Ford Mercury Villager 1997 Owner's Manual page 192

The quick-release bucket seat also has two levers on the back of
the seat — one to fold down the seatback and one to slide
the seat forward. These levers allow third-row passengers to enter
and exit more easily.
Quick-release bucket seat levers
Removable Captain Seats
If your vehicle has second row captain seats, you can remove
them if you need extra cargo space. With the second-row seats
removed, the third-row bench seat can be moved up to the second
row position for additional rear cargo area room. When the
third-row seat is moved to this position, passengers will use the
second-row safety belts.
To help prevent personal injury, at least two people are needed to
remove the seats.
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