1998 Durango SLT Plus
Tan Leather Interior

As is usual, the outside edge of my driver's seat bottom has torn open and it looks horrible. I've replaced it with a used seat a few years ago, but it was used and it didn't take long for it to disintegrate.

I have another spare seat, though it's a passenger side which is a manual chair so swapping the whole seat bottom isn't an easy option. However, I'm wondering if the cover that clips to the seat frame would easily swap from the manual passenger seat to the power driver's seat.

There is a plastic cover that holds the seat switches and I am thinking any holes I have to cut in the seat cover to clear the seat from might be hidden by the plastic shield.

So, anyone else swapped seat covers before...and did you swap from passenger to driver?

 

I wouldn't, you'll have all kind of holes in the console side of both seats from the levers and the electric seat stuff on the driver seat. Personally I'd just see if I could get an upholstery shop to repair the ripped spot. Mines got an iffy area that I'll eventually do something with too.

 

Just to be thorough I checked with a local upholstery shop and even though the leather itself isn't ripped...it's just that cloth side piece...it was $300+.

I can buy a whole used seat for less than half that with shipping.

The holes in the side facing the console wouldn't bother me if they weren't visible. That is a very tight fit next to the console and I doubt anyone would see or notice.

Outside of that, will the cover fit right over the seat bottom? They 'look' symmetrical enough to be a perfect fit.

 

The repair would also last you longer too, they'll replace it with new leather that won't be old, worn, or hard. It'll last you longer. Again, thats just how I'd do it.

 

honestly i have never heard of someone trying this, if you would like to give it a try and report back that would be great.

 

Swap completed, and man was it easy. Super easy.

Like I said, I already had the spare passenger seat so that part was done for me. However, the process and outcome are undeniable.

First, removing the seat cushion is simple. There are flaps with plastic rail clips that clip to the seat frame. Total of (6) clips, and one set of flaps that Velcro to each other around the back. Once they are removed the cushion literally comes right off. I did it to both the passenger manual seat and the driver power seat.





On the power seat, I removed the seat switch panel as part of the removal process and used the side of the seat as a template to mark and cut where the holes go in the outside of the seat so the switch panel can go back in. Not hard to do at all with a pair of scissors.

Once I cut the holes, I put the cushion on the frame, and snapped the flaps back in place and put the panel back on. Bolted it back in the car. The only hole not covered is on the side facing the center console...and it's where the seat back adjustment handle shaft pops through. Against the center console you can't see it, and it's such a small hole it wouldn't be noticed anyway.

The holes I had to cut are hidden by the switch panel, so there is no downside.






Bonus - the bolster that is now on the outside by the door on the driver's side, is the same bolster that was on the inside on the passenger side. This bolster never gets worn down so I now have a fully supportive and firm outside bolster so I won't lean towards the door anymore when driving.

Not only did I get a fix for the torn cushion but I gained a nice solid bolster...and it only cost me $25 for the bucket about seven years ago when I bought the spare seats.

If anyone has torn driver's seats and they are having trouble finding a good condition driver's seat...just get a passenger seat and swap cushions. It's so easy it's stupid and no one will now the difference unless they remember that the outside material was supposed to be leather instead of cloth.