2026 Ford Explorer: How to Fold and Restore the Third-Row Seats

Making room for cargo is only half the job. Before anyone uses the third row again, the backrests must be locked upright and the head restraints restored. The 2026 Explorer manual covers both strap-operated and power-folding seats; use the procedure that matches your vehicle.

The instructions below follow Ford’s 2026 Explorer Canada/United States owner’s manual, printed pages 153 and 155–157. Do not use the second-row easy-entry controls as a substitute for the third-row folding controls.

Start with an empty seat and a clear path

Park safely, select Park and apply the parking brake. Nobody should occupy a seat you are moving. Remove child restraints and other objects from it, keep people and pets clear, and check behind and underneath the seats. Before raising a folded seat, clear the top of the load floor and the space underneath it. A bag or loose item can obstruct the mechanism even when the seat itself looks empty.

Manual seats: fold with the straps

1. Pull the head-restraint release strap to fold the head restraint.
2. Working from the rear of the vehicle, pull and hold the seatback-release strap while pushing the backrest forward.
3. Release the strap once the backrest starts rotating forward. Do not force a seat that catches on an obstruction.

To restore the seat, pull the long strap until the backrest locks upright. Raise the head restraint to its normal position. Pull on the backrest to check that it is fully latched before allowing anyone to sit there.

Power seats: use the L, L+R and R buttons

The power-seat controls are inside the liftgate area. The transmission must be in Park and the liftgate must be open. In Ford’s control illustration, L operates the left third-row seat, the centre L+R button operates both, and R operates the right seat.

1. Clear both the seat and its movement path, then press the control for the seat or seats you want folded.
2. To return the backrest upright, press the corresponding control again.
3. Pull the head restraints back up to their normal positions, then check that each restored backrest is securely latched before carrying passengers.

Buttons stopped responding? Check the timeout first

Ford says the power rear-seat function switches off 10 minutes after the ignition is turned off. Opening any door, pressing unlock on the key fob or switching the ignition on can enable it again. Recheck Park, the open liftgate and a clear movement path before assuming the mechanism has failed.

Ford’s procedure for inoperable power seats

If the seats remain inoperable, the manual gives the following procedure for this power-seat system. Only do it with the matching controls and a completely clear seat area. Because it requires the engine running, work outdoors—not in a garage or another enclosed space.

1. With the vehicle secured in Park, run the engine and keep the liftgate open.
2. Check again that no objects on the seats prevent them from folding completely. Keep everyone clear throughout the movement.
3. Press and hold the centre L+R button for 1 minute. Continue holding for a few seconds after both seats stop moving, as Ford instructs.
4. Press L and R separately to confirm each seat operates.

If the system still does not work, a seat will not latch securely or the motion appears obstructed, stop and have it inspected. Do not repeatedly force the mechanism, and do not carry a passenger on an unsecured seat.

Before driving away

For passenger use, confirm the seats and backrests are secure, head restraints restored and seatbelts accessible and usable. For cargo use, secure the load with the vehicle’s designated cargo tie-downs—not the seat anchors. Folding a seat creates space; it does not increase the vehicle’s permitted payload.

Source checked October 31, 2026.