Cure for "Sticky" Seats?

[Viridian]

Good morning all!

I recently purchased my used AP1 MS 85 with 45K miles on and it and I have to say my experience with the vehicle, delivery, and service, have all been great thus far, which is a far cry from many other posts I've seen.

Since I have always detailed my cars myself, one of the first things I did after taking delivery of the car was to give it a bow to stern detail, both inside and out. One of the areas of interest to me were the seats. When I drove the car off the lot, I could not help but notice that when I moved by back away from the seat, my shirt stayed stuck to the seat and would "peel" off, similar to pleather in hot weather. I tried to remedy this by using the following products for cleaning and conditioning purposes:

• Chemical Guys Leather Cleaner and Conditioner (Link)
  
• Mothers VLR VinylLeatherRubber Care (Link)
  
• Meguiar's Gold Class Rich Leather Cleaner & Conditioner (Link)

Despite these products (note: did not use them all at once), the seats still remain "sticky" but not to the same degree they were when I took delivery. I'm not sure if the "top coat" of the leather/vinyl seats has worn off. Even more peculiar, when I was cleaning the seats, using a soft microfiber pad, I noticed some of the tan leather coloring was coming off on the pad! The backseats do not have this issue, thankfully.

Any advice for a novice is much appreciated!
Thank you!

 

[JasontheBeaver]

If you're getting color up on your cleaning pad it is very likely that the seats have been re-dyed... poorly.
An IDA Certified Detailer should be able to take a look and see what's going on and advise you from there.

 

[Viridian]

If you're getting color up on your cleaning pad it is very likely that the seats have been re-dyed... poorly.
An IDA Certified Detailer should be able to take a look and see what's going on and advise you from there.

That's a good suggestion but I don't think that could be the case. When it color came off, underneath it was an even darker patch of leather, one not matching with the back seats (which are a-okay). I will try to share a photo as soon as I can.

 

[Viridian]

Here is an image of what the passenger seat looks like after cleaning it. Note the discoloration.

 

[JasontheBeaver]

Here is an image of what the passenger seat looks like after cleaning it. Note the discoloration.

Yep, they've been re-dyed. That's exactly what happens.
A reputable company can re-dye seats properly and make them look fantastic, but more importantly their job will last for years if properly cared for going forward.
The repair job in the photo is what happens when people pay the cheapest price for repairs... most likely the dealership.

 

[DS 5/15]

You may want to check ebay and parts for sale here for some used seats in better condition.

 

[Viridian]

Yep, they've been re-dyed. That's exactly what happens.
A reputable company can re-dye seats properly and make them look fantastic, but more importantly their job will last for years if properly cared for going forward.
The repair job in the photo is what happens when people pay the cheapest price for repairs... most likely the dealership.

Curious, what would lead to someone needing to re-dye the seats? From what I can gather based on the vehicle's condition, the person drove a lot on the highway and kept the vehicle out in the sun when not in use. Could the heat and not tending to the seats with basic cleaning methods seriously lead to a need have the seats dyed?

I also think it was a lease since it was almost exactly 4 years before the last owner turned it in after the vehicle was manufactured. Maybe to get it past inspection? Is this something Tesla would cover or somehow provide a discount to repair, since this could not be discerned when I picked up the vehicle? Or does this fall under "wear and tear"?

 

[JasontheBeaver]

4 years of use can cause seats to not look good. Maybe it had a stain, or cracks, or the factory dye wearing off from the driver getting in/out. There's myriad reasons. Doesn't mean the seats are garbage unless the leather itself is torn and it has been fixed, but even then a good repair person can do wonders.