Why car seats crack
- Sun and heat through the glass dry the leather out
- Friction — the driver’s side bolster takes every entry and exit
- Body oils and sweat break down the finish where you sit
- Harsh cleaners and household wipes strip the protective coat
What can be done
- Fine surface cracks and colour loss — cleaned, filled, recoloured to match the rest of the seat, and sealed
- Worn bolsters — rebuilt and recoloured, which is the commonest job we see
- Opened seams — restitched
- Tears and deep splits — repaired, or the panel replaced where the leather has no strength left
The point is to keep your original seats. Read more on car seat leather repair.
What we need to see
- One photograph of the whole seat
- One close photograph of the worst area
- Whether the seat is leather or PU, if you know
Slowing it down
- A sunshade when parked, and shade when you can find it
- A dry cloth wipe weekly; a leather cleaner, not a household one
- Condition a few times a year
- Deal with a small crack while it is small