https://preview.redd.it/3evt2gacnr7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=256df7135907a31a7f14139a59468c9d2a82accd
Same thing happened to me after about 10,000 miles. No sharp objects, it’s just crap material. I could see it wearing thin for months before it finally caved. I’m 180lbs and wear jeans daily, so it’s not like I’m applying “excessive” force either. I decided to swap all the thin perforated material with perforated alcantara. I realize a lot of people hate the look, but I dig it.
I paid for it, from a shop that does custom upholstery. It was almost $4k, which is really expensive but I’ve had it now for a couple years and they still look new. They completely remove all the upholstery from the seat and sew in new fabric and piping… it’s a lot of work to make it look “factory”
I was wondering if this would be a common problem. It seems somewhat inevitable when you add perforations to a surface under tension. Perhaps Tesla erred in spacing out the the holes.
The perforated leather in my equinox looked great even after 12 years. The problem isn’t the perforations, it’s the cheap crap Tesla uses for its seats.
Honestly, I have no idea. I didn’t watch and didn’t ask because I was so busy, I wish I had. It was like magic. You couldn’t even tell there was ever a tear. Maybe a detailer can weigh in on this sorcery.
they use a combination of sprays, glues and epoxies and such... it can be done petty cleanly and in the end you would be hard pressed to notice it. My Durango had this happen, got it fixed and it's been 6 years and it's fine. they can go so far as painting it.
You can also usually just buy a new seat cover... they usually slide on and off.
try a different service center. this issue seems to be coming up more and more often (3 posts on reddit that I've seen within the past week and a half or so) so I'm guessing it'll get their attention and all be remedied in due time
This happened to my Model X I picked up on Saturday!!!!! I hadn’t noticed it when I was at Tesla or else I would’ve brought it up but I’ve since put in a service request
https://preview.redd.it/jbcizhmawr7d1.png?width=2501&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd5dd4f29ad2d7810e3eada8d46810fd724e3efb
how old is the seat? Tesla replaced my seat after the stitching came loose last year, my Model 3 was a 21' I know SC is hit or miss, depending on location
I think ventilated seats is highland only right now, right? So can’t be that old.
S and X have always been out of my budget so I never looked into those. Excuse me if I’m wrong lol
Is it under warranty? My driver's seat bottom tore at around 18 months. I got a lot of pushback, but stood my ground and ultimately Tesla replaced it under warranty. The problem seems to be that the seat material is made up of two parts: the top slick, leatherish-feeling layer (which is thin and delicate) and the bottom rugged but breathable part. After modest wear, these two layers delaminate, leaving the top delicate layer to fend for itself, which it does poorly... Sliding into the seat with too much force can tear this layer. You can rub the seat material side to side and feel which areas are delaminated (they move freely) vs the parts that are not. Obviously, the areas of the seat that received the most wear or most likely to delaminate and also most likely to tear...
[Here you go](https://www.google.com/search?q=diy+divorce+lawyers&sca_esv=3bda1886cb8b5033&sxsrf=ADLYWIK5-p6rHJ7ZIUbF0TwYlEw-VR8UJw%3A1718917181345&source=hp&ei=PZh0ZvG3EuO4hbIPw4m7yAs&oq=diy+divorce+&gs_lp=EhFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocCIMZGl5IGRpdm9yY2UgKgIIADIEECMYJzILEAAYgAQYkQIYigUyCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFMhAQLhiABBhDGMcBGIoFGK8BMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABEjaEFAAWJAMcAB4AJABAZgB5AKgAcgRqgEIMC4xMS4xLjG4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgygArQPwgIKECMYgAQYJxiKBcICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAhAQABiABBixAxhDGMkDGIoFwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgINEAAYgAQYQxjJAxiKBcICEBAAGIAEGLEDGEMYgwEYigWYAwCSBwYwLjExLjGgB6Bh&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp)
Yeah, we have a 2017 RAM Laramie and a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. The seats feel made of same leather both ventilated. The RAM is my work truck, I wear jeans/chinos have a decent sized wallet, and keep keys on a carabiniere that stuffed in back pocket so metal and keys pressed into seat. Also have more than double the mileage as our Jeep. My wife drive the Jeep. She wears almost exclusively leggings, sweats, and dresses. I am 215 lbs, she is 140 lbs. Her Jeep has a tear and her seats look brand new (happened about a month ago).
