Cheap seat material.
 

I have an FX4 with the so-called leather package but after 3 months of owning the truck I've been noticing the seat chipping. I'm not a big guy either and generally watch how I get in and out of the truck to avoid creating stress and wear on the seat. Anyone else notice this with their seats? I'm hoping the leather is a bit tougher on the Plat. and Lariat.

My truck would go straight back to the dealer for replacement OR money back.

i would also take it to dealer to have it fixed or money back. i have had my truck for 3 months and i have not noticed any problems with the leather and i am a big guy 6 ft 6 in. i use lexol conditioner and cleaner i am sure the dealer and ford will take care of your problem good luck.

Same here - had mine for only 2 months though, but the leather still looks as new - never even thought of using a conditioner on them........

stormtech i have used lexol products for years and i never had any issues with leather seats i sure there are other leather products that work just a well.

Thanks - this is my first vehicle with leather, so I'm glad to find out that I should condition the seats.

truckdriver...my KR has the same problem. brought it to the dealer and awaiting word from Ford. Upholstery isn't covered in the warranty. Personally I think it's dumb. In my case, there's something wrong with the leather since the finish is flaking off.

i thought these trucks had a bumper to bumper warranty 3 yrs or 36 months everything should be covered except misuse, alteration or modification after reading warranty guide i cant see why it would not be covered.

Man that really sucks. I would certainly take your truck back to the dealer, especially since you've only had the truck for 3 months. I've never really put too much thought into leather care so I'm gonna do a little research on the absolute best leather cleaner/conditioner and get back with you.

Well my search didn't take long. I did a search on www.ferrarilife.com the Ferrari owners there recommend a few diffferent brands AutoGlym, Swissvax, and Leatherique.

AutoGlym is the cheapest of the bunch coming in at under $20, their products offer a PH balanced cleaner/conditioner that use no harsh detergents. The guy who recommends and uses this drives a $500k F50 and a $400k F40, so it must be good, right?

Swissvax is the next, I couldn't find much info on them except for they are an OEM product exclusively for Rolls Royce, Mercedes-Benz Classic, and Spyker Cars.

Leatherique is the next and was the most recommended product by the members of ferrarilife. This product has been used in the Henry Ford Museum, the Smithsonian museum, and by countless car enthusiast to include Jeff Foxworthy. They aren't cheap but they guarantee their product and can even do a special color matched application. This product is a great start when considering a restoration to any leather upholstery. Prices start at $35 for an 8oz. bottle.

Anyways if you visit these brands websites they go into detail about the art of leather care and conditioning. Some even claim to make the leather smoother and softer. Hope this helps.

OK I'm done after this. I just checked out Lexol, I am now highly impressed with this product. If you follow the cleaning and conditioning steps to the tee I'm certain you'll establish a long life to your leather interior.

HOW TO CLEAN WITH LEXOL

Keep this thought in mind: leather is skin. Cleaning and conditioning leather upholstery is very similar to bathing yourself out of a bucket on a camping trip. You need water to do the job, and you need to use the right amount to do the job right.

Supplies you'll need:

Lexol-pH Leather Cleaner
Two large washcloths
Lexol Leather Conditioner
Two medium size towels
One bucket luke-warm water (never use hot)

Clean one manageable section of the interior at a time. For example, with bucket seats, clean the seat back, and then move on to the seat cushion, and so forth.

Wet a washcloth in the bucket of water and wring it out, leaving it as damp as you would if you were going to wash your face with soap and water.

Put 2 or 3 half-dollar sized spots of Lexol-pH Cleaner on the wet cloth or spray it directly on the leather, and begin to wash the seat back or cushion with the washcloth as if bathing. Don't forget to clean the stitch lines. Dirt can cut through upholstery thread over a period of time, but proper cleaning with Lexol-pH will extend thread life.

After bathing each section, rinse the washcloth to clear it of dirt, wring it out, wipe away Lexol-pH Cleaner from the section you've cleaned, and towel it dry. Continue with the whole interior in this fashion: cleaning, rinsing and drying.

The average sedan usually takes 30 minutes to clean and condition. This thorough treatment should be a 6 to 8 week regimen, depending on your use of the car and the climate where you live. Because of their exposure to the elements, convertible interiors tend to need more care. But as a Lexol user, you'll be able to tell at a glance or touch when it's time to clean and condition again after you've gone through the application process a couple of times.

One thing's for sure. After treatment, the leather always looks alive, fresh, and is softer to the touch.

So, play it smart, protect your investment with Lexol!

HOW TO CONDITION WITH LEXOL

Conditioning leather after cleaning is like applying a moisturizing lotion to your dry skin after a bath.



Start by lightly dampening a clean washcloth so that it doesn't absorb too much conditioner. (No need to waste a good thing). Pour or spray on a little Lexol Conditioner...about 2 or 3 half-dollar sized spots...and wipe it onto the leather. A little Lexol goes a long way, and multiple coats are better than one heavy application, unless the leather is very hard and dry. The entire leather interior of your car should be treated and then allowed 20 to 30 minutes to absorb the oils and preservatives. After this time, use the clean dry towel to vigorously rub down all of the leather surfaces and stitch lines to remove any excess conditioner. After cleaning and conditioning, the interior should be allowed one to three hours drying time, depending on temperature and humidity.

Yeah so did I. Read the exclusion list on pg 13 of the warranty guide. Upholstery and trim pieces are part of the exclusion damaged from use or exposed to the elements. Have you ever opened your door to get into the truck? Well, the upholstery has been exposed to the elements.

In my case, it's apparent the material is defective and the cause is not abuse, wear or tear. The service manager thinks the same but he was frank and said Ford would probably balk at warranty claims involving leather seat covers. He said Ford has tightened requirements for warranty work. It's a hard case for Ford to say no, given it's a 4 month old truck with 4k miles and the service manager thinks the material is defective too. I'll get the result tomorrow.

Well, I've learned something good today - how to take care of my leather seats!

Going to place an order with Amazon tomorrow since I doubt I will find any where I live.

well i hope you get good news tomorrow is this the dealer you bought the truck from that's waiting to hear from ford a truck that's 4 months and the leather seats chipping its got to be more then a environmental problem the leather hasn't even dried out. they should ok it but keep us posted good luck

It's the local dealer, not the selling dealer doing the pitch to Ford.