How To: Remove leather upholstery

[NGW814]

I'm planning on installing the heated seat elements on my drivers seat (the other blank switch is being used) and I've gotten a lot of info from the "heated seat conversion" thread, but the only thing I'm still unsure about is how to carefully/correctly remove the leather upholstery. Is that a topic thats been covered already? I've only managed to collect bits and pieces from various posts, nothing too detailed. Thanks and wish me luck, this is my first "real" MOD.

[AZhitman]

Best bet is to get the seats out and bring them in the house, and start removing the hardware (side trim, etc).

It's pretty easy to figure out from there... Look for the "hog rings" (metal "staples" that hold the upholstery on)... Clip those with some heavy-duty wire cutters, and work your way around until the leather cover is removable.

When you reinstall, use brand new (fresh) zip ties and snip the ends.

[Buzzman]

I have to second that recommendation re: taking the seat out and working on them indoors, or on a work bench.
However, before ripping the seat apart, check and see if the element is already there.
Nissan installs wiring harnesses, and other stuff in their trucks, and then they only hook up, or use, the ones that they need. (depending on how the truck is optioned out when it's built.)
One example is the fog light harness. All R50's have them in the bumper. They are tied back on models that don't have fog lamps.
Further example: I recently picked up all four leather seats for my Pathfinder from a junk yard, and found the harnesses under my cloth (front) seats (in the carpet) for the power seat functions.
I also had the harnesses in the dash for the heated seat switches. Everything is there.
All this to say: you probably already have the heating elements in your leather seats. They just haven't been hooked up.
Let us know what happens.
Good luck.

[barnum]

Heating elements are not placed in the seats unless heated seat option was ordered. I have the leather seat package but it did not have heating elements in the seats. As others have said, the harness for the switches is just tied up behind the radio dash panel and the element plugs are taped up underneath each front seat. So all you should need is the switches and the heating elements.

I pulled the seats out of the truck - takes hardly and effort and will make your life much easier. Take off the plastic trim, unzip the leather at the seams, and do your work. Since the pads do not extend past the hog rings except for their little hook holes (which I ripped when removing the junkyard truck heating pads), I just used velcro to attach them which saves you the trouble of dealing with the hog rings.

I've never been so excited about a mod before than when I finished this one. Cheap, simple, and so nice to have w/ the leather package.

[AZhitman]

Further example: I recently picked up all four leather seats for my Pathfinder from a junk yard, and found the harnesses under my cloth (front) seats (in the carpet) for the power seat functions.

NICE!

I've been keeping an eye out for a full set of leather seats for our '05 Frontier.

[Buzzman]

Ya, I was pretty pumped about getting them.
I wrote a thread on it at the beginning of December, if you're interested:
junk-yard-jollies-t583069.html

[cr4west]

To answer your question it took me about 4 hours to install seat heaters by removing the leather upholstery. Donor vehicle was a '97 pathfinder, destination was '99 QX4. While at the wreckers get the passenger side seat foam bottom because most driver side foam bottoms are very compressed and need to be replaced. Use a multi meter to check the seat heater pad circuit continuity before you install them. If the used heater pads have large folds in them you can iron them flat again at medium heat.

Disassembly:
Observe the air bag precautions in the manual when servicing the vehicle and disconnect the battery first. No sense blowing up your dashboard.
Remove the seat mounting bolts, disconnect all electrical connectors and remove the seats. Release plastic anchors holding various cables and connectors attached under the seat using a forked upholstery tool that looks like a large flat screwdriver (available at HF or any auto store). If equipped, remove the 6 CD player (4 screws) and SRS air bag wiring connector bracket (2 screws) attached under the seat.

Seat Bottom Cushion:
There is no need to cut any of the hog rings. The hog rings are soft and can be easily re-used so no hog ring pliers are needed. Use pliers and screwdriver combination to slightly stretch open (about 1/8") to unhook the 2 hog rings that hold the seat cushion upholstery bottom back panel. Remove the seat bottom cushion (4 bolts). Unhook hog rings along perimeter of the cushion upholstery. Beware, seat sheet metal is very sharp. Next move to the center panel of the bottom seat cushion foam. Save yourself a lot of work and simply straighten out one hooked end of each of the 4 interior rods then slide them out of the fabric loops and the hog rings buried deep in the foam that hold the center of the bottom seat panel upholstery in place. Light application of multipurpose spray adhesive (3M brand) in 2" strips down both sides of the foam surface then lay the heater pad in position. Install the rear panel rod first. Note that the bottom heater pad goes down and then UNDER the rear rod then back up to the top of the foam again toward the seat back. Carefully slide the remaining rods back in and using pliers bend the rod ends back into the hook shape. Heavy coat hanger wire or a thin screwdriver can aid as a guide for re-installing the rods. It takes 3 hands this way but it is fast. You may need to notch out the foam slightly (using a serrated bread knife) at the back to accommodate the heater cable to prevent an unsightly bump. Then hook and compress the perimeter hog rings back into position. I used a combination of needle nose (to hold the ring steady in position) and regular pliers (to compress). Complete the seat back heater pad installation below before you reinstall bottom cushion.

Seat back:
First remove seat back rear trim panel. Use the forked upholstery tool to remove the large 4 plastic anchors at the sides or you WILL break the fragile rice paper cardboard backing. Panel then slides downward slightly 3/4" to release. Stretch and unhook the 2 bottom hog rings at the backrest bottom edge then release the bottom plastic channel from the cross support rod. Next release the rear 4 plastic channels that hold the upper backrest upholstery in place. Slide up the upholstery only 3/4 of the way but do not remove it. Slightly open the 2 hog rings buried deep in the foam in the center of the backrest and slip the 2 heat pad loops (the large holes at top of the seat heater pad) into the 2 hog rings and compress them. Light spray of adhesive in 2" strips on the foam surface and lay heater pad into position. Route heater cable toward the seat hinge near the SRS cable. Re-assemble backrest upholstery and rear trim panel. Install seat bottom cushion with 4 bolts then hook and compress the 2 hog rings to hold the upholstery rear bottom panel. Seat back heater wire then plugs into bottom cushion heater cable female connector. Use tie wraps to hold the heater cables in position. Reinstall all the plastic anchors holding various cables and connectors. If equipped, reinstall the 6 CD player (4 screws) and SRS air bag wiring connector bracket (2 screws) attached under the seat.

Installation:
Place seat, reconnect wiring. You will find the heated seat 3 wire grey connectors taped back on the wiring harness under the carpet. Install mounting bolts. Reconnect battery.
The switch connectors are taped back on the harness under the radio. Blue is drivers side, black is passenger side. Verify +12V(ignition on) at pin 1 at each switch connector.
Since the air bag connectors were disconnected when the seats were removed, the last step will be to reset your airbag SRS flashing dash light. Ignition on then immediately 10 presses on the door jam courtesy light switch.
I ended up with 2 extra heated seat switches so I may also do the rear seat heaters after spotting a maxima donor car with heaters at the wreakers.
Result is a cozy warm seat. Wish I did this long ago when I bought the car!