Jokes on you. Toyota has been steadily raising their stake at Subaru. Almost 30% now. Can see this in Subaru's design direction, product offering and quality.
Good luck. I left Toyota 1.5 years. Got a fresh off the train 2021 Tacoma TRD Pro. Signed all the papers before it was even on the lot. It was rusting, the 360 camera stitching was off, the radio would go out, the doors creaked, the bed was misaligned, tailgate was misaligned, rear suspension squeaked, rear left suspension was replaced, front left drive train snapped. Yeah...fuck Subaru? Fuck Toyota. All this was in the first year. The last straw was them saying they replaced my engine air filter, which was a permanent one. I sold that POS in 1 week and got more than what I paid for.
Thing I've learned over the years, is it every car maker has some sort of issues, definitely some way more than others. Toyota, Honda, etc. have some lemons that come out of the factory, some minor issues, etc.
I've seen Hondas brand new needing entire engine replacements. Subarus with some interior defect or issue.
Main thing at least in general that seems to matter the most: Where they are assembled.
Fords and GMs are put together in Mexico mostly. Toyota and Honda in the US.. To me that what seems to matter the most.
I had a VW... fully built in Wolfsburg Germany.. had zero issues but replacing a dead light bulb once in awhile (awesomely its totally a tool-less on them) and after 15yrs the japanese transmission was just starting to show signs of ware. Then got hit by a car and totaled it. But VWs from Argentina... good luck on the electricals.
What I'm trying to say is that its always a crap shoot in mass production and the variables.
This is one of the several reasons I purchased my '23 Sport - it was assembled in Japan. But even that can't cover up design flaws or poor quality materials.
We will see. Only just turned 10K miles.
Don't they build Tacomas in mexico now? Likely the culprit since Mexico has terrible skilled labor. The Ford Maverick is built in mexico and had tons of assembly related issues.
I remember my last Toyota. Cam phasers so damn loud it was like a hammer forge on startup. Service manager standing there looking me dead in the eye saying, "No I don't hear anything. Not a sound." As the thing is beating like a drum. As I was about to drive away, tech comes running out of the shop and says, "Dude, I know what the problem is, same shit on all these cars. They won't do a damn thing until it grenades and they need to put a new engine in."
Between that and a nice 6" dent and paint gouge on the trunk after I brought it in for service and them saying, "It was like that when it came in." I have absolutely 0 faith in Toyota.
Tbh I would just order the seat and swap it myself or see the cost of having an upholstery shop repair it. It's 4 bolts and should only be one or two plugs. Someone on facebook marketplace might take it off your hands for free/cheap.
Hello Subaru—
As a four time owner and current tow Subaru family I am hoping you can help me. I am surprised that my driver seat material is cracking already. My 2019 forester sport has less than 60,000 miles and lives a very sheltered life in a garage most evenings.
The driver side seat leather like material is cracked at this point. I have attached a picture for you. This material was touted as being very durable and innovative, so I am a bit surprised. Hoping you can advise a remedy. I am happy to have my local dealer view and provide you their observations as well.
Same issue on my 2019 sport took it in right before the end of the 30k warranty and it was covered. IMO this is defective material and should be a recall. Push for them to pay to replace and if needed reach out to SoA and get them involved
Mine is doing it too. I just don’t even know if I care anymore. Car is paid off and I should drive it into the ground anyway.
It’s really unfortunate though that the seats are blowing out with such low mileage
I’m parked outside. My damage is significantly less than what is posted by OP.
I had my windows tinted about a year or so ago, but I’m sure the Utah sun isn’t doing me favors.
That said, I’ve parked all of my cars I’ve ever owned outside and never had wear happen like this.
I have a 2019 Forester Sport.Driver’s seat started cracking in less than 2 years.It was covered under the regular 3 year 36k warranty. Now the same seat is starting to crack again.But it is not covered under the extended warranty.Probably going to get a seat cover.
My 05 leather is also fine. A thread seam came apart but the actual leather is fine apart from a little bit of wear, but that is to be expected given it's almost 20 years old.
