Ford Transit Seats Can Be Removed: Here’s How

Here’s what you need to know about removing Ford Transit seats: 

You can easily remove the seats from a Ford Transit van. Quick-release passenger seats have levers you can pull using a hook to release the latches that hold them; the seats then easily come off. For seats secured with bolts, you’ll use Torxbits and a ratchet to remove them. 

The Ford Transit undeniably has lots of room for both cargo and passengers. But then I’ve also been in situations that call for more cargo space or simply room for camper modifications.  

Fortunately, you can easily remove Ford Transit seats if you’re armed with a Torx wrench. You can’t also go wrong with Torx bits and a ratchet. Interestingly, you’ll mostly find the Torx bolts used to secure seats in a Ford Transit are T50 and T55, so be sure to grab the right size of Torx bits for your wrench. 

Throughout this article, I’ll guide you step-by-step on how to remove the seats from a 15-passenger Ford Transit passenger van. If you own a 10 or 12-passenger version, don’t worry,it won’t be complicated in any way. This is because the procedure is pretty much the same.  

I’ll also show you how to remove the seats from a Ford Transit Connect wagon. 

Let’s get started, champ. 

 

The Seat Arrangement Shows Removable Seats 

You can remove the seats from any Ford Transit passenger van, whether it has 10,12,15, or optionally, 14 seats.  

However, I’ll describe how we go about removing the seats from a 15-passenger Ford Transit van. After that, you can use the same strategy for any full-size Transit van with fewer seats. 

Before we talk about the procedure, it’s important I discuss the seating arrangement with you. This way, we can mark the seat positions and refer to them by their numbers.  

Moreover, it’s only fair that I talk about the various seating arrangements because next time, you might be lending a hand to a friend who has a different wheelbase version.  

The standard seat arrangement of a regular length 10-passenger van is as follows: 

• First row: 2 seats 
• Second row: 2 seats 
• Third row: 3 seats 
• Fourth row: 3 seats 

For the long length 12-passenger van, the standard seat arrangement is as follows: 

• First row: 2 seats 
• Second row: 3 seats 
• Third row: 3 seats 
• Fourth row: 4 seats 

The 15-passenger Ford Transit has the following seat configuration: 

• First row: 2 seats 
• Second row: 3 seats 
• Third row: 3 seats 
• Fourth row: 3 seats 
• Fifth row: 4 seats 

Please note that these seating arrangements are the same whether you’re looking at the Ford Transit XL or XLT passenger vans.  

For convenience, let’s now assign numbers to the seats from left to right, as viewed from the back of the van.  

In the front row, the driver’s seat takes number 1, while the front passenger seat is marked 2.  

The second-row seats are 3, 4, and 5, respectively.  

Going into the third row, we have seats 6 and 7, and across the aisle to the right, we have seat 8. 

The fourth row also has seats 9 and 10; then across the aisle on the right, we have seat 11.  

Finally, in the fifth row, we have seats 12, 13, 14, and 15 in that order.  

To give you a better picture of this seat layout, please feel free to check the Ford Transit brochure. 

It’s also good to note that seats 8 and 11 are mounted individually using Torx bolts in the third and fourth rows, respectively. In the back row, seats 12 and 15 are secured the same way using Torx bolts.  

So don’t mistake the back row for a bench seat that you can remove as one unit. I’ll show you a different strategy for dealing with it. 

 

Seats 13 &14 are Quickly Removable 

It’s more practical and reasonable to start with easily removable seats, and that’s why I recommend you remove seats 13 and 14 first. These are the two middle seats in the back row, and I call them “quick-release” seats because they’re only held in place by latches – not Torx bolts.  

Another reason I prefer starting from the back is that you’ll get enough clearance to access and remove the remaining seats.  

While it’s not compulsory, finding someone to help you in this part will prevent you from straining too much. Remember, these seats are heavy, and you’ll also have to disengage some two levers at the same time while pushing against the seats. 

Here’s how you’ll quickly remove seats 13 and 14: 

1. From the back of your van, locate the handles that go into the quick-release levers at the bases of seats 13 and 14. 

I once had some trouble with a used van because the back seats didn’t have these handles. If yours came off by any chance, don’t worry because you can improvise. Really, even the hook of a metallic coat hanger will work impressively. 

I also found out there are other removable seats in the middle rows that don’t have release handles, so be ready to use the coat hangers. 

