Oem seat cover removal

Has anyone removed the original toyota seat cover? I'm looking to add heated seat pads from Amazon and just curios as to how hard it is to remove the bottom and back cover. and put back on .

 

Subscribed as I have seat heaters for a future install as well.

 

me too.....

 

well if its bucket seats its really easy, the back just clips together with a plastic slot groove built into the cover. fold the seat forward, grab the seat back at the bottom seam and push down as you turn it outward and it slips right out of the slot and releases, then you just slide it up as far as as you need to and if you want to, this exposes the two bolts on each side to completely separate the seat back from the seat. the 60/40 bench seat works the same way but it disconnects in a much more complicated manner but simple enough to figure out as you go.

now the seat bottoms have 2 bolts on each side you remove and the whole bottom cushion comes off as one piece. after its off you can se its well attached and I didn't get into how to remove the cover but it looks fiddley and time consuming to do it.

now if you have a regular bench I cant say how that comes apart but I doubt anyone would be adding anything to a full bench seat, its better to toss it and start over.

I will say this, it might be easier to source heated seats from a 3rd generation 4runner or maybe a highlander would fit too if its of our first gen year range.

the seat backs and bottoms will swap right out from any other bucket seat model of our years for an exact bolt on replacement, then you just supply the power source and hook up the wires. the only differences in the seats between models is the floor rail designs.

I can say 1000% certain 3rd gen 4runner seat cushions and backs fit because I have them in my truck right now. I had a set of taco bucket seats which were completely trashed so I swapped seat backs and cushions in 30 minutes for both seats including a quick upholstery cleaning and vacuum (after they were out of the truck)

 

I know this is an old thread but I did add heating elements to my bench seat and they work awesome. Lots of hog rings in the bench seat

 

I need to remove the driver's seat back cover, but I don't know how to remove the headrest bezels to get the seat cover off. Can maybe somebody please point me in the right direction?

 

You don't remove the headrest bezel. You just stretch the fabric over it. At least that's what I did when I stripped some 60/40 bucket seats

 

Warning if you mess up the guide tubes for the head rests you're going to be looking for used ones. They're NLA ask me how i know

 

You made me take a real close look at those bezels, and you are right. I can't see any way to remove the plastic bezels, but the holes in the seat cover are pretty small and I'm afraid I will tear the covers if I stretch them to clear the square bezels.

I need to know how to remove and reinstall those bezels. Photos follow:

 

I lied, there is a way to remove them - but you won't like it. As far as I know there's no way to remove them with the foam and seat cover on. They're held in by retaining clips inside a metal tube inside the metal skeleton. I wish I took pictures when I was doing it, if I remember later I'll take a picture of the metal seat skeleton from a 50/50 bucket seatback. I actually use it as a welding table, lol.

When I removed them, I just stretched the fabric over it.

 

The headrest bezels CAN be removed. I just did it a couple weeks ago. The problem is that you have to access them from inside the seat - not from the top.

This is for a 2001 double cab with bucket seats, so YMMV.

At the bottom of the seat-back (down between the hinges), there is a long plastic piece that the front and back of the seat covers attach to. Kind of a long slot and tab setup. Squeeze it together (front to back) and the tab will come out of the slot.

You'll now need to pull the seat cover inside out from the bottom up. It's a bit messy, so you'll have some vacuuming to do afterwards. About half way up you encounter some hog-rings, so stop there.

Reach inside the seat from the back and you can feel the bottom of the bezels in the metal tubes. There are some sharp edges of things inside, so careful. The bezel has 2 long tabs that slide down through the tube. Just squeeze the two tabs together at the bottom while pushing up and the bezel will come out.

If you pull both bezels out at the same time, you'll need to pay attention which went where - they're not interchangeable.

 

There ya go. I knew there was a way but it has to be inside the seat.

 

Thank you, that was the info that I was looking for. I think I'll pass on that for now. Thanks again!

 

What about the back/rear bench seat (bottom)? I've gotten the top rear seat covers on. Just took off back plastic trim, put cover on, then put trim back on. Looks good cuz you can't see the straps/hooks at all.

 

Bloody acronyms... Thanks for the write ups yall.

Im tryin to figure this out me self. I hate my original seats in my 00 tacoma. Its nice to have confirmation that the seats are interchangeable. I had a hunch, as manufacturers often do such things.