Fabric Lifting Around The Harness Slots On Your Seat? Here Is How To Put It Right
Seat care guide, harness slot trim
You unbox a new bucket seat, look at the harness slots, and the fabric is lifting around the plastic surround. It looks wrong. People understandably worry that the seat has been damaged or is faulty.
It has not, and it is not. Fabric lifting here is a known thing on bucket seats that finish the slots with plastic surrounds. It is a simple job to put right.
- This is not a faulty seat and it is not damage
- The fabric edge is pushed under a plastic surround, and it can slip out from under it, often after transport
- The fix is to release the clips, pull the fabric tighter under, and clip the surround back in
- A small plastic tool helps wedge the edge back under
- A little fabric glue to hold it in place is fine too
What is on this page
Why the fabric lifts
A harness slot is a cut in the shell, and the edge of the cut has to be finished somehow. On many seats the finish is a plastic surround that clips into the slot. The edge of the fabric is pushed under the rim of the plastic.
It is held there by the plastic rim and the way it is tucked. That is part of how these seats are made. After a seat has been boxed up and moved around, the fabric can work loose and pop out from under the clips.
That is all it is. Nothing has torn, nothing is damaged, and the shell is fine. Put the edge back under the plastic and it looks as it should.
How to put it right
You need very little. We use a small plastic tool to wedge the edge back under. A plastic tool does not mark the plastic or the fabric the way a metal screwdriver can.
- Look at where the fabric has lifted. If only a short stretch of edge has popped out, you may be able to fix it without taking anything off. Try that first.
- Release the clips on the slot surround from the front and the back of the shell, so the plastic comes away.
- Adjust the fabric, and pull the edge tighter under the rim so it sits flat and smooth.
- Clip the surround back in, front and back, and check that the edge has stayed under all the way round.
- If you want extra security, add a little fabric glue under the edge to hold it in place.
Glue or no glue
Garreth: I would put a little fabric glue under the edge every time. It costs almost nothing. It stops you doing the job twice.
Cameron: I try tucking it first. If it goes back under cleanly and stays, I leave it. Glue goes on only where an edge keeps lifting.
Garreth: That works too, as long as it is a fabric glue and you use a little. Our guide to covers and trims shows the other things that can be done to the fabric on a seat.
Cameron: The one thing I would not do is pull the edge tight with the surround still clipped in. Release the clips first, every time.
Garreth: Agreed, and a plastic tool keeps the surround from getting marked while you do it.
Cameron: Ring us if an edge will not stay down. We would sooner talk you through it than have you fight it.
Questions about fabric lifting around harness slots
Is the fabric lifting around my harness slots a fault?
No. The fabric edge is pushed under a plastic surround and held there by being tucked, and it can pop loose after transport. The seat is not faulty and it is not damaged.
Can I fix it myself?
Yes. Release the clips on the slot surround from the front and the back, adjust the fabric, pull it tighter under the rim, and clip the surround back in. A little fabric glue under the edge will hold it in place.
What tool do I need?
A small plastic tool is enough, and we use one to wedge the fabric back under. Plastic is kinder to the surround and the fabric than metal. A metal screwdriver can mark both.
Will it lift again?
Sometimes it will, which is why a little fabric glue is worth having. If one edge keeps lifting, tell us. We will look at it with you.
Does it matter which seat I have?
The principle is the same on any seat with a plastic surround around the slot. If you are not sure how yours comes apart, tell us the seat. We will talk you through it.
What about the harness itself?
Our harness fitting guide covers how the belts run through the slots, and our comparison of the Pole Position and Cobra Nogaro explains why the slot height matters.
Not sure about your seat?
Send us a photo, or ring Garreth and Cameron on 0115 9893488. Tell us the seat and where the fabric has lifted, and we will talk you through it. You are very welcome to come and see us as well.
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