external measurements of the new Toyota Sienna make it a larger vehicle.
Some vehicles may be larger on the outside but are smaller on the inside. In the case of the new Toyota Sienna, the interior has a total passenger volume of 159 cubic feet; for the previous generation, you have 164.4 cubic feet.
Though the older generation of the Sienna has a larger passenger volume, the new Sienna has a 1 to 3-inch advantage in the passenger's head, leg, shoulder, and hip room. These few inches may not seem a lot, but adding all the additional room to the new Sienna is a lot.
On paper, the new Toyota Sienna is bigger. It may not be a lot, but it does make a difference in the comfort of the passengers. When it comes to the exterior, it is not that noticeable, and the two generations will look very similar.
Closing
The seats of the Toyota Sienna do not have a quick detach feature like other vehicles; in other words, you'll have to disassemble the seats manually. To avoid triggering the airbags, you'll have to ensure the battery is not connected when removing the 2nd-row seats.
For more Sienna topics and tips, check out the following posts: