Berlingo Multispace Rear Seat Removal

[AWED]

Hi,

 

I have a '59 plate Berlingo Multispace 1.6 VTR. I was distinctly disgruntled to learn that, despite what the salesman assured me, the rear seats do not clip out on this model. However, folding them forward and taking a gander, it looks like they can be taken out if some bolts are removed.

 

BUT

 

On the single seat, I found that 2 of the 4 bolts are TORX (T-30) and 2 are something else. On the double seat, 1 bolt is TORX and 5 are the same something else.

 

I think the "something else" bolts might be "polydrive" or "ribe" bolts, but I am not sure. Pressing some blu-tack into the bolt head shows it to be something like a hex bolt (but a 5mm hex spanner does not really fit, and certainly does not undo them) but with fine ridges along the edges of the hexagonal shape.

 

Has anyone else encountered this mixture of bolts? Can anyone confirm that the "other" bolts need a "Ribe" wrench?

 

Why does this random mixture of bolts not fill me with confidence.....

 

Cheers!

[AWED]

Here is a picture of what the mystery bolt heads look like, made by squashing a piece of Blu-Tack into the bolt head (so it's inverted, of course).

 

There are two shots of the mystery bolt, plus the impressions made by a 5mm hex, a T30 TORX and a 5mm RIBE spanner - as you can see, none match.

 

WHAT IS THIS DAMNED BOLT! I have 7 of these holding in my rear seats (plus 3 TORX ones), this a one month old car, they must have been factory fitted!

 

http://www.helenkitson.com/mysterybolt_1.jpg

 

http://www.helenkitson.com/mysterybolt_2.jpg

 

http://www.helenkitson.com/hex_torx_ribe.jpg

 

HELP! This is driving me - excuse the pun - nuts!

 

Cheers!

[AWED]

I've now tried hex (Allen), TORX, RIBE and Spline keys and none fit. So far, £30 spent and no joy.

 

Someone must have seen these bolts before, even it it's some weird Citrroen /PSA proprietary thing!

 

Oh well, off to the dealer, just to undo some bolts for me and replace them with standard TORX ones. I have a nasty feeling they will take one look at them and go "wot's that bolt? never seen one of them before....."

[AWED]

Took car to Citroen dealers....mechanic spent 10 minutes and was unable to identify or remove the offending bolts. No-one there had ever seen any like them.

 

And this on a brand new car.

 

Not impressed. What are Citroen up to? What if those bolts have been used elsewhere?

[AWED]

YEEEEHHHHHHAAAAHHHHHH!

 

I have the answer. Or rather, I now know the question was irrelevant.

 

Returning the car to the dealership I bought it from, the mechanic spent 20 mins gratis trying everything he had. He eventually agreed with me that the bolts were ODD. But then he noticed something...he pulled back the carpet, had a look at the anchor points and realised we could just UNHOOK THE BLOODY SEATS from the floor.

 

So the bolts are some weird Citroen anti-tamper things not designed to be removed by anyone. Nor is there any need to do so!

 

Well, b****r me. I knew I didn't have the "family pack" option (which comes with clip-out seats undone with a red quick-release lever, described in the manual but conspicuously missing from my car) but I never knew the seats could just be unhooked like that. It's odd, because it explains why some dealers told me the basic VTR model did not have removable rear seats and some said it did - it doesn't have the "clip out" ones but they can be trivially removed anyway. Why would you even bother paying for that option?

 

Right - I'm off to remove my rear seats just for the sheer fun of it.

 

Credit goes to Chevron Motors of Worcester. Cheers!