White Nappa Leather seat bolsters wearing

[GT2inSeattle]

Hey all.. perhaps you can give me some advice on how to proceed. The bolsters on my seats are getting 'wear spots' from getting in and out of the car.. I've had the car since August.. there's all of 6500 miles on the car.. and these seats look like they're years old already.

I took a couple of photos after cleaning the clothing transfer discoloration off and I'd love any advice on this. Is this a warranty issue? Should it be one? That also leads to my next question.. how the heck do you stop that transference from happening..? Doesn't matter what I wear.. t-shirts.. blue jeans... slacks.. SOMETHING gets picked up by these seats...! I've tried that
GYEON Leather Shield but transference is still an issue.

 

[Revvdmedia]

While you can ask the dealer to warranty this (some will honor), bolster wear is an unfortunate byproduct of a car with "heavy" side bolsters due to abrasion from "le ass" during ingress and egress. While you've said you use Gyeon for protection, I suggest an application of leather conditioner to help keep everything supple. While I know fully well that a huge portion of the seat is synthetic rather than natural leather, I would still apply it to all surfaces. I highly suggest since you have a GT2 to set your seat to automatically slide back when the car is shut off. I have done this in mine since new and I've experienced none of the usual bolster wear that others have since I don't touch it when entering and exiting the vehicle. I'm also a small human, so that helps.

As for dye transfer, that is unavoidable on any light colored seats. I had to scrub the red leather seats in my Mustang every couple months due to jean dye transfer.

 

[KiaofMuncie]

I like zymol leather cleaner and conditioner

 

[stingeradmr]

dealership did a warranty on my front seat on a one time deal.

 

[nhcowboy28]

It’s a car. Seats will show wear.

Have them swap out before warranty ends.

These aren’t museum pieces folks.

 

[GT2inSeattle]

These aren’t museum pieces folks.

Thanks for that keen insight.

 

[nhcowboy28]

Thanks for that keen insight.

I am to please

 

[MisterMac]

It’s a car. Seats will show wear.

Have them swap out before warranty ends.

These aren’t museum pieces folks.

If an option isn't helpful, it's like a fart that stinks. Unwelcome, useless, annoying, and selfish.

The fact is, Kia advertises the quality of the Napa Leather and the extensive process they used to simulate wear and guarantee its beauty for a long time. This leads to expectations that are not met when the color begins wearing off after relatively minimal use.

I had similar wear, but worse, in the same location. Kia replaced the entire driver seat last week. Even Kia agrees the surface of the initial leather is not meeting their expectations or ours. My Lexus Napa leather is light beige is 4 months older, without wear, and looks like the museum piece it was advertised to be.

 

[MisterMac]

I am to please myself

You forgot a word, I helped you by filling it in above.

 

[MIGULZZ]

wear them out then toss them and throw a nice set of Recaro adjustable leather seats in there

 

[nhcowboy28]

You forgot a word, I helped you by filling it in above.

You must have been watching.

 

[nhcowboy28]

If an option isn't helpful, it's like a fart that stinks. Unwelcome, useless, annoying, and selfish.

You forgot wet. Wet farts on white leather is not good.

 

[Revvdmedia]

The fact is, Kia advertises the quality of the Napa Leather and the extensive process they used to simulate wear and guarantee its beauty for a long time. This leads to expectations that are not met when the color begins wearing off after relatively minimal use.

Here is the kicker, and I suspect is the case with our cars, only the center seating surfaces (where the ventilation holes are) are the premium leather, all else is faux leather/leatherette/fake cow. If the center portion does not see unusual wear, Kia's advertisement is true - what is actually nappa is wearing well. All else holds no other guarantee if not the same material. In my fingertips, I feel a difference in material between the center "seating" area of the seats compared to the bolsters, so I am certain they are not the same materials.

All else considered, you'd think modern synthetics would hold up better than organic materials...apparently not?

 

[MisterMac]

Here is the kicker, and I suspect is the case with our cars, only the center seating surfaces (where the ventilation holes are) are the premium leather, all else is faux leather/leatherette/fake cow. If the center portion does not see unusual wear, Kia's advertisement is true - what is actually nappa is wearing well. All else holds no other guarantee if not the same material. In my fingertips, I feel a difference in material between the center "seating" area of the seats compared to the bolsters, so I am certain they are not the same materials.

All else considered, you'd think modern synthetics would hold up better than organic materials...apparently not?

Nice guess, except the bolsters are leather. Only the sides and backs of the Stinger GT seats are leatherette. I suspect you are right though, If Kia had used leatherette on the complete bolster area, we'd likely not see any pre-mature wear.

 

[Revvdmedia]

Nice guess, except the bolsters are leather. Only the sides and backs of the Stinger GT seats are leatherette. I suspect you are right though, If Kia had used leatherette on the complete bolster area, we'd likely not see any pre-mature wear.

You may be right. To my fingertips, the leather that rests on your thighs and sides feels more slick and less soft than the center part, but I can't say I'm a calibrated leather detector lol. That, though, is honestly how many manufacturers do their leather though. You can definitely see and feel the difference in materials on the center portion vs. the inner bolsters.

 

[MisterMac]

You may be right. To my fingertips, the leather that rests on your thighs and sides feels more slick and less soft than the center part, but I can't say I'm a calibrated leather detector lol. That, though, is honestly how many manufacturers do their leather though. You can definitely see and feel the difference in materials on the center portion vs. the inner bolsters.

What you are feeling is a combination of thickness of the leather and the foam backing thickness on the different surfaces.

 

[Boris]

My $86k Land Rover has the same issue. Napa leather is soft. Such is life.

 

[AV8R]

The wearing has been discussed before please read.
Drivers seat - side scuffing badly

 

[MisterMac]

The wearing has been discussed before please read.
Drivers seat - side scuffing badly

Yes, and it'll be discussed again and again and again in even more threads.