2. Grasp both handles and carefully pull them up and out towards you at an angle of about 45 degrees. The latching mechanism at the base of the seats will disengage, and you will see the quick-release levers. 

3. Carefully press against the back of seats 13-14 with your shoulder and push forward until they come out of their mounting slots.  

You have to do this while still pulling the release handles to disengage the latches at the base of the seats. Alternatively, you can work on the latches and have someone else push the seats forward. 

Since the two seats are connected, they should tip forward if you perform the above steps correctly. 

4. Grasp the seats from both sides and carefully pull back until the front latches disengage. You’ll feel it besides hearing the clicking sound. 

5. Wiggle the seats sideways a bit, so they don’t go back into the mounting slots. 

6. Carry the seats away through the rear door once they’re fully unlatched and free. If you’re comfortable carrying them alone, just do it carefully. Otherwise, let someone help you. 

 

You Can Remove Seats 6-7 & 9-10 Easily 

Here’s where we remove the seats in the third and fourth rows because they’re the next ones we can quickly deal with. While they have the same latching mechanism for quick removal, they have no handles that go into the latches.  

That seems frustrating, but let’s think of it differently. Imagine someone accidentally releases a seat with a passenger strapped to it as the van moves. That would be catastrophic.  

So don’t worry about the absence of straps or handles that go into the latches. Those coat hangers (or any other wire hook) will come in handy once again.  

Here’s how you remove these seats: 

1. Locate the quick-release levers at the bases of the paired seats 6-7. 

2. Insert your wire hook into the slot in the elbow of the quick-release lever at the base of each seat. 

3. Pull the levers out at an angle like you did before for seats 13-14. Remember, you have to disengage the latches simultaneously. 

4. Push against the seats with your shoulder or have someone else do it as you keep the latches disengaged. The seats should tip forward. 

5. Now slide the seats a bit backward to disengage the front latches, then gently lift them, so they don’t slide back into their mounting slots. 

6. Repeat the procedure to remove seats 9-10. 

 

You Will Need Some Help Removing Seats 3-4-5 

Seats 3, 4, and 5 are all connected as a single bench unit, and they have the same quick-release mechanism. While you can remove them using the same technique for the paired seats, you’ll definitely use some help.  

I mean it because these seats have three latches instead of two, and the whole unit is pretty heavy. However, the perk in dealing with these is that you won’t have to take them all the way out through the rear. It’s easier to take them out through the side door.  

Here’s how to remove them: 

1. Locate the three quick-release levers at the bases of the seats. 

2. Insert your wire hooks into the slots in the elbows of the quick-release levers. 

3. Pull the levers out at an angle at the same time with the person who is helping you. 

4. Gently push the seats, so they tip forward. 

5. Now slide the seats a bit backward to disengage the front latches, then gently displace them sideways, so they don’t slide back into their mounting slots. 

6. Carefully lift the seats out through the side door. 

 

Seats 8,11,12, & 15 Require Torx Bits to Remove 

If you’re working on a 15-passenger Transit, you’ll be left with four individual seats firmly secured with Torx bolts. That’s the major difference with the paired seats, because these don’t have any latching mechanisms. 

You have to locate 2 to 3 Torx bolts and use a Torx tool to remove them. For example, seats 12 and 15 are secured with three Torx bolts in the following positions: 

• At the base of the seat 
• On the sidewall near the headrest 
• On the seat belt ratchet mechanism behind the wheel arch 

To be blunt, you’ll have to put in quite some work here, especially if you’ve never dealt with Torx bolts before.  

You will need the following tools: 

• A T-55 and a T-50 Torx bit 
• A Torx wrench 

While you may think of using a power impact wrench, it quickly wears down the Torx bolts. That’s not good if you’ll need to remove and return the seats and remove them again to suit your cargo hauling needs. Therefore, remove the bolts using Torx bits and a hand wrench. 

I also recommend placing the bolts back in place once you’ve removed the seats. This way, you’ll get a load off your mind looking for them later. Plus, you minimize the risk of water penetration that may cause your van to rust inevitably. 

 

How to Remove Seats 12 and 15 

Here’s how to remove the Torx bolts and release the seats: 

1. Use a T-55 Torx bit to remove the bolt at the base of seat 12. 

2. Carefully release the plastic cover behind the wheel arch to expose another T-55 Torx bolt.  

To do this, gently pop the top of the cover and wiggle it lightly as you pull outward without yanking. There’s a mounting projection you don’t want to break. 

