stupid question about folding down the rear seats

Folding down the rear seat back? Just push down the button outboard of each head rest and lean it forward. The cargo cover just pops out straight up.

 

I find I have to first remove the headrests, then push the button and fold the seat-back. The headrest fits on the floor with the rods up, and they wedge between the seat-back and the front seat-back, keeping the headrest in place so it won't become a missile in an accident. The cargo cover can stay in place or can be stored under the hatch floor. There are notches on each side for it to sit in.

 

Perhaps this changed after 2012, but in both my 2013 and 2014 Gen 3s, the headrests fold 90 degrees forward, getting out of the way so they will clear the back of the front seats when the seat back is lowered. Push the headrest release button, raise the headrest and fold it forward. It does not need to be removed.

 

What are the metal strips? The lower part of the headrests?

 

By metal strip do you mean the tonneau cover:



You don't have to remove that, though if you're going to put bulky items in, then you would. You just firmly tap up on it's underside, pop it out of the recess, both ends, then angle and lift it out.

Then there's buttons on the seat back shoulders, you need to kind of push them forward, like sliders, and the seat back releases, can rock forward. If the front seats are push fairly far back, the back seat head rests may run into them, so just push the front seats forward a bit.

 

Please remember to carefully ease the left and right side rear seatbelts out of their guides on the shoulders of the seats before folding the seat backs forward, and then place the belts over to the side of the car and avoid tangling them when you fold the seat back down. Getting a crease in the seatbelt retractor spool gizmo may jam it, and it is a bear to get to, I think.

 

And the tonneau cover has a neat storage space beneath the rear deck lid. See your owner's manual...