Thursday, June 3, 2010

Creating a Large Space Between The Seats

I have a reader asking me if it is possible to turn the middle row seats in a 7-seater giant (Toyota Alphard). However I don’t think this is possible as this feature is only available on the 8-seaters.

The original Japanese manual do have some illustration on how to turn the middle row seats but if you don’t read Japanese, you may struggle trying to understand what the manual is trying to illustrate. In this post I will show you how to turn the middle row seats to face the rear row seats.

In the photo below it shows that the left middle seat has been slide forward slightly and the back rest is folded.

Only in this position will the middle seat turn. Turn the middle left seat clockwise as shown below

until it is facing the rear seat as shown below.

Finally you lift the back rest up and then slide the seat all the way to the front.

Do the same for the right middle seat but this time turn it anti-clockwise.

When middles seats are turned 180-degrees, you will now have a very large space between the seats.

This arrangement is very handy as it allow parents to reach the young children without having to climb over the middle seats.

Unfortunately, in the new generation Alphard/Vellfire, this feature has been removed. I wish they maintain that feature in the new generation Alphard/Vellfire as I think this is very useful. I am hoping that when I upgrade to the new Alphard in many years later I can still have this feature but looks like I have to settle with what I have at the moment.

Hope this help.

10 comments:

  1. thanks bro. To add some updates, mine is an original 7-seater AS. It has this feature as well. Not sure if it's due to ISOFIX seat in the middle row or not, but it does turn around and it is an original 7-seater, you can tell from the railing.

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  2. dear vistatap

    my alphard PFL HU monitor for front & rear camera sometimes just turned off just like that. It became crazy when one day my giant battery was down. How can I reboot the HU, I mean by disconnecting to the power, then reconnect. hope u can help. thanks

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  3. Hi,
    I've been following your blog since I bought my 8-seater Giant in Dec 2009.
    I would like to know how to fold the 3rd row seats and hang it to the side of the roof?
    Appreciate your help... Thanks!

    Azmi

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  4. Hi Azmi,

    I haven't lifted up my third row seats before. I plan to do it and maybe I'll do it this weekend and then I will do a write up.

    Watch this space.

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  5. Hi,

    Thanks for updating me on the 7-seaters feature. I haven't test it myself so I am not sure but I guess it it turn around in your giant, then it should work for other. I'll check the manual this weekend to see how it work.

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  6. Hi Mohammad,

    If disconnecting the battery and then reconnect it doesn't reset the front/rear camera view then I think you need to go into the diagnostic mode to reset it.

    I can't find the instruction that I have copied previously from a friend. I don't know the following instruction will work on PFL model but it does work on NFL model.

    Turn the ignition key to ON, while pressing the G-Book button on the HU, turn the head light switch ON then OFF 3 times continuously. Your HU will then go into diagnostic mode.

    Hope this help

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  7. Hi Nighto,
    I am currently researching the various models of Alphards before buying one. You have a great blog for fellow Alphard owners, hope you can list out the number of models and their differences.
    Thanks.
    Patrick

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    Replies
    1. Hi Patrick,

      I have posted the various models information of Alphard on this blog. Hope you can find them useful.

      Delete
  8. Hi there I have a 7 seater , middle row 2 captain seats are electric , Any one has this one rotated before ? thanks

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  9. Hi Ken,

    I am not sure if the captain seats can be turned. I have not seen it done before. If you find a way, please share it here.

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