Fiat Panda 4x4 - just over 1 year old and low mileage.

Thd faux leather bolster part of the drivers seat has the usual creases which is fine.

But now the faux leather is tearing along the creases !

Anybody else had this ? Was it covered under warranty ?

I've done 38k miles in 3 years in my 4x4 TA, including sitting in the Italian sun for a fair bit of its life and there's no sign of this happening (crosses fingers).

No sign on my TA 4x4 one which is now over 3 years with 23000 miles and used almost daily.

Just looked at mine (18 months / 12k miles old). It's got some creases like yours but no cracks. M

Mine, 35000 miles/2.5 years old, has identical spiting. I had assumed it was something I'd done, maybe a coat buckle or similar - but now having seen yours I wonder if it has just 'failed'. Maybe I should ask the dealer about it

Note that once it does split like this you can then see that there's no leather there at all! Its PVC on a cotton or polyester backing...

Herts Hillhopper said:

Mine, 35000 miles/2.5 years old, has identical spiting. I had assumed it was something I'd done, maybe a coat buckle or similar - but now having seen yours I wonder if it has just 'failed'. Maybe I should ask the dealer about it

Note that once it does split like this you can then see that there's no leather there at all! Its PVC on a cotton or polyester backing...

Click to expand...

Let me know how it goes with dealer ? My service is coming up in Nov.

Funnily enough I noticed the "faux" leather when buying but was assured it was more durable than real leather :-(

I suppose this is tangentially related, but anyone have any recommendations on seat covers and supports? My side bolster is also showing some wear (and even staining from clothing that won't come out) so I've been hunting left and right for something that will do the following:

Provide additional support, specifically in the lumbar and thigh regions as the ironing board flatness of the Panda seats is getting tiresome.

Actually cover the vinyl areas to prevent excessive wear.

Well, it is now worse !!

That long crease to the right of the split - is now a long split !!

Creases I dont mind - it is wear and tear - its splitting under 2 years with low mileage and an average weight driver that is annoying me.

I have contacted my dealer to see if it will be covered by warranty as I approach the 2yr service in December.

But.........if it is NOT covered - what are my chances of finding a green and cream drivers seat in a breakers yard ? And how much ??

Also, do the Fiat 500 seats fit ( are they the same as the Panda ? ) and were they ever done in that green and cream colour scheme ?

That's shocking tbf. Clearly not fit for purpose. Insist that it's replaced under warranty.

Well, I showed to my local Fiat dealer when booking the 24 month service for December.

He took photos and sent them to Fiat.

He has asked me to open a case with Fiat Customer services. Not sure if this means they initially refused to cover under warranty and I am "appealing" or if opening a case is part of the process anyway.

Been promised a response within a few days so I guess I will know soon.

Don't take no for an answer. A seat cover should last much longer than that without falling apart.

theshootist said:

Well, I showed to my local Fiat dealer when booking the 24 month service for December.

He took photos and sent them to Fiat.

He has asked me to open a case with Fiat Customer services. Not sure if this means they initially refused to cover under warranty and I am "appealing" or if opening a case is part of the process anyway.

Been promised a response within a few days so I guess I will know soon.

Click to expand...

I will go and play the same game. Mine (with the identical splits) is on the third year warranty now, but still I'd argue that the seat cover should at least outlive the warranty!

Herts Hillhopper said:

I will go and play the same game. Mine (with the identical splits) is on the third year warranty now, but still I'd argue that the seat cover should at least outlive the warranty!

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Might be an idea to do it NOW while my case is open. That way they can see a pattern rather than telling us that WE must have caused the damage.

Call Fiat customer services, 0800 number, option 2, and tell them of my case ref 34888783, LL64LWW reg so they can cross reference.

theshootist said:

Might be an idea to do it NOW while my case is open. That way they can see a pattern rather than telling us that WE must have caused the damage.

Call Fiat customer services, 0800 number, option 2, and tell them of my case ref 34888783, LL64LWW reg so they can cross reference.

Click to expand...

I think because Im in the third year of the warranty, I need to approach via the dealer. Will try that when I get a chance. I might also mention the dash rattle (that had gone away but has returned as the weather's cooled). Very lightly resting a hand on dash to left of the big demist vent stops it. So does altering the heating!

Well, surprisingly for a car under 2 years old and under 14k miles - Fiat said it was NOT covered by warranty !!!

But Fiat UK customer services have decided to cover it as a gesture of goodwill.

So, I can have it done at the same time as my service.

Whomever said that should be SHOT!!!

I can't remember the exact words, but UK trading standards regs I believe use the term 'reasonable', ie. if the goods do not last a period of thime that might be reasonably expected as a minimum then there is a problem. The specific example that was always given in the guidance (unless it has changed) was that a TV might be expected to last 6 years. I would imagine that Fiat would find it hard to argue that the seats should be expected to last 2 years with normal usage and would not be expected to outlast the main 3 year warrantee. This is way outside the experience of most car buyers. Heck, even second hand buyers would not expect this.


So, if they had given you trouble, a call to Trading Standards would have been interesting. You can do that in front of them, in the show room for a bit of fun.

I think we should set up an appeal for funds on here and sue them if they refuse this. This sort of poor build quality is unacceptable. I am off to finalise a purchase of a TA4X4 in the morning. I will raise this with the dealer as a major issue. If I do not get a cast iron written guarantee this will be covered if it happens to me in the fist 50000 miles then the sale if definitively not going to happen! I will let you know what they say. I am already thinking of taking up the description of this plasticised canvas as 'leather' with trading standards as it is clearly NOT leather and they have no right to describe it as such. Perhaps I should offer to pay the with ECO money and take some from the monopoly box and see what the reaction is...... Its just as much money as this stuff is leather. A decent leather will last pretty well indefinitely if maintained. How exactly is this eco rubbish supposed to be maintained I wonder.

Grumpy Old Man from Norfolk.

I have a very minor crease mark in mine after 2 years / 13 k miles. Probably better than any real leather seats I've had.