When you here the words "Have you seen the rip in the driver seat" my blood ran cold.Then it quickly turned to boiling hot.I don't expect this type of damage on a 58 plate car with less than 27000 on the clock.If this is the type of crappy build quality i am going to get then WWW.Autotrader here i come
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Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated  SD4 Sports LE Black ...

Last edited by Dead-Rat on 16th Jan 2011 5:31 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Go to dealer and quote the Special Service Message "SSM46337 - Leather seat side panel splits - Service parts", published on November 15, 2010.
Initially it was an issue with Russian sold vehicles, but seems that it is a general issue now.

Had mine replaced just over a year agom dealers should know about it

Thanks for the feedback....sending the wife to landrover in the morning to ask a few questions..hope Stockton dealer is ready for her SD4 Sports LE Black ...

I had mh first FL2 seat replaced due to same type of rip

I suppose it's down to it cracking as the vinyl can't take repeated get-in n outs Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Looks like friction causing delamination. friction caused by material compression onto the rigid plastic of the subframe, the heaver the person... the sooner the damage. If you have this panel replaced privately then have it done in Leather and sand/file the edge of the hard plastic so that the edge is rounded.. Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

How did the Mrs get on at Startstone's

little update....My wife took the car into Stratstone's at Newcastle and they took a few photos and then told her they would be sent of to 'Land Rover HQ' and get in touch.....As they had the car already they also completed a couple of recall jobs on the car.....Nice of Stratstone' of Stockton to sell me a car less than a month ago with two recall jobs outstanding  SD4 Sports LE Black ...

2 solutions for LR now they have the pics.
1. Someone without expertise in Leather & Vynil problems will send a letter back to the dealer.
2. LR will send the pics to a Specialist (probably their manufacturer)and the report will come from them.

When you get the findings ask who has done the report (if not in your favour)and what qualifications they have for assessing the damage.
(My job before retiring was to do the examination and reports for dozens National & International manufacturers and retailers of Leather and Vynil products, (only part of my job)). Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

The garage that replaced mine had to take a photo too, looked exactly like yours just a different colour, heard back 2 days later with it all approved  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

"Leather Seats"
When is a Leather seat not a Leather seat?
When the side panel is Vynil covered material.
Leather does not split like this....Leather does not have a white backing... you cant peel the top couple of tho off Leather....... Leather does not fracture unless very old or attacked by contaminates... none of the pics show contamination of any form.

A case of misrepresentation, Leather seats have to be Leather not part Leather.
There used to be a ploy where a Leather tag was sewn on that was stamped "Real Leather", only the Tag was Leather, the rest Vynil. Trades description laws now forbid this.

Anyone with a vehicle out of warrenty who wishes to solve this problem can purchase a Vynil/leather repair kit from this site. www.repairproducts.co.uk
I have been using this type of product since it first came in from the USA and it is a brilliant product.(used by Upholsterers to cover small damaged areas that do not warrant a recover). Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

I have a split in the side vinyl.... asked at 3 year service and was told wear n tear... I wished I'd pushed for a report!!! how does the kit work?

cheers

"THE KIT"
Several on the market but they work like this.
Spread on the Adhesive, could be Black & Clear, to cover the damage, be frugal you dont want it all over the place.
Select a supplied Vynil square with the grain that matches your material.
Place the quare grain side down and press down all around the area.
Wait until the Adhesive had dried then peel of the Grained square for re-use.

Another simpler way is with an Adhesive used for filling holes and repairing Waders, diving suits, Wellies and Rubber Bondage Equipment
The Adhesive can be purchased in Fishing Tackle shops under the name of "Stormsure".
Also sold in sports shops under the name "Freesole" (used for building up trainer heels).
Both these products are Air cured and once opened the tube will go hard after a couple of weeks if you dont seal it (I use that grey Gaffer tape) also if its hard at one end you can punture the other end to get the adhesive out.
Now, this Adhesive is very thick and very sticky so do not under any cercumstances get it anywhere where you dont want it as you will not get it off be warned.
I cut a Matchstick so that its like a chisel or point according to how small the area is.
Squeese a bit onto an old credit card and use it off that.
If you have a hole or tear, then put some tape under the hole or tear.
Then using the matchstick run a very thin bead along the edge of the join that you have now brought together using the tape.
You can put Sellotape or other sticky tape over the adhesive while it is drying (takes 24 hours to cure).
Filling a hole!! then just fill on top of the tape you have put under the hole up to the level of the rest of the fabric. No need to cover with tape unless the Adhesive is liable to run off.
This stuff will stick anything to anything as long as it is not contaminated with Silicone.
Once dried it is just like pure Rubber.
Touch-up colouring!!!!!now that's another avenue we could go down. Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.

I brought one of these kits when seat went on a different car of mine a year or so ago and it was S**T, don't waste your time and money. Get it repaired by a pro.

Each to their own skills, some can use products successfully, other just cant get the hang of them so label them as Crap.
Like Adhesives in general, some folk know how to use all of them and can identify what is the best pruduct for the situation.
Me....I'm that Pro you could take it to, but I've only been dealing with Leather & Synthetic products for 50 years.
Just trying to give you an alternative to a full seat strip down just to replace a panel.
Have the panel replaced by LR if still under warranty, if you can persude them it's not wear & tear.
If it is replaced, my bet is that you will get a replacement panel of the same material. And so the cycle starts all over again in a couple of years. Offset your Carbon emissions by boycotting Baked Beans and all Green Vegitables.