Damaged leather side bolster

[imported_mega]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

Why can't people just keep their ignorant remarks to themselves?

BOT: While I do not have the exact same issue as you but my bolster has already started to crack. I even use the second seat memory position to be all the way back and let it do so every time I get in/out of the vehicle. I am taking the car to the dealer Thursday to take care of a supposed worn brake pad issue with 7,000 miles on the car so I will address this issue along with a couple others. I will post what comes of it.

it's not ignorant it's the truth, if you slide on that bolster it'll wear out really fast, there's just no avoiding it

[BMW135iCA]

I have this problem and my dealer replaced my cover with a new cover for the seat. It is on order right now.

Chris

[imported_mega]

just for fun go look at used bmw's with sport seats, or any sports cars with sport seats for that matter, they all will crack and wear off the top layer of dye right on the edge

I dont like how bmw puts the stitching right on the edge, it makes more tiny surface areas to wear off

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by BMW135iCA

I have this problem and my dealer replaced my cover with a new cover for the seat. It is on order right now.

Chris

This is what I am hoping will happen when the dealer finally calls me. I talked to the shop foreman about it when he called me about my service issue and he said he would have to talk to the Service Manager. I am hoping the Service Manager orders the leather or I am going to have to show my ass when I go to pick it up.

[MadMan77]

I just picked up my car and nothing was done in regards to the leather since the shop foreman forgot to mention the Service Manager is away at a conference. He will be back on Wednesday so I will be blowing up his phone first thing in the morning then.

[hot_ride]

This is certainly bad news! Anyone else get the leather protection offered from BMW? 10 years coverage, seemed like a must for me.

Can anyone take some pictures and post 'em? I'd like to see what we're in for.

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by hot_ride

This is certainly bad news! Anyone else get the leather protection offered from BMW? 10 years coverage, seemed like a must for me.

Can anyone take some pictures and post 'em? I'd like to see what we're in for.

I didn't even hear of it or I would have got it. The only protection package they offered me was for the tires/wheels.

[tHegeRm]

Interested to see what happens with this issue. My passenger seat is starting to crack and wear. Kinda strange it wasn't the drivers side first.

[mchaskell]

I set #2 seat program all the way back, and #1 in the position I use to drive.
When I want to get out/in I use setting 2 and have the seat move back making entry/exit easier. I use setting 1 to move the seat back into driving position. Works well if you do not need to share the car with another driver. My Corvette had this feature and it not only moved the seat but the steering wheel, makes it easy on us tall folks.

[Mad Dragon]

Originally Posted by Robert

Reasons why I went for leatherette.

Newsflash: leatherette will wear, too.

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by carnut

+1

+2

Besides, I like wearing jeans....

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by mchaskell

I set #2 seat program all the way back, and #1 in the position I use to drive.
When I want to get out/in I use setting 2 and have the seat move back making entry/exit easier. I use setting 1 to move the seat back into driving position. Works well if you do not need to share the car with another driver. My Corvette had this feature and it not only moved the seat but the steering wheel, makes it easy on us tall folks.

I do the same thing with my seat positions when getting in and out of the car.

On a side note, I still have not received a phone call from the Service Manager at my dealer. I plan on having a face-to-face with him on Monday whether he likes it or not. There is no excuse to not call a customer with a problem when you work in that industry.

[spfdenhugh]

My driver's side seat cover was just replaced due to upper side bolster cracking and loss of top layer of leather (very small areas around stitching). District manager had to approve the repair.

[BrokenVert]

My side bolsters are wrinkled as hell. No cracking yet tho after 10 months...and before anybody asks yes I am a fatty, and no, it shouldn't make that big of a difference.

[MadMan77]

Just got back from the dealer and they said they are ordering a new upper seat skin. I will be taking it back up there on Thursday to take care of that and to replace my driver's side mirror.

[MadMan77]

I took my car in to get the seat issue fixed and when I got the car back today they just "reconditioned" the cracking portion of my seat. They would not tell me how this was done.

I expressed my extreme displeasure in them just "reconditining" cracking leather after having the car for less then a year and with low mileage. I also told the service manager that I would be coming back if this did not fix it and dealing with the general manager/BMW of NA instead of him.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

every bmw sport seat does this, don't slide into them, be more careful, move the seat back before you get in

My E46 325i sport seats didn't do this at all. They were leatherette though, which is a MUCH more durable product than leather.
Yes, it doesn't "breathe" as well, and it doesn't have the appeal of knowing it's leather, but overall, it makes for a better seat cover.
My seats looked brand new after 3 yrs. and 36k miles.
Also, I'm a big guy so I'm sure I was brushing against the bolsters getting in and out. Still, no problems.

So, the 09's use a thicker side leather?
Good to know.

[RPM90]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I took my car in to get the seat issue fixed and when I got the car back today they just "reconditioned" the cracking portion of my seat. They would not tell me how this was done.

I expressed my extreme displeasure in them just "reconditining" cracking leather after having the car for less then a year and with low mileage. I also told the service manager that I would be coming back if this did not fix it and dealing with the general manager/BMW of NA instead of him.

Interesting. Does it look fixed?

[MadMan77]

Originally Posted by RPM90

Interesting. Does it look fixed?

It looks fixed but let's see how long it lasts.

[CAMike]

I'm having the same issue on my driver's seat. I just turned 8000 miles and have an appointment for a continually faulty headlight washer and will address the seat at that time. Doesn't sound like I should expect much to be done though. I don't care if you are 110 lbs or 410 lbs, the leasther should not be wearing that quickly. Our butts rub all over the seat bottom the whole time we drive or turn or push the brake or clutch or...but the seats don't wear in the seat cushion or the front edge that our legs rub against the whole time we drive. Just another minor fault in the overall quality. As this is my first BMW, I must say that I have had several issues (HPFP, headlight switch, adaptive headlights, headlight washer, third brake light lens...) and while I love the engine and overall driving experience, at just now 8000 miles, it has been in the shop WAY TOO Often!!! Hopefully my luck will change but I have a feeling I won't see the end of my loan before getting rid of it as stuff keeps breaking too early and too often.

Mike

[dwvcfii]

Originally Posted by imported_mega

every bmw sport seat does this, don't slide into them, be more careful, move the seat back before you get in

Agreed. Same thing happened to my 1998 E36. Back then, BMW was still customer focused and they replaced my driver's seat leather (upper and lower so that it would match) when the car was a year old with little more than a peep from me. Now I imagine you'd have to give them your first born and whore your SO out for a night or two for them to even acknowledge the problem.

Incidentally, the "new" leather, after 10 years in service, is heavily cracked and generally looks like garbage. No way to totally prevent this aside from installing seat covers (dumb, IMHO) or simply not driving the car (equally stupid and self-defeating). My advice to the OP is to be a bit more careful getting in and out, not stress too much about it and just enjoy the car. This is the price for a seat that holds you firmly.

Oh, and welcome to BMW ownership.

[AndyM]

Originally Posted by MadMan77

I took my car in to get the seat issue fixed and when I got the car back today they just “reconditioned” the cracking portion of my seat. They would not tell me how this was done.

I expressed my extreme displeasure in them just “reconditining” cracking leather after having the car for less then a year and with low mileage. I also told the service manager that I would be coming back if this did not fix it and dealing with the general manager/BMW of NA instead of him.

They have a third party come in with an air pump and an airbrush. He fills in the cracks and then matches the color. How long it lasts will depend on how often you touch it.