How to install custom-fit seat covers

Before you start

• Sort the pieces. Lay the covers out and group them by seat: driver, passenger, rear backrest, rear base and headrests.
• Let them warm up. Material is more flexible at room temperature. On a cold day, bring the covers indoors for a few hours first.
• Clean the seats. Vacuum and wipe the original seats so nothing gets trapped underneath.
• Allow time. Most people need around an hour for the front seats, and longer for a full set. Take your time; a tight fit is a good sign.

Front seats, step by step

1. Remove the headrest. Press the release button at the base of the headrest posts and lift it out.
2. Fit the backrest cover. Slide it down from the top, working it evenly over both sides. Line up the seams with the edges of the seat.
3. Check the airbag side. Make sure the cover sits square on the outer side of the backrest with nothing folded or tucked over that area. See seat covers and side airbags.
4. Feed the fastenings through. Push the straps or flaps through the gap between the backrest and the seat base to the back of the seat.
5. Fit the base cover. Pull it over the front edge first, then smooth it back towards the backrest.
6. Fasten underneath. Connect the fastenings under the seat, pulling evenly from side to side. Keep them clear of seat rails, wiring and the adjustment motors.
7. Check the controls. Make sure levers, buttons and belt buckles come through their openings and work normally.
8. Refit the headrest with its cover on.

Rear seats

• Many rear seat bases lift or unclip at the front edge so you can fit the cover more easily. Check your owner’s manual for how your rear seat releases.
• On split-folding seats, fit each section separately and fold the seats to reach the fastenings behind them.
• If your set includes a piece for the fold-down armrest, fit it before closing the armrest.
• Bring the seat belt buckles through their openings and check that they click and release normally. Make sure child seat anchor points stay easy to reach.

Finishing touches

Smooth out any wrinkles with your hands, working from the centre to the edges. Small creases from packaging relax after a few days of use, faster in warm weather. If a section still looks loose, re-tighten the fastenings underneath evenly on both sides.

Never use sharp tools to push material into gaps; a plastic trim tool or a blunt spatula is safer.