Help Reconfiguring seats!! Esp putting 4 on 3rd row

[woodie]

  I have a 2013 NVP low roof unmodified. I was under the impression when I bought this van that I could configure the seats in many different ways. That was a selling feature, but what I found out was that really, you can only remove seats, not reconfigure them. Either they are in or out, but not switched around. For instance, my main wish would be to put 4 seats across the third row and leave the back for cargo storage. But you can not put that back passenger side seat anywhere in the van except exactly where it is. It will not fit in the seond or third rows. Likewise the single seats on the second and third rows will only fit on the outside of the second or third rows. So, I cannot put a single seat next to the window on any row and I cannot put 4 across on any except the fourth row. I thought it would be cool to put captian chair style on the second row and four across the third... not gonna happen.

  

  Has anyone done simple alterations to allow more configuration? Can you buy the floor mounts for the seats anywhere and install them? Also I heard a rumor that you can turn the seats around to face the rear. That would be handy for long trips to have rows facing each other. I attempted this by myself and it didn't go well. Just curious if anyone has gotten this to go?

Edited February 26, 2014 by woodie

[MrOlaf]

Yeah there are 324 configurations, but if you think about it many of those configurations are basically useless (for example 1 of the configurations would be all seats out except for one seat in 2nd row)  In other words most of the configurations are just to build up that number.  I think they did this to keep cost down.  I too have heard the rumor about turning the front row backwards, but I have small babies with rear facing car seats so I would be attempting this feature any time soon.

[jimgoings]

I just tried to get the front seat to go in backwards.  The seat hooks and floor latches line up perfectly, but the front seat hook is too wide to fit down into the latch hole.  The front floor latch is wider than the latch just behind it (thus preventing you from putting the seat in this way).

 

Kind of a bummer, but not end of the world.  While I had the seats out I went ahead and reconfigured them into limo style with more leg room on row 1 and 2.

[woodie]

 I read somewhere on this forum where someone put down a plywood subfloor, but I'm not sure how they would attach the stock seats. Has anyone does this? I'd really like to put four across the third row, and it would be awesome to set my own seat depth. If I could put the seats anywhere I wanted I would like to give extra room to the second and third rows and leave the back for storage.

[Heavy Metal Doctor]

 I would like to give extra room to the second and third rows and leave the back for storage.

 

This is possible. We use our van mostly for our long trips with 6 adults, we pulled the rear row out and stored it,  and then shift  the 2nd and 3rd rows back  a row  or 2 of mounts to give more leg room while still having plenty of baggage room at the very back. We leave it this way and since we do a lot of stuff off the pavement (track dirt) I used a basic 8 foot truck bed rubber mat and cut it into big floor mats to fit around this seat arrangement.

[woodie]

This is possible. We use our van mostly for our long trips with 6 adults, we pulled the rear row out and stored it,  and then shift  the 2nd and 3rd rows back  a row  or 2 of mounts to give more leg room while still having plenty of baggage room at the very back. We leave it this way and since we do a lot of stuff off the pavement (track dirt) I used a basic 8 foot truck bed rubber mat and cut it into big floor mats to fit around this seat arrangement.

 

I've done what you described, but what I really want to do is have 4 seats across the 3rd row. I want to block off the cargo area from the kids and give extra seats in the same 3 row configuration. If I could get four across the third row I would probably build some sort of storage system for luggage, groceries etc in the back. If anyone knows how to put four seats across the third row (and not just taking out a middle row so that the back is the fourth row ;0) let me know please. 

Edited October 19, 2014 by woodie

[sampson]

Hi there,

 

I've considered adding/modifying the outboard passenger side floor brackets to accommodate the 4th row passenger side seat unit in the 3rd row. Looks like the inboard latches are common, but that seat has a wider offset for the outboard latches. Adding (or moving) the outboard mounting pins would solve this. Provided one used the factory bolt mounting holes on the van chassis, the appropriate grade of bolts, and a professionally welded/modified bracket - it would be a far safer setup than plywood...

 

Nissan should make this change at the factory. Allowing that 4th row passenger side seat to be placed in any of the rear 3 rows... Many more useful seating configurations could be had with minimal expense.

 

See some images of the rear pin locations for reference.

 

Be safe with your mods!

 

 

2012-Nissan-NV-Passenger-Van-BBG pc 54.pdf

[dammitjim]

I just tried to get the front seat to go in backwards.  The seat hooks and floor latches line up perfectly, but the front seat hook is too wide to fit down into the latch hole.  The front floor latch is wider than the latch just behind it (thus preventing you from putting the seat in this way).

 

Kind of a bummer, but not end of the world.  While I had the seats out I went ahead and reconfigured them into limo style with more leg room on row 1 and 2.

Does this confirm that the seats cannot be configured backwards?

[jimgoings]

Correct... the seats CANNOT be put in backwards without serious modification of the floor latches.

[GrowingFamily]

We just got our 2nd row in backwards with a little squeeze of a c clamp.  Works great.  Took 10 min.  This is not us, but shows you how to do it.

Edited October 3, 2015 by GrowingFamily

[Mazinbenny]

That's me! Glad you like it!

[caryhecker]

I put pics of our seats backwards (limo style)...same way as described above with a clamp.  it's just a hair off, but works well and seems very secure.  I just need to put a table bracket in for the card table and bar...!

[300winmag]

post pics when your done please :) I love this idea!

[TerminatorX5]

Hello. What are the part numbers for the floor anchors/rails for the rear seats? Are the anchors/rails same part number for all locations in the rear, or each anchor/rail is a unique part number for a specific location on the floor? Thank you.

[radin2son]

Before you go much farther, check out previous posts, specifically “Rear seating in a cargo van.”

 

As far as parts numbers are concerned, you are on your own. You may be able to get them on line via Nissan parts or go to the dealership/body shop.

[ASD Dad]

Nissan Commercial has chimed in officially to say to NOT put the seats in backwards even if you can get them to fit.  It is on the FB NV Owners forum page.  Many many did or wanted to do the mod but an automotive engineer chimed in about safety and a few people actually contacted Nissan Commercial about it.  

 

It most likely is safe since they are bolted to the same anchors but Nissan said the seats, latches, seatbelts, etc were never designed or tested rear facing.

 

Your van, your rules, but wanted to let you all know Nissan actually chimed in on the mod.

[andy_george]

Good info. I figured they’d say that. Thanks for letting us know!

[Nissan-Van]

You know you can configure them into a limo-style setting.