The decorative stitching on the outside edges of my 2008 GT driver's seat is quite frayed from wear - driver sliding in and out. (see photo) I have an appointment with an auto upholstery shop to have the stitching removed and redone. This will require the seat to be removed. The Owner's Manual has lots of warnings about removal due to the air bags.


If anyone has a tried and true procedure for seat removal I would appreciate it if you would pass it along.

 

Hello Mr Vette,
I missed this one, do you still need help ?


Johnny
908-507-6357

 

Yes I do thank you. I have an appointment on the 25th to have the stitching replaced and I believe the seat will need to be removed.

 

Good morning MrVette,


For the removal of the seat you will need a 16mm socket, a 12 point M12 Bit, and a pair of dykes.


First, lift the seat to it's highest position for the front and the rear, next move the seat all the way forward to expose the three 12 point M12 bolts in the rear of the rails, there will be 2 bolts on the outer rail and 1 on the inner, once you have removed the 3 rear bolts move the seat to the rear just enough to expose the 2 front 16mm nuts, remove the nuts, now I say only to move the seat to the rear enough to access the 2 front nuts because moving the seat further back looses it's stability for staying upright, if you slide it all the way to the rear it will tip to the rear when on the work bench, Next tilt the seat to the rear by lifting the front by hand to access the black plastic harness/module cover, remove that cover by pressing the 2 tabs as pictured, NOW this next option is your call, as I have removed 4 seats with the battery connected and 2 without, so you can choose to disconnect both batteries or not, I know what they all say, but if the key is off and no one is in the seat, well you get the picture, I have also done many SW airbags w/o disconnecting the battery, BUT again this is your call, if you do disconnect power then remember to do the re-set of all window up/down stops, along with seats and clock, Next see the wiring harness coming from below the carpet, follow that harness and only unplug the plugs that not to be as to have the harness free from the seat, as you are not removing the module there is no need to unplug every plug, in the picture of the tan seat tilted back you will see the 3 bright yellow AIRBAG/SEATBELT TENSIONER connections, you just tilt the hinged cover to access the tab on the plug, you can use your finger nail or a small flathead, ALSO the harness itself is held to the seat by 4 white tie strap, do NOT cut the tie straps but instead use a pair of dykes to pull the push mount cable ties out, now you can ever so gently remove the seat from the vehicle, BUT BE SURE TO COVER THE DOOR SILL with some very heavy towels, these seats are heavy !!


Now to my question, is the shop doing this repair ever worked on a Bentley seat, as removing that portion of the leather is a very entailed process.


Good luck, and please do not hesitate to call me if you need me to be more clear on anything, I do much better talking then typing....


Also I attached some picture of the old drivers bloody tan leather to show the many pieces that hold it in place.

 

Great info! Thanks.


The stitching that needs to be replaced is just decorative. It does not hold the leather pieces together. Underneath the frayed light colored Portland hand done cross stitching shown in my photo is a tight machine stitched black seam.


The only reason I think the shop may need to remove the seat is to get to the stitching where the seat back and seat bottom cushions meet. But this could more easily be accomplished if just the seat back could be removed instead of removing the entire seat.


Do you have any procedural guidance on possibly removing just the seat back?

 

If you mean by removing the back of the seat to be the vertical whole back section, no that's not possible not without removing the whole seat and tearing it completely down, if they do not need to get behind the leather to replace the stitching why not just put the seat in the full reclining position, all the way up and fully reclined to get the most access to get to the lower part that goes to the bottom seat.

Just thinking out loud....

 

I'm hoping that putting the seat back down will work. Haven't tried it but suspect the rear seat will get in the way. We'll see.

 

Yes I have also seen the seat back hit the lower rear seat, so pop the lower rear seat out, just pull up, it may gain you some more reclining.

 

They were able to push the cushions in and get to the stitching where the seat back and seat bottom meet. So no need to remove the seat.


BTW I was surprised to find that the seat back does not recline very far. So it didn't even get close to hitting the back seat.


I was quoted 3 hours labor for a total of $150 plus tax. But they worked on it all day so I volunteered to pay them somewhat more.


I got 30 feet of the thread for free at a local thread warehouse that supplies all over the world. Never seen so much thread!!