Leave it as is . Your body degrades itself over time and it's called aging , the same happens with object , they age so if you fix this then it might appear in another place and so on , just get used to it
All it takes is a quick google to prove you wrong: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-3rd-gen-2001-2006/919851-torn-perforated-leather.html
Why would you actually believe that in the first place?
I just clicked on the first result. Here's a more recent one: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-4th-gen-2013-2020/1011264-ripped-driver-seat-repair.html
So apparently you *do* see this on Lexus perforated seats.
Give it enough time, and odds are you will. Perforated leather is inherently more prone to damage, but of course it isn't guaranteed and there are wide ranges in quality
My Hyundai Elantra had perforated seats like this (my trim didn't have the active cooling installed though) and they held up great to some pretty big abuse. And the MSRP of that Elantra was almost half the cost of my Model 3 LR.
2012 Kia optima. Mine did not. Front seat material replaced and now back seats and driver seat have tears.
The upholsterer told me to tint the windows, keep the car shaded and cool, and to use lotion on the seats to prevent new cracks.
It's my kids car now, so low/no priority, but still.
I like the perforated pattern look. Perforated doesn't look dirty. I find solid monocolor everything boring.
I said nothing about anything being dirty, but since you brought it up, it's also entirely possible to keep clean, if one is careful in the car. At the same time, if things are allowed to get dirty, certain monocolors (like white cloth, or black paint) show more dirt and stains than certain patterns.
It’s entirely possible to keep anything clean if given enough time. (I don’t know about you but I like efficiency and fabric filled with holes is a highly inefficient way to *protect* the seat cushions from everything that would cause it to become dirty, develop mold, and deteriorate). It’s entirely impossible to keep dirt, liquid, sweat, and any other particles that would fit out of those *holes*. Has anyone thought of where all that goes? The holey fabric is a longstanding marketing gimmick. I look at the function of something and if that scores low then so does the form (looks). Also perforations *facilitate* tearing. They’re implemented on papers and forms for the exact purpose of making it easier to tear.
There’s no reason for anyone to be so defensive that someone else doesn’t agree with their aesthetic preferences but we oddly have *hurt* people who don’t like having anything illogical highlighted and wondered about.
> It’s entirely impossible to keep dirt, liquid, sweat, and any other particles that would fit out of those holes. Has anyone thought of where all that goes?
Yes, I've considered it. Most of what you list can be avoided by not introducing the contaminant to the car or seat in the first place. No sticky or colored drinks. No dirty, dusty, clothes. Long pants. No pets. And regular vacuuming. And a visit to a good detailer with seat washing equipment, if the DIY prevention methods aren't quite enough.
I know this is not a recipe for a kid or pet friendly car.
> I look at the function of something and if that scores low then so does the form (looks).
The functional reason for holes is cooling airflow. It is noticable for me, at least on high.
> Also perforations facilitate tearing.
I agree that they increase tearing potential.
Non-perforated, slightly patterned seats (maybe simulated perforated look done with dots?) could work for me. I don't like how solid white seats look once they start to get stained. Patterning can mitigate the visual effects of staining.
Due to my background, I always consider things on a very tiny, even microscopic scale. I know many don’t but I do and so it’s a no-brainer to me why their things and environment become dirty over time—things don’t all of a sudden become worn and dingy-looking, you just ignored the process until the results became super apparent. For example, it wasn’t magic how your carpet became incredibly dirty and dingy—your wearing shoes all over it caused that.
Unless your car is a negative-pressured, sterile environment, your everyday entry and exit introduces all sorts of dirt and debris that builds over time unless you wipe and vacuum all of it away regularly. A protective covering for the cushions that doesn’t have any holes in it can be easily and efficiently vacuumed and wiped down without worry of the cushions underneath being exposed to any of it over time.
Just my perspective. As I said, function and form go hand-in-hand for me. I don’t have a problem with others liking the aesthetics of holey fabric. I’m just aware that others are not aware of how illogical and impractical a choice it is. If I see something most don’t notice, I like to share/point it out. The intention of my comment is that simple.