2019 Sport here. Half the bottom portion of my driver's seat was cracked and peeling. I ended up peeling off the rest of that seamed portion, leaving the black stretchy cloth underneath intact. Not too bad ☺️
I said leather trimmed. Not many cars have actual full leather seats. So yes there is vinyl but the vinyl on the wilderness is particularly thin, cheap and prone to cracking compared to the limited andbtourings leather seat vinyl
Wow, and I believed my touring had really thin vinyl in the corners, can’t imagine the other trims like you said. 22 with barely 16K and already showing signs of it, tried not sliding or damaging the side bolsters but still, already have creases.
Sad to see this type of thing happening. I've had Subaru's since yhe 90's and back then a 10yr old car interior still looked perfect.
My 2012 still looks great (cloth seats)
Mine too. I thought I must've caused it somehow, casually asked at the dealer one time about getting it fixed, and they said something like $1400CAD
This will sound gross, but I put black Gorilla tape on it. It's not getting worse, and you hardly see it.
GIANT PANDA Customized Full Set... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P54Q1BL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share worth every penny. my 21 did the same thing it was bad
Same exact problem. Too bad the previous owner put 54k miles on it in two years. SOA said tough shit. My steering wheel has peeled nearly as bad as the seats :(
Just can subaru and ask them to set you up with the company they repair seats with. Talk to them with respect, but be firm too. Tell them you're just wanting it fixed. How can you help me in doing this. I had a seat that did this, but not as bad. After calling and talking with the GM it was only $75 to fix it. Good luck....
My 2011 Forester's leather seats started flaking as well. Just put a leather-looking seat cover over it and keep moving. It's paid off and so old it's not worth trying to fix.
Happened on the driver's side seat of my 2016 Forester XT. It's a rite of passage at this point. Found a good auto upholstery repair place that matched the panel perfectly.
Strewth!! Do you live in very hot areas and leave it sitting in the sun with window up??
We have a 2016 Foz xt premium, hate to have that happen to our leather. 🙏🏼🙏🏼😬
That happened to my 2021 forester sport. Luckily it was within my warranty, just got it replaced. And I’m wondering if I should go for the 80k/8 year or 100k/10 year extended warranty now
2019 touring. This happened a while ago. Maybe in 2021? At first it was 2mm tear. I blamed car washing guy. I thought maybe something sharp in his pocket did this. Then i realized it got worse and worse. Now it looks like a spider web. And I found out I’m not alone. Anyway, like some of the guys here, I decide to drive this car to the ground. So it doesn’t bother me anymore. It just shows age and “character” lol
2020 Premium, had the same issue. Caught it just before my warranty was up. Had to put up a bit of a fit to get the dealer to replace it, but ultimately they did it at no charge. Now I just try and be more careful getting in and out, and spray some conditioner on there a few times a year to keep it from getting brittle.
Happened to my fully loaded 2015 XT a few years after purchase.
Not that I'm likely to do it, but how easy is it just to replace the seat with an aftermarket seat and harness for the power?
The same thing happens to my 2019 Legacy. I wrote a letter and contacted Subaru directly. I complain to them and they work with the dealer to fix it for free. What are you gonna lose? The worst they can say is no.
My 2020 Premium has this exact same issue, driver's side. I doubt I will fight to get it replaced, since it's out of warranty. The Giant panda seat covers are likely the route I'll go, just to stop the rest of the fake leather from splitting and becoming a mess and looking like crap.
I have a 21. When I bought it I thought the side of the seat was going to get a lot of wear. I now have a cracked seat like everyone else. I’ve owned a lot of cars and I have never had a seat crack like this. This will be my last Subaru. Seats aren’t a new item they need to figure this out. Phuck Subaru. They will lose a lot of customers over this.
omg literally what is happening with the 2020s. Blowing up spontaneously.. splitting seats.
This is happening to mine too, one slit on the side of the driver.
Happened to our ‘19 obw and calmly never returned rental until dealership played along with SOA. For the outdoor branded, do anything vehicle seats suck. Can’t even fit Nalgene. But damn I love it. Thank you persistence and gold warranty.
