What are the options for seat repair?

[Mecheng03]

I'm relatively new here and searched the forum for my issue but not seen this topic discussed as much as it is on the 100 section which is likely due to the cracking leather/splitting seams may be resolved with the newer trucks.

I'm currently looking at a 2010 LX in my area that has a brown staining to almost the entire drivers seat/center console. I suspect it is due to the prior owner being a smoker but difficult to smell on the initial test drive after the dealer detail. The truck is a single owner, with good maintenance history, 111K miles, a history of an accident to which the damage was driver/front minor (per carfax), no extra frills/packages and over the past week they have dropped the listing price a grand now to $29K.

My question is what are the options besides buying a complete new seat/center console which is very expensive vs throwing on a cover which is not ideal for the price. The dealer was pushing that they could help re-dye it but I suspect if that was the fix it would have already happened. I've also read the that seats may be leather with a vinyl surface which in my mind may effect the dyes ability to bind to the leather or if removed still make the seats look different. I'm probably just being too particular about them and my OCD would be a lot different if this was a <$10K beater.

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[TonyP]

A deep cleaning and reconditioning will probably fix that up nicely.

Have a read and weigh your options
Leather Cleaning and Care: clean and condition leather seats with premium leather care products. leather care, leather cleaner, auto leather cleaner,

I like Leatherique. Send them an email and see what they say. Their customer service is usually pretty helpful.
Home Page | Leather Care & RESTORATION with Leatherique

 

[KLF]

Do NOT allow them to dye the seats. It will start to rub off in a few weeks, all over your clothes. It's a detailers trick for flipping cars.

 

[OregonLC]

Wonder what scared the poo out of the previous owner? Oh, and I find that Oxiclean works great for brown staining. Or so I hear.

 

[Mecheng03]

I hope its not poo, the thought did cross my mind but its unlikely because the staining goes to shoulder level. Could have been explosive... Its likely from excessive sweat but I'm going to hedge with the harder clean being smoke. I didn't see any changes in the driver door panel or headliner.

Yeah the "re-dye" comment was a hook to get me in and I already have trust issues with dealers/car salesmen so I didn't bite. If I miss out on this truck that Leatherique sounds like a great option for my current DD that is losing its color in the side bolsters.

Any options for re-doing the leather like the 100's? Or seat swapping between years? Grey leather was only an option from 08-10 correct?

 

[TonyP]

Leatherique's main products are cleaner and conditioners, not dye.
They do sell dye also but it's not their claim to fame.

 

[NMNORSSE]

Could it have been seat covers where the dye rubbed from the fabric into the seat?

I would guess that if it could be cleaned, the dealer would have done it. I bet they tried and thats as good as it gets.

Solutions: clean it, or seat covers, or reuphoster, or replace with used seat.

I think you can get matching replacement leather for both front seats for $600-700 on line. Putting those on isn't that tough and doesn't really require any specialty tools. A local upholsterer could make the parts cheaper and swap them in for cheaper, I think.

Speaking of local talent, there might be someone who can restore/clean it for you with a specialty process. Check the yellow pages. There is a lot of upholstered things in the world.

You might find a used seat on ebay or through one of those websites that works like the junk yard parts network. R&Ring a seat isnt that tough.

Seat covers are somewhat cheaper but the good ones are $500 or more.

 

[OregonLC]

How would one know if replacement seat covers would work function as designed with the side impact airbags? Before the accident that is.

I suppose you could just replace the base and not the back. Hopefully it would be a close match.

 

[TonyP]

You can buy OEM replacement covers, they just aren't cheap ($720 for bottom, $910 for seat back).

 

[NMNORSSE]

How would one know if replacement seat covers would work function as designed with the side impact airbags? Before the accident that is.

A reputable vendor would tell you.

I suppose you could just replace the base and not the back. Hopefully it would be a close match.

I think the OEM upholstery pieces are available from Mr. T. I would guess they are pricey and hard to track down.

The reputable vendors and upholsteres go to a lot of trouble to match the color and texture, so I'm sure it would be close enough that the variation would be normal for a car of that age.

EDITED:

TonyP posted while I was typing! You could find the part number for the oem bottom cover and start searching ebay/internet til you find someone unloading it at a price you can live with.

There are oem toyota discount parts sites that offer shocking discounts over stealership prices...

One junkyard search site is www.partrequest.com

 

[KLF]

I use Leatherique religiously on my leather seats at least once a year, and it really can do amazing things. But, it works best when you park the car/truck in the hot sun and let it "bake" the dirt out of the leather. I always wait for a really hot day in the summer and plan to leave the car parked in the sun all day. I wouldn't even bother with it if you can't do this, it won't be effective.