3. Now unscrew the T-55 bolt to release both the seat and the seatbelt ratchet mechanism. 

4. Carefully remove the smaller plastic cover mounted on the wall just near the headrest of seat 12. This exposes the T-50 Torx bolt that secures the seatbelt. 

5. Use a T-50 Torx bit to remove the bolt. Since this is an individual seat, you can remove it by yourself from the rear of the van. 

6. Repeat the above procedure to remove seat 15. 

Pro Tip: Secure a binder clip on the seat belt, so it doesn’t retract too much as you remove the seat. 

 

How to Remove Seat 11 

For seat 11, you’ll find two T-55 Torx bolts in the following positions: 

• One is at the base of the seat at floor level. 
• Another is mounted on the wall just above the wheel arch, inside a plastic cover. 

These are the steps for removing seat 11: 

1. Insert a flathead screwdriver halfway through the tiny slot of the plastic cover on top of the wheel arch. 

2. Gently press down on the screwdriver at an angle of about 45 degrees until you feel it has disengaged a tab inside the plastic case. 

3. Now slide the plastic case forward and remove it to expose a T-55 Torx bolt. 

4. Using a T-55 Torx bit and ratchet, remove the bolt on top of the wheel arch. 

5. Remove the remaining T-55 Torx bolt at the base of the seat. 

6. Slide the seat forward and lift it out of the van through the rear door. 

 

How to Remove Seat 8 

You can quickly remove seat 8 from the side door, and it’s secured to the floor using only two T-55 Torx bolts. Here’s how to remove it: 

1. Pop up the small plastic covers at the seat’s base to expose the Torx bolts. 

2. Using a T-55 Torx bit, remove the bolts. 

3. Slide the seat forward and take it away from the side door. 

 

You Can Remove the Front Passenger Seat Too 

Under rare circumstances, you’ll need to remove seat 2 – the front passenger seat. Usually, this folds down and can also recline, but you can take it out altogether to create extra cargo room. 

I highly recommend you consult a qualified electrician, so they carefully disconnect the wiring assembly underneath the seat. This way, you won’t damage the airbag system. 

For this part, you’ll need the following tools: 

• A power impact ratchet or a half-inch drive ratchet 
• A 15 mm hex bit socket on an extension 
• A T-50 Torx bit 
• A flashlight 

Here’s how to remove the front passenger seat: 

1. Remove the plastic cover at the side of the seat to expose a T-50 Torx bolt. 

2. Using the T-50 Torx bit and ratchet, remove the bolt and release the seat belt bracket. 

3. Tilt the seat back a bit and locate the two hex bolts at the front using your flashlight. 

4. Insert the hex bit extension, hook your power ratchet, and remove the bolts one by one. 

5. Slide the seat forward and remove the rear bolts using the same procedure. 

6. Take off the seat through the passenger door. 

Pro Tip: If you’ll need to remove the passenger seat frequently, be sure to grease the bolts, so their threads don’t wear out fast. I also recommend you don’t use a power tool to remove the Torx bit that secures the seat belt bracket. 

 

Ford Transit Connect Seats Fold & Can Be Removed 

While the seats of a Ford Transit Connect are foldable to create cargo space, you can remove them altogether. 

It doesn’t matter whether you’re working on the short wheelbase (SWB) or the long-wheelbase (LWB) version of the Ford Transit Connect. You need some help here, just as you would when removing the second-row bench seats from a 15-passenger Ford Transit. 

Here’s how to remove the seats: 

1. Locate the four Torx bolts at the base of the second-row seats (for an SWB Connect van). There are two bolts at the front and two at the back. 

2. Using a T-50 Torx bit and ratchet, unscrew the bolts one by one. 

3. With some help, slide the seats forward and wiggle them a bit sideways to displace them from their mounting slots. 

4. Remove the seats from the back of the van or the side door. 

5. If you’re dealing with the Ford Transit Connect LWB, repeat the procedure above to remove the third-row seats. 

 

Final Thoughts 

Removing the seats from your Ford Transit passenger van can significantly increase your cargo hauling capacity. What’s more, you may need to remove the OEM seats and replace them with custom ones.  

At times you need seat removal skills up your sleeve if you don’t want to pay someone else to do it for you.  

If you follow the easy steps I’ve just explained, you shouldn’t find any trouble removing the seats. That’s it, champ. Just be sure not to overload your van once you’ve got that extra cargo room.