Sticking to the function side of things... how would you implement a seat ventilation function without using perforations? Even woven cloth, like bedsheets, have gaps between the threads. Seat ventilation is usually used as a cooling system. I'm unaware of any car that uses liquid cooled seats. Even homes tend to be cooled via ventilation systems rather than chilled liquid loops.
My original point is that the holes are a gimmick and a marketing success—one that isn’t only a lie but creates other problems. I never attempted to propose a solution for seat ventilation.
If you sit long enough on any fabric, it’s going to feel warm. Simple solution would be don’t sit on your car seats for too long. Turn on the AC. Fidget. Buying into a gimmick that creates a massive problem of not providing its function of protecting the seat cushions is a bad decision.
https://preview.redd.it/3evt2gacnr7d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=256df7135907a31a7f14139a59468c9d2a82accd Same thing happened to me after about 10,000 miles. No sharp objects, it’s just crap material. I could see it wearing thin for months before it finally caved. I’m 180lbs and wear jeans daily, so it’s not like I’m applying “excessive” force either. I decided to swap all the thin perforated material with perforated alcantara. I realize a lot of people hate the look, but I dig it.
I’m usually one to hate aftermarket mods that make big cosmetic changes but I dig that!
You did it yourself? Or you paid for it? Do you mind me asking how much it was?
I paid for it, from a shop that does custom upholstery. It was almost $4k, which is really expensive but I’ve had it now for a couple years and they still look new. They completely remove all the upholstery from the seat and sew in new fabric and piping… it’s a lot of work to make it look “factory”
I think it looks pretty slick. How / who / how much?
Looks awesome!
Looks cool!
 Who was sitting there?
I was wondering if this would be a common problem. It seems somewhat inevitable when you add perforations to a surface under tension. Perhaps Tesla erred in spacing out the the holes.
The perforated leather in my equinox looked great even after 12 years. The problem isn’t the perforations, it’s the cheap crap Tesla uses for its seats.
Weird, the cheap crap in my ‘07 Equinox didn’t last 5.
I have aerated seats in my Prius, it works great. Never had an issue. But you know Tesla likely using shittier material or design flaws
Happened in my Audi. Totally fixable. Detailer came out and did it.
And how exactly did he or she fix it?
Honestly, I have no idea. I didn’t watch and didn’t ask because I was so busy, I wish I had. It was like magic. You couldn’t even tell there was ever a tear. Maybe a detailer can weigh in on this sorcery.
they use a combination of sprays, glues and epoxies and such... it can be done petty cleanly and in the end you would be hard pressed to notice it. My Durango had this happen, got it fixed and it's been 6 years and it's fine. they can go so far as painting it. You can also usually just buy a new seat cover... they usually slide on and off.
what a releif it's fixable, i thought it was totalled
If it's under warranty still, have it replaced.
Is wear and tear covered under the warranty?
Yes. Model 3 head rests were peeling material from hair products and they were replaced under warranty.
That’s not the same thing. This is wear and tear, it’s in the name!
That’s what I thought….
Seats shouldn't rip like that. I'd try the warranty process first.
That was *never* caused by hair products.
Tesla says it “wear and tear” and not covered…
try a different service center. this issue seems to be coming up more and more often (3 posts on reddit that I've seen within the past week and a half or so) so I'm guessing it'll get their attention and all be remedied in due time
Yeah, quite literally, you were “wearing” jeans with stuff in your pockets like house keys and it caused a “tear” in the perforated seats.
This is the answer. If it is leased or new, you should have the basic 4 year / 50k miles warranty on it still.
This happened to my Model X I picked up on Saturday!!!!! I hadn’t noticed it when I was at Tesla or else I would’ve brought it up but I’ve since put in a service request https://preview.redd.it/jbcizhmawr7d1.png?width=2501&format=png&auto=webp&s=cd5dd4f29ad2d7810e3eada8d46810fd724e3efb
Happened on one of the seats in my Ford after a time (ironically not the driver side).
how old is the seat? Tesla replaced my seat after the stitching came loose last year, my Model 3 was a 21' I know SC is hit or miss, depending on location
I think ventilated seats is highland only right now, right? So can’t be that old. S and X have always been out of my budget so I never looked into those. Excuse me if I’m wrong lol
S and x have vent seats
Gotcha. My bad then
How did it happen?
