Kia Optima Forums banner

Help!!!!! reupholstering front seats

17K views 24 replies 15 participants last post by  DrugDawg 
#1 ·
hi guys my first post here!
I'm trying to tackle a diy project and this one doesn't seem to bad but I need help with removing the back plastics on the front seats any help would be appreciated
I plan on putting a video up if anyone is interested
i'm swapping out tan cloth for black leather front and back
this is for a 2015 optima
 
#2 ·
I wish I could help, as this sounds like a really cool project.
Usually, if you can't find screws at the bottom, than it must be a press-fit.
Most of the interior panels are designed to pop off, if you insert a thin wedge. (I have a set of plastic trim tools for this reason, just different shapes and sizes of plastic to pry things open)

Look carefully around the back piece, maybe try lifting an edge, that's lower down, out of sight.

In any event, please keep us informed, I know a lot of people would be interested.
 
#6 ·
Ok so seats are in. They look great exactly how they would look if it came from the factory. The seat cover swap was not hard by any means but it was time consuming. It took two people about 3.5hrs to remove and reinstall all the seats I'll update with pictures of the new interior tomorrow.but if anyone has any questions I'll be glad to help
 
#7 ·
What about the Ventilated Driver's Seat & heated rear seat cushions? Does the new seat covers affect those features?
 
#8 ·
I had cloth interior first so I didn't have those features.but the cover are off of seats that we're heated and cooled
an I must say they look and feel great.and to answer your question no they will work fine with fully loaded seat as well a manual seat. by the way my covers we're oem
 
#9 ·
I've never had a reason to remove the stock seat covers, but have a few questions since you've completed this job...

How did you remove the back plastic covers? Do they pop off (spring clip fasteners?), slide up/down (angled slides), or some combination?

Do the seat covers attach to the seat cushions (seating surface) with heavy-duty velcro, metal hog rings, or some other type of fastener?
 
#15 ·
The back pops off with some elbow grease, but realistically, you need a flat head screw driver and you start at the top, there are two slip, that once you pull back you can kinda see where to depress a metal clip. It is a huge pain, but they do come off, and go back on nicely.

The seats fabric has hog clips around the perimeter and then velcro in the middle.

I just did heated seats on the bottom and back of my drivers seat, sorry no pictures taken when I did it.

I have been considering replacing the front seats with leather. In the end I removed about 90% of the fabric to do the heated seats, so replacing the fabric all together wouldn't be terrible.
 
#11 ·
Updates?
 
#20 ·
Here's the pictures I've been promising. I love the way it came out sorry the pictures really don't do it justice
 

Attachments

#22 ·
wanna help me install mine lol. where are you located i need to do this to mine.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top