Hello all:

Newcomer here. I just bought myself a 2006 Lancer Ralliart. After getting it home, I noticed that the drivers seatback doesn't line up with the bottom part of the seat. The whole thing is tilted towards the inside. Is that adjustable, and if so where is the adjustment lever? Or is it possible that the seat has been bent?

Any recommended reading/threads for a new owner?

Thanks a lot!

 

Does it wiggle at all side to side? It could be a loose/missing bolt.

 

Hmmm ,was the car in an accident ? Because a bent seat could be from a driverside impact, a really overweight previous owner, or an overweight previous owner that had a driverside impact

 

It doesn't wiggle at all. It is pressing up firmly against the armrest

It was in an accident - I was told it was the passenger-side rear quarterpanel that was replaced. ANd finally, the guy I bought it from was a very very big buy.

So if it's bent, what are my options? Who would I take it to to bend it back? I assume a replacement OEM seat from Mitsubishi would be really expensive - any idea how much? Any reasonably priced aftermarket seats with the same firmness quality of the Ralliart seats? Where does one go to find a replacement Ralliart seat from a salvage car?

Thanks for any pointers. I'm a bit of an idiot for buying it without realizing it.

 

Check this website mypartshop.com for a used seat or just figure which way you need it go to straighten up and give it a few kicks.
Alternatively, you can strip the upholstery and do the same on the seat frame.
Out of the car it may be hard to get leverage though, so bolting the seat back in the car while stripped would help.

Good luck.

 

if the seat is already bent you figure the structural integrity might already be compromised as if thats important... its not like the seat+belt keeps you inside the car in a crash or anything.

 

It's not uncommon for seat backs to break down and sag in one direction or another. They're designed to collapse if the roof caves in a roll-over.

The stock seats (if the same as my 04) are the most uncomfortable I've ever encountered, so maybe this is an opportunity to replace them. On the other hand, it doesn't make much sense to remove seats that have side airbags.

Take this really seriously, since it's a safety issue.

 

our seats have side-airbags? since when?

 

Mine have air bags.

 

Thanks for the info. I found out the name of one of our big local salvage companie, and it looks like have a wrecked 2005 Ralliart. You can see the photos here:

http://www.ralphsauto.com/search-inv...&smodel=LANCER

That must have been a scary accident.


Does anyone know if the 2005 and 2006 seats are identical?

I had no idea there was an airbag in the seat. Is there a way to tell for sure that mine has one?

 

they should be. snag those tail lights too!

if they're in good condition you either upgrade yours or can always sell them here on the forum for maybe more than what you'll pay the salvage company

 

I just had another thought. If I do head out to that salvage place to get a seat, are there any other backup parts I should get?

My car has low mileage (43,000 km ~ 27,000 miles) for a 2006, and the wrecked car is likely much higher, but I thought I'd ask, as you guys are the experts.

Thank you.

 

my 06 doesn't have them, or they are hidden well, i've had the seat completely apart...actually i had a similar problem to this, and it turns out the crossmember in the seat back at the bottom was broken off its weld, i recently welded it back on...

they are the same, but the upholstery is different...

 

I don't know about the newer cars, but my 04 sportback has side airbags. I just went outside and checked the seats; there's a tag sewn into the seatback indicating SRS/airbag.

Maybe it was an option, or was dropped in the later cars?

 

I thought airbags were standard equipment on the Ralliart, kind of has me down now knowing I have 2 lumps of deadweight in my car that could have been avoided.