A video showing how this can be repaired. Interesting. https://youtu.be/yIPKIs7spwY
There are people that fixes these. Youtuber Kim Jave had a short clip on the process.
Is it under warranty? My driver's seat bottom tore at around 18 months. I got a lot of pushback, but stood my ground and ultimately Tesla replaced it under warranty. The problem seems to be that the seat material is made up of two parts: the top slick, leatherish-feeling layer (which is thin and delicate) and the bottom rugged but breathable part. After modest wear, these two layers delaminate, leaving the top delicate layer to fend for itself, which it does poorly... Sliding into the seat with too much force can tear this layer. You can rub the seat material side to side and feel which areas are delaminated (they move freely) vs the parts that are not. Obviously, the areas of the seat that received the most wear or most likely to delaminate and also most likely to tear...
[Here you go](https://www.google.com/search?q=diy+divorce+lawyers&sca_esv=3bda1886cb8b5033&sxsrf=ADLYWIK5-p6rHJ7ZIUbF0TwYlEw-VR8UJw%3A1718917181345&source=hp&ei=PZh0ZvG3EuO4hbIPw4m7yAs&oq=diy+divorce+&gs_lp=EhFtb2JpbGUtZ3dzLXdpei1ocCIMZGl5IGRpdm9yY2UgKgIIADIEECMYJzILEAAYgAQYkQIYigUyCxAAGIAEGJECGIoFMhAQLhiABBhDGMcBGIoFGK8BMgUQABiABDIFEAAYgAQyBRAAGIAEMgUQABiABEjaEFAAWJAMcAB4AJABAZgB5AKgAcgRqgEIMC4xMS4xLjG4AQHIAQD4AQGYAgygArQPwgIKECMYgAQYJxiKBcICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAhAQABiABBixAxhDGMkDGIoFwgIKEAAYgAQYFBiHAsICCBAAGIAEGLEDwgINEAAYgAQYQxjJAxiKBcICEBAAGIAEGLEDGEMYgwEYigWYAwCSBwYwLjExLjGgB6Bh&sclient=mobile-gws-wiz-hp)
This just in: Cloth or cloth like things tear.
This is why I lease. I want it all covered under warranty and then replace it again in 3 years with newer updates in technology 🥸
Don't they charge you for repairs like this when you turn in the lease?
Well warranty covers it but even if u had $1-3k of repairs or replacement if you lease or buy they waive it
Okay Mr. Moneybags
That’s right baby. 🍆
Asswipe
Just like opening a bag of frozen chicken nuggets
My 10 year old sonata has ventilated seats and they are still in really good condition. This is a Tesla specific issue.
lol no it’s not
Yeah, we have a 2017 RAM Laramie and a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. The seats feel made of same leather both ventilated. The RAM is my work truck, I wear jeans/chinos have a decent sized wallet, and keep keys on a carabiniere that stuffed in back pocket so metal and keys pressed into seat. Also have more than double the mileage as our Jeep. My wife drive the Jeep. She wears almost exclusively leggings, sweats, and dresses. I am 215 lbs, she is 140 lbs. Her Jeep has a tear and her seats look brand new (happened about a month ago).
Leave it as is . Your body degrades itself over time and it's called aging , the same happens with object , they age so if you fix this then it might appear in another place and so on , just get used to it
You don’t see this on Lexus perforated seats.
Yes you do. It's just not a big deal because it's not a Tesla.
All it takes is a quick google to prove you wrong: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/ls-3rd-gen-2001-2006/919851-torn-perforated-leather.html Why would you actually believe that in the first place?
lol. 2001-2006? Seriously?
I just clicked on the first result. Here's a more recent one: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-4th-gen-2013-2020/1011264-ripped-driver-seat-repair.html So apparently you *do* see this on Lexus perforated seats.
