Perforated Seat Tearing

[Vettepartz]

My refreshed Model S has the white interior with perforated seats. I have had it for a year and a half, but now have less than 5000 miles on it. A short while back, I noticed a small tear between two of the perforation holes, and now some more have started. I have been very careful not to have anything in my back pockets when I sit down, so I don't think that is the problem. I am thinking that this isn't normal wear-and-tear since the mileage is so low.

Have others with these seats been having the same problem? Over the years I have had other cars with perforated seats, but never had this problem. I wonder if a visit to the service center might shed some light on this.

 

[aerodyne]

My refreshed Model S has the white interior with perforated seats. I have had it for a year and a half, but now have less than 5000 miles on it. A short while back, I noticed a small tear between two of the perforation holes, and now some more have started. I have been very careful not to have anything in my back pockets when I sit down, so I don't think that is the problem. I am thinking that this isn't normal wear-and-tear since the mileage is so low.

Have others with these seats been having the same problem? Over the years I have had other cars with perforated seats, but never had this problem. I wonder if a visit to the service center might shed some light on this.
View attachment 946640View attachment 946641

Of course it is not normal, anymore than seat wrinkles which you seem to have avoided (Jealous) or peeling yoke.

I bet the SvC will claim it's within spec and normal.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Of course it is not normal, anymore than seat wrinkles which you seem to have avoided (Jealous) or peeling yoke.

I bet the SvC will claim it's within spec and normal.

Now they have a new favorite: "Doesn't affect operation."

 

[aerodyne]

Now they have a new favorite: "Doesn't affect operation."

Just what is the spec for the amount of air blown up your posterior? The SvC should have a handle on that...

 

[Vettepartz]

Took it to the service center today. They said anything in the interior is not covered by warranty after six months and is considered normal wear-and-tear. To have them replace just the seat cover would be around $1000. I ordered just a new seat cover, and not the installation hardware. The installation hardware consisted of 10 hog rings and cost $280.

So if you order a new Tesla with the perforated seats, be aware that you may have to replace the seat covers every 5000 miles or less due to normal wear-and-tear. Vegan - Shmeegan.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

And it sounds like they are adding perforated seats to other models like the CyberTruck and new Model 3. Sounds like a new revenue stream for Tesla! The engineers made sure the plastic seats will last past 6 months.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

To have them replace just the seat cover would be around $1000. I ordered just a new seat cover, and not the installation hardware. The installation hardware consisted of 10 hog rings and cost $280.

How much was just the cover without installation or hog rings?

 

[Vettepartz]

$440 plus tax. I wonder if anybody makes some kind of flow-through cushion in white that you could put on the top of the seats.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

$440 plus tax. I wonder if anybody makes some kind of flow-through cushion in white that you could put on the top of the seats.

I'd rather pay the $440 periodically then have to sit on, and look at, some aftermarket cushion or seat cover in my (originally) $100K (but now depreciated down to around $15K) new car.

 

[Vettepartz]

Yeah, $440 is a little steep but not out of bounds. It's those hog rings for $28 each that seems high.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Yeah, $440 is a little steep but not out of bounds. It's those hog rings for $28 each that seems high.

It's strange how Tesla has reasonable prices on so many parts and also crazy prices like that! Amazon to the rescue for hog rings and the corresponding pliers.

 

[vcor]

So if you order a new Tesla with the perforated seats, be aware that you may have to replace the seat covers every 5000 miles or less due to normal wear-and-tear. Vegan - Shmeegan.

That's silly. This is the first post I've seen of any Tesla with the issue. I'm sure there are other owners with more than 5000 miles by now (I have 9,000 miles and zero issues). If you wear jeans, perhaps one has a metal pocket rivet that is damaged and snagged the seat. Has anyone else ever sat in the driver's seat? Perhaps they caused the damage with something in their pocket. I don't see how any manufacturer would cover this under warranty no matter the material - leather or vegan if caused by abuse, even if inadvertent. Now if the seat was damaged when you first got the car, then it should be covered under warranty.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

That's silly. This is the first post I've seen of any Tesla with the issue. I'm sure there are other owners with more than 5000 miles by now (I have 9,000 miles and zero issues). If you wear jeans, perhaps one has a metal pocket rivet that is damaged and snagged the seat. Has anyone else ever sat in the driver's seat? Perhaps they caused the damage with something in their pocket. I don't see how any manufacturer would cover this under warranty no matter the material - leather or vegan if caused by abuse, even if inadvertent. Now if the seat was damaged when you first got the car, then it should be covered under warranty.

Here's a video to educate you on how Tesla could have made a recent change in the seat materials that makes the material not up to the task for car seats, and how you could be wrong about literally everything you just said:

 

[Vettepartz]

I have seen a few other posts about the same problem, mainly with just the white seats.. Someone said that they posted about that on Twitter, and that Elon replied that they had fixed the problem by changing the backing material. I don't have a lot of faith in what is said on Twitter, but it is possible. Mine started with one small tear, then another about a month later a half inch away, and then another appeared in the same vicinity. I wear jeans a lot, but there are no rivets anywhere near where the tears happened.

 

[vcor]

Here's a video to educate you on how Tesla could have made a recent change in the seat materials that makes the material not up to the task for car seats, and how you could be wrong about literally everything you just said:

Sorry, I didn't watch the entire 10-minute ad. It is possible your seat has something manufactured wrong with it - but it could be something that was done to it by yourself or someone else that you're not aware of. I just don't believe it's a problem that every owner will have every 5000 miles or we'd be hearing a lot more about it. I guess you'll find out in 5000 more miles!

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Sorry, I didn't watch the entire 10-minute ad. It is possible your seat has something manufactured wrong with it - but it could be something that was done to it by yourself or someone else that you're not aware of. I just don't believe it's a problem that every owner will have every 5000 miles or we'd be hearing a lot more about it. I guess you'll find out in 5000 more miles!

You can lead a vcor to water....

 

[drunkenbuda]

I got about 37k miles on my 22 S LR, seats are still good. I always make sure I don't have anything in my back pocket before I sit down. House keys can rip those little holes apart.

 

[djrene91307]

Hi. New to the club. I was searching for any others who have the same wrinkle seat problems. Maybe there should be a recall.

 

[aerodyne]

Hi. New to the club. I was searching for any others who have the same wrinkle seat problems. Maybe there should be a recall. View attachment 953624

Have never seen any seat that bad, but hey, maybe it's a feature, not as flaw.

Thee extra material may mitigate tearing of the cover.

 

[Vettepartz]

Somehow, that doesn't look like a PERFORATED seat cover.