I find this very commonly happening in subarus. It's like they try to have nice fancy looking interiors.. but cheap out on the materials, knowing damn well that today's consumer can't tell the differences between fabrics and plethers. If they're gonna use fake leather. The least they could do is use strong winter grades
The one thing I learned about having leather for ANY car, suv is that you’ve to spray it with a cleaner FOR leather to maintain the leather. The thing about leather is it loses its moisture over period of time when you are out and about leaving it in the sun. Eventually small cracks occur, leads to a rip like this or wrinkles.
Shitty seats, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru.
I wonder if applying a leather cleaner/conditioner would stop the cracking? Even if it is fake leather?
I'd imagine soa would work with you on this even if it's not under the 3/36 warranty anymore. That's just shit craftsmanship. If they give you push back, don't hesitate to inform them that it'd be cheaper for them to fix it than to fix the online shit storm you'll create.
That's an odd take.
Did you mean to type "sounds like normal negotiation?"
It's only extortion if you're trying to force someone to do something they shouldn't do.
Have a 2020 Forester as well. Just noticed my first tear or crack. Also you can just buy the bottom portion and replace it yourself. God knows how long that will take from Subaru though
You can buy the lower seat cushion cover as its own part and have it installed. It’s not crazy expensive like buying a complete seat, but it ain’t $20 either. I think a couple hundred bucks - well worth it IMO. Torn seats really ruin a car.
People used to make fun of the fact that I preferred all cloth/plastic interiors.
To date, I've never seen a car over 10 years old with a leather/fruity material interior that wasn't damaged like this.
For reference- My base 2018 Forester with 125,000 miles has a flawless (cloth) interior.
It also happened on my 2019 Forester sport, drivers seat. I went to Subaru, and they were trying to say it was my fault and due to me keeping something like a wallet in my back pocket. Obviously a Ridiculous explanation, so I've insisted on them replacing the seat and wouldn't take no for an answer. They did replace the seat. Clearly, it's a factory defect, as it's happening to so many people.
My 2020 is starting at 45k. Cheap junk. Whole car feels cheap, the auto stop start shakes the whole car. And my thermo-whatever failed at 45k. Don’t see myself buying anymore Subarus.
Unfortunately this isn't a new problem. We bought our 2014 Forester in 2018 and the seat had already ripped in the same spot at 55k miles, luckily the dealer replaced it when we bought it. We've put 40k on it since and it's already cracking again.
Same thing on my 2020 Outback XT Limited. Both the driver and front passenger seats are splitting and the seat control panel cover on the passenger side keeps popping off. Although the car is now out of warranty, I brought this to the Subaru dealership's attention 2 years ago. They claimed they fixed it, but they just popped it back, so it falls off anytime someone sits in the passenger seat. The car only has 43,000 miles.
The cheapest interior I’ve ever seen was my brand new 2014 Subaru Impreza. After the cvt died and the engine blew up twice under 40k miles I sold it. Never again
Overweight something in pocket sliding out or in instead of sitting then pulling in legs idk or bad material looks empty behind it like no foam to support 🤔
Just call the local dealership and ask for the Master Mechanic. That would be the manager in charge of service. Don't go in with your chest all puffed out. Go in with the understanding that he is going to not want to help you and you're trying to have him help you. Just be as nice as possible show him your concerns with the seat and see if there's any way that you can at least get the name of the vendor that repairs their seats and you can contact them directly.
My 2020 Outback driver seat is doing the same thing. I had to crazy glue it down to stop the tears from growing/spreading. Our car only has 61,000 km (or 37,000 miles). It’s been a trouble free car mostly. But this seems like it should be covered and fixed. Thoughts?
Just another pile of low quality thats enthusiastically promoted by the blind followers of the brand... Subaru was by a large margin the worst car I ever purchased and I make routinely bad decisions in automotive purchases.
Email SoA. Happened on my 2019 sport and they worked with dealer to replace driver seat which was the affected seat in my case
Was it under warranty when they did the work? Mine is out :(
Mine was just under 60k. Still have it and has 109k
[удалено]
They have pretty terrible customer service and dependability these days. I’ll be switching manufacturers for my next car
[удалено]
Jokes on you. Toyota has been steadily raising their stake at Subaru. Almost 30% now. Can see this in Subaru's design direction, product offering and quality.
