The airbags on the 2009 Honda Accord are in the seat itself so you can’t use a conventional seat cover if you want to protect the leather. I called Honda’s part’s dept and they said they used to carry a seat cover made especially for the newer Accords with side air bags but customers complained about the velcro not staying on or fitting properly so they stopped carrying it. Rather than come up with a better design Honda appears to have abandoned it’s customers and left us with no solution.
Has anyone come up with a way to protect the leather seats without inhibiting the side air bags? Even a cover for the seat portion and not the back would be better than nothing.
Jason, before the Accord I had an Audi with leather seats, first car I ever owned with leather so I never covered it. Even with proper car it did not hold up well. Sliding in and out of the seat alone caused friction on the leather and made it crack. DH bought a CRV early this year and it’s already showing signs of wear on the driver’s seat. Another problem I wasn’t expecting to have with leather (the lighter colors) is what they call "dye transfer". The dye in my denim jeans transfered to the tan leather and no cleaner was able to remove it. After 6 years with the Audi I brought it to a leather restorer to match the seat colors and re-dye them.
So before my new car ends up with similar problems I figured I might as well cover it now. Honda doesn’t give you the option for cloth seats with the EXL. I had no choice but to take a car with leather. I also got rid of my leather sofa because of these same problems. I don’t like leather anymore, too high maintenance!
What’s the purpose of having leather seats if they are covered up by cloth or some other material?
