Removing rear seats: legal?

[Jake940T]

The other day I had to remove my rear seats to make room for cargo, and they were far heavier than I expected, to the point where my frail body could barely pick them up. I'm considering leaving them out (nobody sits back there anyway), but I've been told it may be illegal. Would you guys know anything about this?

The car is insured and registered as a 5 seater, and I am a New Jersey resident, if that means anything.

[War_Wagon]

Well I know that at the drag strip, if you remove the rear seat in a car with a trunk, then you are supposed to put a metal firewall between the trunk and the passenger compartment. The idea being that in a crash there is at least something to help keep gasoline and debris from getting in. But seeing as most cars today allow you to fold the rear seat down to increase trunk space anyway, I can't see how it would be illegal to remove them? Unless it has something to do with sharp edges being exposed, or to prevent people from trying to use their passenger car to move really heavy loads? I think your best bet would be to contact either the local police or the motor vehicle branch and just ask them what the rules are for your area.

[P-hack]

AFAIK, New Jersey has really strict rules. Like you can fail inspection with aftermarket brake/clutch pedal pads. Would reinstall them before inspection in NJ or if you might get a ticket for them. Check local regs.

[Frank Lee]

"The Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave"

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

"The Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave"

Unfortunately, "Once upon a time..."

[UltArc]

Not normally, but places like Maryland and New Jersey, there may just be (I try not to even drive through them). No intended disrespect to your state, but certain ones just do things that make ZERO sense to me, sometimes. New Jersey, Maryland, New York, California, all places I try to avoid.

I think that if a state can't trust their own people to pump fuel, then there is a deeper issue than removing the rear seats lol.

[fusion210]

Originally Posted by War_Wagon

Well I know that at the drag strip, if you remove the rear seat in a car with a trunk, then you are supposed to put a metal firewall between the trunk and the passenger compartment. The idea being that in a crash there is at least something to help keep gasoline and debris from getting in. But seeing as most cars today allow you to fold the rear seat down to increase trunk space anyway, I can't see how it would be illegal to remove them? Unless it has something to do with sharp edges being exposed, or to prevent people from trying to use their passenger car to move really heavy loads? I think your best bet would be to contact either the local police or the motor vehicle branch and just ask them what the rules are for your area.

This is only true if you have a fuel cell in the trunk.

[PaleMelanesian]

Wouldn't help with my Fit. The tank is under the front seats.

[user removed]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

"The Land Of The Free And The Home Of The Brave"

Yo Frank,
Of the Attorneys, by the Attorneys, for the Attorneys.

regards
Mech

[Fat Charlie]

They don't even trust you to pump your own gas down there.