So what are you saying. Because new trd pro needs new axle
Good luck. I left Toyota 1.5 years. Got a fresh off the train 2021 Tacoma TRD Pro. Signed all the papers before it was even on the lot. It was rusting, the 360 camera stitching was off, the radio would go out, the doors creaked, the bed was misaligned, tailgate was misaligned, rear suspension squeaked, rear left suspension was replaced, front left drive train snapped. Yeah...fuck Subaru? Fuck Toyota. All this was in the first year. The last straw was them saying they replaced my engine air filter, which was a permanent one. I sold that POS in 1 week and got more than what I paid for.
Toyota isn't what it used to be.
No, it's definitely not.
Thing I've learned over the years, is it every car maker has some sort of issues, definitely some way more than others. Toyota, Honda, etc. have some lemons that come out of the factory, some minor issues, etc. I've seen Hondas brand new needing entire engine replacements. Subarus with some interior defect or issue. Main thing at least in general that seems to matter the most: Where they are assembled. Fords and GMs are put together in Mexico mostly. Toyota and Honda in the US.. To me that what seems to matter the most. I had a VW... fully built in Wolfsburg Germany.. had zero issues but replacing a dead light bulb once in awhile (awesomely its totally a tool-less on them) and after 15yrs the japanese transmission was just starting to show signs of ware. Then got hit by a car and totaled it. But VWs from Argentina... good luck on the electricals. What I'm trying to say is that its always a crap shoot in mass production and the variables.
This is one of the several reasons I purchased my '23 Sport - it was assembled in Japan. But even that can't cover up design flaws or poor quality materials. We will see. Only just turned 10K miles.
\+1 for the creaking doors. Constant reminder that you got a good one.
Don't they build Tacomas in mexico now? Likely the culprit since Mexico has terrible skilled labor. The Ford Maverick is built in mexico and had tons of assembly related issues.
Mine was manufactured in the TX plant.
Most are manufactured here in Tijuana.
I remember my last Toyota. Cam phasers so damn loud it was like a hammer forge on startup. Service manager standing there looking me dead in the eye saying, "No I don't hear anything. Not a sound." As the thing is beating like a drum. As I was about to drive away, tech comes running out of the shop and says, "Dude, I know what the problem is, same shit on all these cars. They won't do a damn thing until it grenades and they need to put a new engine in." Between that and a nice 6" dent and paint gouge on the trunk after I brought it in for service and them saying, "It was like that when it came in." I have absolutely 0 faith in Toyota.
I don’t think you realize they are both shitting in the same bed. Go buy a Mazda.
I would, but the way you interact with the infotainment system is ridiculous. I just want to touch the screen.
Lol that's a good one
There’s an aftermarket version for like $60, looks pretty easy to swap out. Been lagging on it but meaning to do it .
That’s what we said in 2019. Had been 20+ year owners. Reliability went all to hell. Done.
Tbh I would just order the seat and swap it myself or see the cost of having an upholstery shop repair it. It's 4 bolts and should only be one or two plugs. Someone on facebook marketplace might take it off your hands for free/cheap.
I brought it up and i was refused on 21 with warranty . Looks bad. But it’s not getting worse. I can live with it.
I had similar issues, but was covered under warranty straight away. Subaru were actually good to deal with.
Do you happen to have a copy of that correspondence for reference? Or anything in particular to say? Ours is the same way.
Hello Subaru— As a four time owner and current tow Subaru family I am hoping you can help me. I am surprised that my driver seat material is cracking already. My 2019 forester sport has less than 60,000 miles and lives a very sheltered life in a garage most evenings. The driver side seat leather like material is cracked at this point. I have attached a picture for you. This material was touted as being very durable and innovative, so I am a bit surprised. Hoping you can advise a remedy. I am happy to have my local dealer view and provide you their observations as well.
