96 Yukon - Folding seats won't fold

[MedicatedCoyote]

My apologies for such a simple question, but things aren't simple and it's been driving me nuts for a week! I just purchased a 4 door 96 Yukon with the 40/60 rear seats to help me with a move cross-country, thinking that with the seats folded I would have plenty of space for me, my crap, and my cats.

Problem. I can't get the seats to fold no matter how much I dick with them. I can get the small seat to fold up, but there is no switch or anything to lower the back with. The large seat is proving to be a nightmare all its own -- the little strap you pull on is totally missing (along with the plastic thingy that it comes out of, so it's totally gone AFAIK)! I have toyed with it for literally hours and have come away from the situation no further than I started. Moreover, I do not see a switch or anything for the back so I would assume that I have the same problem with the small seat.

I've read up on this forum about removing the seats altogether and do not have an impact drill (or access to one) to get them out. On top of that, I'd like to retain as much value of the vehicle as I can, so I'd prefer not to have to do that even though I would if it comes to it.

Does anyone have any thoughts / experience with getting this simple problem fixed? I would love nothing more than to get it done without property damage.... but then again, I'm a man. I'll rip the whole damn thing apart if I have to in order to get the job done. XD

 

[SunlitComet]

it is not a strap you pull to release them really. when you fold the lower piece forward all the way it pulls on a cable that travels under one of the seat rails and unlocks the latch that will let the backside fold down. either the cable has broke or stretched somehow. remove the bolts(15mm likely) that hold the seat bottoms down and check the cable for damage. note that the front seat back tilted to far back may keep you from pulling the back seat bottoms far enough forward. there will only be one seat rail for each seat section that has a cable in it.