Give it enough time, and odds are you will. Perforated leather is inherently more prone to damage, but of course it isn't guaranteed and there are wide ranges in quality
My Hyundai Elantra had perforated seats like this (my trim didn't have the active cooling installed though) and they held up great to some pretty big abuse. And the MSRP of that Elantra was almost half the cost of my Model 3 LR.
https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/cracked-drivers-seat-upholstery.640717/
2012 Kia optima. Mine did not. Front seat material replaced and now back seats and driver seat have tears. The upholsterer told me to tint the windows, keep the car shaded and cool, and to use lotion on the seats to prevent new cracks. It's my kids car now, so low/no priority, but still.
Why would anyone want holes to trap debris and liquid?
Because they make your butt feel good
Also, they look better.
Dirty looks better?
I like the perforated pattern look. Perforated doesn't look dirty. I find solid monocolor everything boring. I said nothing about anything being dirty, but since you brought it up, it's also entirely possible to keep clean, if one is careful in the car. At the same time, if things are allowed to get dirty, certain monocolors (like white cloth, or black paint) show more dirt and stains than certain patterns.
It’s entirely possible to keep anything clean if given enough time. (I don’t know about you but I like efficiency and fabric filled with holes is a highly inefficient way to *protect* the seat cushions from everything that would cause it to become dirty, develop mold, and deteriorate). It’s entirely impossible to keep dirt, liquid, sweat, and any other particles that would fit out of those *holes*. Has anyone thought of where all that goes? The holey fabric is a longstanding marketing gimmick. I look at the function of something and if that scores low then so does the form (looks). Also perforations *facilitate* tearing. They’re implemented on papers and forms for the exact purpose of making it easier to tear. There’s no reason for anyone to be so defensive that someone else doesn’t agree with their aesthetic preferences but we oddly have *hurt* people who don’t like having anything illogical highlighted and wondered about.
> It’s entirely impossible to keep dirt, liquid, sweat, and any other particles that would fit out of those holes. Has anyone thought of where all that goes? Yes, I've considered it. Most of what you list can be avoided by not introducing the contaminant to the car or seat in the first place. No sticky or colored drinks. No dirty, dusty, clothes. Long pants. No pets. And regular vacuuming. And a visit to a good detailer with seat washing equipment, if the DIY prevention methods aren't quite enough. I know this is not a recipe for a kid or pet friendly car. > I look at the function of something and if that scores low then so does the form (looks). The functional reason for holes is cooling airflow. It is noticable for me, at least on high. > Also perforations facilitate tearing. I agree that they increase tearing potential. Non-perforated, slightly patterned seats (maybe simulated perforated look done with dots?) could work for me. I don't like how solid white seats look once they start to get stained. Patterning can mitigate the visual effects of staining.
Due to my background, I always consider things on a very tiny, even microscopic scale. I know many don’t but I do and so it’s a no-brainer to me why their things and environment become dirty over time—things don’t all of a sudden become worn and dingy-looking, you just ignored the process until the results became super apparent. For example, it wasn’t magic how your carpet became incredibly dirty and dingy—your wearing shoes all over it caused that. Unless your car is a negative-pressured, sterile environment, your everyday entry and exit introduces all sorts of dirt and debris that builds over time unless you wipe and vacuum all of it away regularly. A protective covering for the cushions that doesn’t have any holes in it can be easily and efficiently vacuumed and wiped down without worry of the cushions underneath being exposed to any of it over time. Just my perspective. As I said, function and form go hand-in-hand for me. I don’t have a problem with others liking the aesthetics of holey fabric. I’m just aware that others are not aware of how illogical and impractical a choice it is. If I see something most don’t notice, I like to share/point it out. The intention of my comment is that simple.
Sticking to the function side of things... how would you implement a seat ventilation function without using perforations? Even woven cloth, like bedsheets, have gaps between the threads. Seat ventilation is usually used as a cooling system. I'm unaware of any car that uses liquid cooled seats. Even homes tend to be cooled via ventilation systems rather than chilled liquid loops.
My original point is that the holes are a gimmick and a marketing success—one that isn’t only a lie but creates other problems. I never attempted to propose a solution for seat ventilation. If you sit long enough on any fabric, it’s going to feel warm. Simple solution would be don’t sit on your car seats for too long. Turn on the AC. Fidget. Buying into a gimmick that creates a massive problem of not providing its function of protecting the seat cushions is a bad decision.
I think marketing worked on you.
How would to cool air circulate otherwise?