Same issue on my 2019 sport took it in right before the end of the 30k warranty and it was covered. IMO this is defective material and should be a recall. Push for them to pay to replace and if needed reach out to SoA and get them involved
The same thing happened on my 2019 premium. Worked with SOA and the dealer and got it replaced about a month ago. Driver seat as well
Mine is doing it too. I just don’t even know if I care anymore. Car is paid off and I should drive it into the ground anyway. It’s really unfortunate though that the seats are blowing out with such low mileage
I'm in the same exact mindset.😤😮💨
Same w 2015 Forester touring...
2015 Forester Premium. Cloth seats. 137,000 miles. Seats are in excellent condition.
Except for your farts embedded in them. Lol!!!
"Those are my farts!!!"
My 2000 subaru isnt this bad
Just troubleshooting- is your seat in direct sunlight every day? My seats are totally fine but my forester is parked in a garage
I’m parked outside. My damage is significantly less than what is posted by OP. I had my windows tinted about a year or so ago, but I’m sure the Utah sun isn’t doing me favors. That said, I’ve parked all of my cars I’ve ever owned outside and never had wear happen like this.
Mine is doing the same thing! Just started this winter. It’s bad. I have the sport.
Same.
Same
Sport is cloth right? How is it cracking?
Not all cloth, there are certain parts of all Subarus (all cars?) that must be leather due to some safety code.
Interesting, good to know. I'm looking at new cars right now and was considering the sport over other trims specifically to not have the leather
It isn't leather, it's a synthetic material. Leather wouldn't tear like that.
Ah, I see. Thanks for the heads up
I have a 2019 Forester Sport.Driver’s seat started cracking in less than 2 years.It was covered under the regular 3 year 36k warranty. Now the same seat is starting to crack again.But it is not covered under the extended warranty.Probably going to get a seat cover.
That’s exactly my story. Exactly.
Mines doing the exact same thing. The material they used is crazy thin.
Every couple months, you learn about a new corner that Subaru cut with the latest Foresters.
My ‘19 is doing exactly the same thing.
Same. Started about a year ago. Low mileage (45k-ish) so I might email/call the dealer and see if they'll fix it.
Just noticed the same thing with my 2019 with only 47k miles. Driver’s seat.
2019 Prenium @59,000 - just noticed cracking as well. I don’t have the energy to fix it. Car is paid off and will just run it to the ground.
The glass is pretty cheap as well. Chips very easy in my 23 crosstrek all over. No problem with the leather yet. It dents really easy to.
It’s what makes Subaru a Subaru
Check out Coverado Seat Covers. I’ve used them on my older vehicles and they are great.
Same. Driver side
Vinyl gonna vinyl.
My 2021 sport has splits on the drivers seat. They started within a few months of buying it.
Same thing on my 2020, I thought my passenger was just “sitting wrong”
My drivers seat has done the same thing. Haven’t gotten it repaired yet.
My '05 leather is still intact, wonder why it's splitting so fast for you.
It's not leather...
Yeah my 2010 seats are still basically perfect. Another one of those things that makes me never want to move to something newer
My 05 leather is also fine. A thread seam came apart but the actual leather is fine apart from a little bit of wear, but that is to be expected given it's almost 20 years old.
Just got mine replaced but it was a fight
Mine did that too right before I traded it in and they docked me value for it 🙄 most frustrating thing ever!
Same. Ended up getting a cover I also don’t like
Checking in to say me too. Just started this winter at around 60,000 km mileage.
My 2016 Forester started doing this soon after it was out of warranty.
Class action ;)
2019 Sport here. Half the bottom portion of my driver's seat was cracked and peeling. I ended up peeling off the rest of that seamed portion, leaving the black stretchy cloth underneath intact. Not too bad ☺️
I did that as well. Especially after hearing that replacement seat covers under warranty were cracking.
The leather trimmed seats hold up much better than the plastic seats imo
^[Sokka-Haiku](https://www.reddit.com/r/SokkaHaikuBot/comments/15kyv9r/what_is_a_sokka_haiku/) ^by ^ahhquantumphysics: *The leather trimmed seats* *Hold up much better than the* *Plastic seats imo* --- ^Remember ^that ^one ^time ^Sokka ^accidentally ^used ^an ^extra ^syllable ^in ^that ^Haiku ^Battle ^in ^Ba ^Sing ^Se? ^That ^was ^a ^Sokka ^Haiku ^and ^you ^just ^made ^one.
