Auto Leather Repair:
A behind the scenes look

Auto leather repair is an area of auto reconditioning filled with bad information and misrepresentation. Leather car upholstery has different needs and requirements of cloth car upholstery. I am going to lay out the different concerns when it comes to car leather repair, maintenance, and care:

• Leather repair tips


• Leather maintenance tips


• Leather care tips

Car Leather Repair: Question and Answer

If you have car leather interior, you may find yourself in need of leather repair due to neglect, abuse, or accident. This area of auto reconditioning is an area generally reserved by the wholesale and retail car sales industry. One of many steps car resellers use to make ready the cars for resale, all with the goal to add visual appeal to potential buyers.

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Q - How is leather repair done?

Q - How is leather re-dying performed?

A- Leather re-dying is more of a misnomer. As part of any repair process of leather, after the patch and prepping has been done, the area must be colored matched to the surrounding areas. This is done similar to paint and body where the color of the leather is matched with either a ready made aerosol paint can, or with an air brush. The area is then literally sprayed with this colored "paint". So the more correct term would really be leather re-painting, not re-dying.

Q - Is this auto leather repair process permanent?

A-No.

Q - Can you explain why it is not permanent?

Q - If this process of auto leather repair is not permanent, then why would you want to do it?

A- Most often, this process is taken on as a temporary and superficial fix by the auto reconditioning industry in order to resale cars. Most people do not recognize when leather has been repaired or re-dyed, and therefore do not know what they are getting into. Since most people do not clean and maintain leather properly, the reality of the situation is discovered after the fact.

Q - Is this car leather repair process something that can be done myself?

A- Yes. Many kits are available for the do it at home fix. Done by people usually trying to "freshen" up their car, in order to sell their car.

Q - Is there a way to tell when leather has been repaired or re-dyed?

A- As a professional from the world of auto detailing, I can spot leather repair and dye jobs much like I can spot repaint on cars. There are always indicators o such work. The level of quality only means it might be harder to detect. When I clean leather car seats, the re-dyed leather will usually start to flake and peel due to the inability of these dyes to withstand more aggressive cleaners.

Q - What are specific things to look for if I am purchasing a new car in order to spot these auto leather repairs?

A- Start by first asking the person and see if you can get an honest answer. If you want to verify, look at areas that are traditionally subject to heavy use in the drivers area first. Look for uneven coloring with seating, door panels, arm rests, etc. Look for uneven texture of these areas that seem "out of place" to surrounding areas. Look for areas of seating that respond to touch and pressure differently, or feel abnormal. Lastly, you can use rubbing alcohol and a terry cloth rag to test areas to see if any color comes up. With any modern day leathers, the alcohol will not affect the original leather.

Unfortunately when it comes to the car industry, there are many areas such as auto leather repair that can come with a certain amount of misrepresentation that the ignorant public is just unaware of.

I will add that their are many repair kits that do provide amazing results, and if you are trying to enhance your car for resale, then this is certainly a good way to do that; so long as you are upfront with people and let them know.

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