When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I've had luck in the past with a leather tear repair but it was not on the perforated section which is where your tear is. Where I live in South Florida, there are mobile interior repair technicians - you may have them as well in your state/city. If so, just choose carefully.
Alternately, you may also be able to replace the entire leather seat cover from Lexus which could be expensive. An interior shop would need to perform that work.
Spot repair: typically does NOT come with any warranty and will NEVER look 100%. They'll smear some leather bondo and dye on that section and if you're lucky it holds up over time, but I've never had the greatest luck with these types of repairs.
Completely replacement of that section of the seat: Most upholstery shops will charge an arm and a leg for it as their way of saying "this job is too small for us". I used to have some 97 Supra TT seats in my car several years back and the lower most piece on the driver side bolster needed replacing. The piece was like 3"X3" and a local reputable repair shop quoted me over $300 to replace that little piece. Needless to say I didn't go this route as that's almost the same as the seat was worth on the used market. Ended up having the upholstery guy at my dad's work do it on the side for $20 but had to wait a few weeks. It was a close match, but not 100% but it did not matter as it was the lower most piece of the side bolster that is barely seen at all. On your seat, it's right in the center so anything but a perfect match may be an eye sore if the shop can't source the same leather material and color and get the stitching done right. The need to remove the seat cover to do this repair.
Complete replacement of entire seat cover: Self explanatory and will cost the most but look 100%.
Personally, I'd just live with it. It seems like a tiny rip even in the close up photo.
I've had luck in the past with a leather tear repair but it was not on the perforated section which is where your tear is. Where I live in South Florida, there are mobile interior repair technicians - you may have them as well in your state/city. If so, just choose carefully.
Alternately, you may also be able to replace the entire leather seat cover from Lexus which could be expensive. An interior shop would need to perform that work.
Good luck!
Thanks Acotugno. It seems the perforated leather is the main issue.
Spot repair: typically does NOT come with any warranty and will NEVER look 100%. They'll smear some leather bondo and dye on that section and if you're lucky it holds up over time, but I've never had the greatest luck with these types of repairs.
Completely replacement of that section of the seat: Most upholstery shops will charge an arm and a leg for it as their way of saying "this job is too small for us". I used to have some 97 Supra TT seats in my car several years back and the lower most piece on the driver side bolster needed replacing. The piece was like 3"X3" and a local reputable repair shop quoted me over $300 to replace that little piece. Needless to say I didn't go this route as that's almost the same as the seat was worth on the used market. Ended up having the upholstery guy at my dad's work do it on the side for $20 but had to wait a few weeks. It was a close match, but not 100% but it did not matter as it was the lower most piece of the side bolster that is barely seen at all. On your seat, it's right in the center so anything but a perfect match may be an eye sore if the shop can't source the same leather material and color and get the stitching done right. The need to remove the seat cover to do this repair.
Complete replacement of entire seat cover: Self explanatory and will cost the most but look 100%.
Personally, I'd just live with it. It seems like a tiny rip even in the close up photo.
I was thinking of something like the "spot repair" option that you had mentioned. My main concern is the rip seemed to run (getting longer). I was hoping some form of repair will stop the run, but may be a hole in the perforated section may stop the run also (?) Dealership gave me a quick quote on the spot of $1.4K -> 1.5K to replace the leather. If it comes to that, I would need to have more damage to the seat before taking that high cost option. Thanks
Maybe wait a little bit and see if you can buy a used seat on eBay, Craigslist, or Offerup. They do come up and sometimes for only a couple hundred bucks.
It's not. Most new leathers are perforated because most modern cars come with heated and cooled seats.
The issue is something in your pants or shorts caught the leather and ripped it. That is the issue.
All of my cars are Lexus and at least 10 years old with plenty of miles and none of them are ripped. You need to be more careful.
We are fairly careful with cars. My 2010 RX450h leather seats were perfect when I sold it last month. My 2003 Honda Pilot with pretty cheap feeling leather didn't have cut like this after 7 years either. It could be a pair of new jeans with metal logo/buttons (?) We will definitely be more careful.
I had this happen to me a few years on an RSX (perforated seats); my key poked a hole in the leather. I went to a local leather/upholstery (mom & pop) place in our city and he was able to match up the seat portion exactly. He replaced the torn section with a new piece of leather. You can tell it's different when you look at it because one piece is newer than the rest, but it is not obvious. It wasn't cheap (about $320 if I remember right), but much cheaper than fooling with an entire seat.
I have repaired something like this before. If you don't want to replace the leather, then you need to get the seat cover off, so that you can apply a patch on the back to reinforce the area. Glue patch with a contact cement. If you just fill the tear yourself or have a company do it and then dye it, over time it will split again if not reinforced from the back first.
I have repaired something like this before. If you don't want to replace the leather, then you need to get the seat cover off, so that you can apply a patch on the back to reinforce the area. Glue patch with a contact cement. If you just fill the tear yourself or have a company do it and then dye it, over time it will split again if not reinforced from the back first.
03-17-18, 11:46 PM
2017 ES350 leather tear
