Leather help

[Sean Hartley]

I have 50k on my 2014 1500 and the drivers and passenger seat already looks like ahit. I am having nightmares of the old 1997s that still drive but have half a drivers seat because the leather and foam have been eaten away. I am trying to drive this truck for 10 years. What can I do to ensure the leather goes the distance. I have conditioned it with Hendricks but in my opinion it hasn’t helped. Also what effects leather? I’m in NC and the sun can be brutal, although I do have a tint strip and 20% I’m considering buying a reflector for the front windshield. I also have Weston sidesteps so I’m not sliding across the seat.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Supreme Pizza]

For example: 

 

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2007-2014-Chevy-Tahoe-Suburban-GMC-Yukon-Upholstery-leather-seat-cover-Tan-333/332415063640?hash=item4d657b5658%3Am%3AmCaNqwhJu9jG7ggyvig9KVQ%3Asc%3AUSPSPriority!98292!US!-1&var=541439936912

[duquephart]

Leather conditioner would help ----- if it was real leather.

[da90]

We just took the wife’s grandparents 2017 Suburban on vacation. They bought it new and now has 5k miles. The seat looks like that. I was really surprised! I am judging this based on us buying their old 09 Suburban. The seat in the 09 looks fine.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[pmhinatl]

For tips on leather care, hit up the autogeek and autopia forums. There’s tons of info there to research. But from what I’ve read, most (if not all) leather interior products are a tanned and dyed hide that has been further treated with a synthetic top coating. Old school leather conditioners and treatments end up just sitting on the factory coating layer rather than penetrating.

The new approach is to thoroughly clean the seat with a diluted all-purpose-cleaner (APC) or steam, then top the leather with an additional coating or protectant chemically designed to bond to modern automotive leather.

What to do about already damaged leather? That can be tricky. OP, your seats look about like mine (roughly the same age and wear). They’ll benefit from a good cleaning to remove the surface grime and oils (and even the hendrick stuff that’s just sitting there). That’ll get you back to a somewhat factory look, except where the leather has been burnished smooth and shines a bit. Pick one of the newer leather coatings to apply and follow the instructions to the letter. You will at least have restored the seats to a baseline that you can maintain from there. Really rough seats, on the other hand, might need a look from the dealer service department if you’re still in warranty. They shouldn’t wear that fast.

As a last resort, there are some excellent aftermarket leather seat replacements. Katzkin, for example, seems to be very popular. I’ve seen them first hand, and I might agree that they’re nicer than factory.

Good luck!
M.

[pmhinatl]

Also, look into getting a drivers side entry assist handle. It’s a gm accessory, found in any online parts outlet, your favorite auction site, or the dealer parts store. It will help keep the seat bolsters from taking a beating. Takes about 15 minutes to install.

And I think (but double check first) the part is the same between GMC and Chevy, pickup and SUV.






M.