I just notices one of the seams of the fabric of the front seat is split and opening. Car is only two months old. Is this considered warranty do you think or are they going to tell me the problem is "normal" wear and tear?
Heck NO! This is certainly a warranty problem I would think they should get you a new seat. I'm no lightweight LOL and the seats in our Prius are holding up as good as new after 90k mi. You should expect the same.
Thanks! I was hoping to make it to 5000 miles before I brought it in but I think it's time. I don't want this to get worse and then have them blame me for it!
Yeah, I'd take it in as well... What have ya' got to lose? If it is the seams/stitching separating I would think yes, that's a warranty issue. Its not like a puncture from keys etc. Also, take a picture of it using your cell phone, or a digital camera today with maybe something like a newspaper showing the date so if it does get worse you can show how it was early on in the game.
Yeah mine is starting to show signs of wear. I don't think it'll go past 20k miles before it splits. do not know whether to get a seat cover or just hope I get it replaced under warranty. I must say I am a little unhappy with the quality of the interior.
I don't think the newspaper date will help at all in establishing the date. The only thing that will help is to report it to your dealer, immediately. Note that you could always take a photo with an old paper from last week or last year...what would that prove? Nothing. The idea of a photo with a newspaper establishes a date after which something happened (like to show someone is still alive in a kidknapping) 3PriusMike
It wouldn't really prove anything, but this isn't a criminal court case so what could it hurt by doing it? As long as he brings the vehicle in without waiting an insanely long period of time, I don't think they'd give him grief anyways. Alternatively, you could try calling and document it with the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 800-331-4331. Then it will be documented with Toyota as a problem and maybe they'd give you a case number or something. After that (or before would also work), call your dealer for an appointment to bring the car in! lol
Since it wouldn't prove one thing, I suppose that it could be suspicious to go to the trouble of doing something that is useless in order to prove what???? Just take the darned thing in as soon as you can. A split seam is absolutely not a normal wear and tear item but if you were to wait long enough, and in these tough days for car manufacturers, who knows?
I don't see anything suspicious about it. You take a picture of it now, then call the dealer to bring it in. You bring it in 3 days later and from still driving the car, now it is a huge split. They ask/comment how big of a split it is and you tell them because I drove it till the date you gave me to bring it in, but here's a pic how it was when I called you to bring it in 3 days ago. No harm, no foul.
There is nothing suspicious about taking a picture. You have changed the subject. The gravamen of a prior post was that the OP should take a picture posed with a newspaper showing the date so they could show when it was damaged. Showing up months later with a picture of a newspaper only proves that you have some problem with logical thought, not when it was damaged. Showing up in a couple of days when the appointment is available doesn't seem to require any photographs, even from the big bottom folks from Saturday Night Live.
I'll one-up that and say you should enclose the photo in a sealed envelope and mail it to yourself. Have the dealer open the postmarked letter
Hi zuflu, You're off-topic, but the answer is YES, people have ordered and put on all sorts of seat covers on a 2007 and Gen II Priuses: 1. Reupholstery using the same OEM fabric. 2. Reupholstery with OEM leather or aftermarket leather from katzkins, Road Wire, Bartlett Corporation, others. 3. Seat covers (go over the existing upholstery) of all types, including neoprene like Wet Okoles, fabric like GT Covers and Exact Fit Seat Covers from ExactSeatCovers on eBay, leather like Clazzios from eBay, sheepskins like those from ShearComfort.com, etc. Use the Search function. You'll find lots of threads on seat covers.
A quick update - I stopped by the dealer today, they looked at it, said it was covered by warranty and ordered me a new cover. They said as long as it wasn't a cut in the fabric it would be covered.
I didn't know they can just order a new cover. When my seat wears out in 10 years, I'll order a new cover.
The "side" airbags are hidden in the outboard edge of the seats, and the vertical seam is designed "weak" to rip out (very quickly) whenever the airbag deploys. So, use caution when covering the seat with a seatcover or even a blanket.
I had a VW Jetta TDI with cloth interior and the side air bag housing was very close to the seat cover. Eventually it made its way to through and make a hole. This was a 17k. It was taken car by the dealer under warranty. I had to speak with a factory rep and he authorized the replacement of the seat cover. When you talk to these guys you have to be nice and never demanding. They know that somethings was wrong.
Boy it's a little disconcerning to hear of all these little problems realating to the 2010. I'm begginging to feel better and better about my decision to keep my 08. I don't know if it's just more people are gettong 10's or what, but when the 04 came out we didn't hear anything about seats splitting, rattles ect.