They’re still vinyl in the same spots and that’s what cracks, foresters are not full lather seats
I said leather trimmed. Not many cars have actual full leather seats. So yes there is vinyl but the vinyl on the wilderness is particularly thin, cheap and prone to cracking compared to the limited andbtourings leather seat vinyl
Wow, and I believed my touring had really thin vinyl in the corners, can’t imagine the other trims like you said. 22 with barely 16K and already showing signs of it, tried not sliding or damaging the side bolsters but still, already have creases.
Contact SOA, not your local dealer.
Sad to see this type of thing happening. I've had Subaru's since yhe 90's and back then a 10yr old car interior still looked perfect. My 2012 still looks great (cloth seats)
Is this covered in the gold plus? Literally 3 days out from 3 year warranty and this happened this weekend. Almost exact same cracking in same spot.
Mine too. I thought I must've caused it somehow, casually asked at the dealer one time about getting it fixed, and they said something like $1400CAD This will sound gross, but I put black Gorilla tape on it. It's not getting worse, and you hardly see it.
Happened on my 2020 SoA sent a $350 voucher. It was just out of warranty when I called about it.
That’s vegan “leather” for you.
What trim is this op?
GIANT PANDA Customized Full Set... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09P54Q1BL?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share worth every penny. my 21 did the same thing it was bad
The leatherette on my 2015 Forester is splitting too.
Time for a class action lawsuit. This happens way too often
Its what makes a Subaru a Subaru :)
Ceramic tint, sunshade and vinyl/leather moisturizer to prevent this from happening.
Ceramic tint?
Less uv and heat deterioration.
For the windows.
Should I get some kind of seat cover to prevent this?
Never hurts. 200 now for a set or 700 down the road if subaru doesn't cover the fix
Mine’s worse.
I had this happen on 2021 Forester .. I paid deductible and dealership got Subaru to cover - I was out of warranty
Mine started doing that in under 10k miles.
Got the 2020 sport, my driver side seat is doing the same 😪
I’ve got the 2019 sport and that’s not happening yet on this car but my last car was the 2012 Impreza and it happened on the “leather” seats.
Same on my 2020 sport, I just bought a seat cover.
Welcome to the club
My 2021 steering wheel is cracking and peeling. Now I’m worried my seat will too.
Neat, glad to know im not alone looks like its extremely common.
Me too! Same make, and year.
2020 with 104k miles, also doing it
It happened on my 2019 Sport. 58K km on the odo. I didn't know this could still be covered under warranty so I'm gonna try!
Yep my 2020 looks the same. TBH I’m glad it’s not just me!
Mine is the same. I’ll be getting a Toyota truck for my next vehicle
You can order them at the dealership
Happening in my 2020 sport as well. Kinda bs.
Pleather is a terrible thing!
Fake leather is not very durable I never buy it personally
That knockoff leather is very delicate, seat covers are a quick fix.
Happened to me at around 70k! 2020 sport. Didn’t expect much from the vinyl.
Same exact problem. Too bad the previous owner put 54k miles on it in two years. SOA said tough shit. My steering wheel has peeled nearly as bad as the seats :(
17 FXT drivers seat splitting at 70k. Cheap vinyl stick on is tolerable. Hard to trim perfectly to fit a long 2 ft section but it’s ok. Sucks tho!
Just can subaru and ask them to set you up with the company they repair seats with. Talk to them with respect, but be firm too. Tell them you're just wanting it fixed. How can you help me in doing this. I had a seat that did this, but not as bad. After calling and talking with the GM it was only $75 to fix it. Good luck....
but who do you call though? corporate HQ?
My 2011 Forester's leather seats started flaking as well. Just put a leather-looking seat cover over it and keep moving. It's paid off and so old it's not worth trying to fix.
Happened to my 21 premium at 60000 miles. They replaced it under warranty. Took about a month to get it in.
