General Abarth seats

[david palmer]

I am thinking of taking the car into the dealer and complaining about the front seats. Both the drivers and the passenger appear to have too much fabric and appear ruffled when you are not sat in them. Also the drivers seat appears to be worn around the right thigh support. Neither the wife or I are very heavy but the Manager at the Fiat garage where we purchased it was a big guy(and he put 6000 miles on the car!).

Interested to hear if the forum thinks i'm being picky or is it a valid concern when having spent so much cash?

 

[Mike1a1]

I've had exactly the same problem with my Abarth too. My biggest worry is the side support mine too has "collapsed" on the right side, to start with I ignored it but it has been slowly getting worse. Now I can feel the metal support under the padding which is starting to get bloody uncomfortable especially as I'm in the car for 4 hrs a day.
Unfortunatly my car is no longer in warrenty so I'm a bit lost as to what to do.

 

[david palmer]

How many miles have you done?
Not that it should matter but it would be of interest as to what mileage this started to wear.

 

[chris w]

I have an 04 active, the base of my seats have a constant dent in them (the material isn't tight with the base), even when I havent sat in it. I took it to grays garage (Wawrick) and they said the manager would have to look at them on tuesday, he thinks fiat will have to provide new seat bases. Cars done 4000 miles.

 

[david palmer]

Thanks Chris,

please let me know how you get on, it may add to my argument. It would appear that it is the newer Stilo's that seem to be effected with this, as our older 52 plate 1.8 dynamic didn't have this problem. I honestly thought i was being picky so i am relieved i am not alone in this. My dealer in Grantham has been excellent so far so I will let you know how I get on.

Regards Dave Palmer

 

[Neil Barker]

Thanks Chris,

please let me know how you get on, it may add to my argument. It would appear that it is the newer Stilo's that seem to be effected with this, as our older 52 plate 1.8 dynamic didn't have this problem. I honestly thought i was being picky so i am relieved i am not alone in this. My dealer in Grantham has been excellent so far so I will let you know how I get on.

Regards Dave Palmer

It's not just the newer ones - I have a 54 plate 3dr Abarth Selespeed and previously had the car from hell, a 52 plate 3dr Abarth Selespeed. My 52 plate one had a new seat base installed at about 14,000 miles after the padding was collapsing / moving making the metal felt when sitting on it.

My new car has 4,500 miles on it and I've not got much long-term confidence on this seat, either - the fabric is started to seem 'loose' in the middle of the seat base and the metal bar is starting to make its self felt again :-(

I thought it was just down to me being a fat bastard, but if others are having the same problem....

Mind you, 'tis funny how I never had this problem with any of my previous cars - and I've been my current weight/size for most of them.

 

[Stu DemonD]

I haven't experienced any of these probs, and my 02 Abarth now clocked 22k - I do have leather, but would this make much difference?!

 

[paulmacs]

Yes let me know the outcome of this....this is NOT just an Abarth problem.... my Dynamic has the same problem in the passanger seat...

Has anyone any ideas how to cure it??

Maybe its in models with the sports seats only??

 

[blackJTD]

i have this too, maybe its a general fault?

 

[paulmacs]

Well its a problem in a few 04 cars here.... My 03 car has it... and my friends 02 has it...

Has Fiat not noticed this????

 

[Neil Barker]

Well its a problem in a few 04 cars here.... My 03 car has it... and my friends 02 has it...

Has Fiat not noticed this????

More appropriately, does Fiat give a s**t ??

 

[purplemonday]

Having read through the posts it would seem that this issue only seems to affect the 3 door - obviously the seats differ between the 3 & 5 door as the 5 door ones don't need to tilt so could it be a design fault on the 3 door seats?

That would probably explain why Stu hasn't seen the problem on his Abarth and I've got 26k on the clock of my 1.6 Active 5 door and no sign of the problem (first 14k on mine were as a hire car so will have taken a pasting)

 

[1.8Stilo]

I havent noticed any uncomfort in my seats and my stilo has cover 17k; but i have noticed a bag in the leather on the bottom of the seat; the bag is only slight but i fort this was just normal! Yup mine is a 3door too!

 

[chris w]

I have been to the dealership today and they are fitting a new seat base for me, the guy said that he has seen the problem before. So everyone with a problem take theirs back as it is a known fault.

 

[blackJTD]

result! ive got a stain on my seat though as well anyone know of anything good to get rid of stains?! lol

 

[Stu DemonD]

What type of stain is it

 

[HP]

Sorry to post out of my corner, but I've always found a spot of hot water with a little washing powder dissolved in it will remove most stains from upholstery and carpets.

This is due to having a 5 yr old. No, honest, it is, really....

 

[blackJTD]

What type of stain is it

not really a stain i think, maybe just arse wear on dark cloth seats! lol

 

[Mike1a1]

I haven't experienced any of these probs, and my 02 Abarth now clocked 22k - I do have leather, but would this make much difference?!

I asked a friend of mine about that, who's company manufacture furniture and basically yes it would make a difference, apparently because 1 the leather is tougher than material and secondly most manufactures will fill the seat with a different material if using leather to cover it.

 

[paulmacs]

So basically Fiat are going to replace this problem on any Stilo with it?>>