Cracked or Worn Leather Seats: Fix It or Replace It?

Cracked leather isn’t always a sign your seats are done. Sometimes it’s just thirsty, and sometimes it’s too late.

Why it happened

Leather has a thin protective finish on top. Sun, heat, body oils and harsh cleaners wear that finish down. Once it’s gone, the leather dries out, loses color and starts to crack, usually first on the bolsters where you slide in and out.

First, check how bad it is

Press and bend the worn area with your thumb.

• Soft and flexible, cracks only in the color: the finish is worn. You can save it.
• Stiff, and the cracks open when you flex it: the leather itself is breaking down. It’s too late for a product fix.

What to do right now

1. Clean it with a leather cleaner and a soft brush. Never use household cleaners, wipes or magic erasers.
2. Let it dry, then apply a conditioner. Wipe off the extra.
3. If color is worn off, use a color restore kit on the worn spots after cleaning.

DIY or shop

DIY works for faded, scuffed and lightly worn leather. Shop for deep cracks, worn-through spots and collapsed bolsters. A shop can refinish a panel or sew in a new one.

What it costs

• Clean, condition and color restore: $60 to $150
• Professional refinish: $150 to $250 per seat
• New leather panel: $150 to $350

Keep it from happening again

Clean every 2 to 3 months. Condition 2 to 4 times a year. Use a sunshade. Skip the shiny, greasy dressings. They look good for a day and attract dirt.