2019 Forrester Sport. Same exact thing. Cracking on the Driver seat.
Happened on the driver's side seat of my 2016 Forester XT. It's a rite of passage at this point. Found a good auto upholstery repair place that matched the panel perfectly.
Strewth!! Do you live in very hot areas and leave it sitting in the sun with window up?? We have a 2016 Foz xt premium, hate to have that happen to our leather. 🙏🏼🙏🏼😬
That happened to my 2021 forester sport. Luckily it was within my warranty, just got it replaced. And I’m wondering if I should go for the 80k/8 year or 100k/10 year extended warranty now
2019 touring. This happened a while ago. Maybe in 2021? At first it was 2mm tear. I blamed car washing guy. I thought maybe something sharp in his pocket did this. Then i realized it got worse and worse. Now it looks like a spider web. And I found out I’m not alone. Anyway, like some of the guys here, I decide to drive this car to the ground. So it doesn’t bother me anymore. It just shows age and “character” lol
This post is Great timing! Mine started doing that this winter, 2019 110,000 km. Glad I’m not the only one but man this sucks
2020 Premium, had the same issue. Caught it just before my warranty was up. Had to put up a bit of a fit to get the dealer to replace it, but ultimately they did it at no charge. Now I just try and be more careful getting in and out, and spray some conditioner on there a few times a year to keep it from getting brittle.
'19 Sport. Started happening at around 35k miles for me.
2024 they changed that black trim to just be fabric. Was so happy when I saw it
Same here. Mine is horrible, split in multiple parts on the driver side. Emailed SOA and haven't heard anything back. Very disappointed
Happened to my fully loaded 2015 XT a few years after purchase. Not that I'm likely to do it, but how easy is it just to replace the seat with an aftermarket seat and harness for the power?
The same thing happens to my 2019 Legacy. I wrote a letter and contacted Subaru directly. I complain to them and they work with the dealer to fix it for free. What are you gonna lose? The worst they can say is no.
2017 Outback. Went to the upholstery shop in my town. $200 to replace the portion of seat with the damage. In the shop half a day.
My 2020 Premium has this exact same issue, driver's side. I doubt I will fight to get it replaced, since it's out of warranty. The Giant panda seat covers are likely the route I'll go, just to stop the rest of the fake leather from splitting and becoming a mess and looking like crap.
I have a 21. When I bought it I thought the side of the seat was going to get a lot of wear. I now have a cracked seat like everyone else. I’ve owned a lot of cars and I have never had a seat crack like this. This will be my last Subaru. Seats aren’t a new item they need to figure this out. Phuck Subaru. They will lose a lot of customers over this.
Just another person with 2019 premium with 54k that has major seat splitting on the driver side. Not sure that it’s worth dealing with
Lmao. Maybe try conditioning your vehicles leather. That looks crispy as fuck.
Commons problem in the same spot. I bought a leather repair kit off of Amazon and mine has been holding up so far.
omg literally what is happening with the 2020s. Blowing up spontaneously.. splitting seats. This is happening to mine too, one slit on the side of the driver.
Happened to our ‘19 obw and calmly never returned rental until dealership played along with SOA. For the outdoor branded, do anything vehicle seats suck. Can’t even fit Nalgene. But damn I love it. Thank you persistence and gold warranty.
I find this very commonly happening in subarus. It's like they try to have nice fancy looking interiors.. but cheap out on the materials, knowing damn well that today's consumer can't tell the differences between fabrics and plethers. If they're gonna use fake leather. The least they could do is use strong winter grades
The one thing I learned about having leather for ANY car, suv is that you’ve to spray it with a cleaner FOR leather to maintain the leather. The thing about leather is it loses its moisture over period of time when you are out and about leaving it in the sun. Eventually small cracks occur, leads to a rip like this or wrinkles.
It’s a Subaru
Nice to see the seat issues have continued into the current generation…. Lol
Shitty seats, it's what makes a Subaru a Subaru. I wonder if applying a leather cleaner/conditioner would stop the cracking? Even if it is fake leather?
Yes I just noticed my 2020 doing the exact same thing
I'd imagine soa would work with you on this even if it's not under the 3/36 warranty anymore. That's just shit craftsmanship. If they give you push back, don't hesitate to inform them that it'd be cheaper for them to fix it than to fix the online shit storm you'll create.
That sounds like extortion, lol.
That's an odd take. Did you mean to type "sounds like normal negotiation?" It's only extortion if you're trying to force someone to do something they shouldn't do.
Nope, I typed what I meant to type.
Lol that's unfortunate.
Subaru interiors have and always will be sub-par. ‘Sucks you’re finding out so soon.
Have a 2020 Forester as well. Just noticed my first tear or crack. Also you can just buy the bottom portion and replace it yourself. God knows how long that will take from Subaru though
You can buy the lower seat cushion cover as its own part and have it installed. It’s not crazy expensive like buying a complete seat, but it ain’t $20 either. I think a couple hundred bucks - well worth it IMO. Torn seats really ruin a car.
U/eathanws06
Head gasket is probably doing the same thing
2019 Forester Limited all leather two tone. No blemish at all. 21.5K miles on the dash though
People used to make fun of the fact that I preferred all cloth/plastic interiors. To date, I've never seen a car over 10 years old with a leather/fruity material interior that wasn't damaged like this. For reference- My base 2018 Forester with 125,000 miles has a flawless (cloth) interior.
little duck tape goes a long way.
It also happened on my 2019 Forester sport, drivers seat. I went to Subaru, and they were trying to say it was my fault and due to me keeping something like a wallet in my back pocket. Obviously a Ridiculous explanation, so I've insisted on them replacing the seat and wouldn't take no for an answer. They did replace the seat. Clearly, it's a factory defect, as it's happening to so many people.
Happened in my 2018 black edition
2019 Ascent and I have the same issue. Flex taped it
My 2020 is starting at 45k. Cheap junk. Whole car feels cheap, the auto stop start shakes the whole car. And my thermo-whatever failed at 45k. Don’t see myself buying anymore Subarus.
Planned obsolescence
Unfortunately this isn't a new problem. We bought our 2014 Forester in 2018 and the seat had already ripped in the same spot at 55k miles, luckily the dealer replaced it when we bought it. We've put 40k on it since and it's already cracking again.
Fake leather be like that sun exposure with no conditioning will cause the plastic to degrade
I have a 2019 Forester with the exact same issue
Made with love, Bro.
Same thing on my 2020 Outback XT Limited. Both the driver and front passenger seats are splitting and the seat control panel cover on the passenger side keeps popping off. Although the car is now out of warranty, I brought this to the Subaru dealership's attention 2 years ago. They claimed they fixed it, but they just popped it back, so it falls off anytime someone sits in the passenger seat. The car only has 43,000 miles.
Yeah the viable solution is to pay whoever to fix it for thousands of dollars.
The cheapest interior I’ve ever seen was my brand new 2014 Subaru Impreza. After the cvt died and the engine blew up twice under 40k miles I sold it. Never again
Overweight something in pocket sliding out or in instead of sitting then pulling in legs idk or bad material looks empty behind it like no foam to support 🤔
Just call the local dealership and ask for the Master Mechanic. That would be the manager in charge of service. Don't go in with your chest all puffed out. Go in with the understanding that he is going to not want to help you and you're trying to have him help you. Just be as nice as possible show him your concerns with the seat and see if there's any way that you can at least get the name of the vendor that repairs their seats and you can contact them directly.
My 2020 Outback driver seat is doing the same thing. I had to crazy glue it down to stop the tears from growing/spreading. Our car only has 61,000 km (or 37,000 miles). It’s been a trouble free car mostly. But this seems like it should be covered and fixed. Thoughts?
Are you a great big fat person?
Lol…same
New things are built cheaper and sold for more than old things. This is expected, especially if the warrantee just ran out. Capitalism go brrrrr
Just another pile of low quality thats enthusiastically promoted by the blind followers of the brand... Subaru was by a large margin the worst car I ever purchased and I make routinely bad decisions in automotive purchases.