Aspector Gadget

From this post https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=98704, I learned that the '05 TL has an extra row of stitching in the seat.

My 04's leather in stretching in the seat and I am going to see if the dealer will reupholster the seats with the redesigned '05 leathers. But before I go asking for it, I want to be sure the redesign actually works.

So to all you '05 TLers, Do you have buttprints in your seats?



Edit by MOD rets: Updated the URL link

TL MaN 05 WdP

Hi just got the car Friday I really didn't drive it much around only got like 130 miles on it.
so far no butt prints i like the new way they did the seat i could tell u this any cars will get a lil butt prints but the way they did it this time i don't think its gonna be as bad as the 04 TL and the 02 TL type s models i had the 02 type s and it also had butt prints i didn't think it was an issue but from reading these post about the 04 i wish i would of knew i would of had them done lucky for this post with good news and info we now know what do do just wanna thank everyone in this post and the person that made this post for us guys and girls to post thank you very much

chachi775

I've got about 600 miles on my '05 and so far no butt prints. The redesign seems to have satisfied the issue, but it will be tough to tell until i've sat in it for a longer period of time. I'll keep you guys posted.

wallaceoh

Aspector, 972 miles, no butt prints. I will say from what I have observed, the '05 design "bounces back" considerably better than what I've seen on the '04's. Mind you, that is only as of today, down the road, who knows. This has been mentioned in other threads of course, but only the front seats were modified, not the back.

HondaOnly

I predict it won't be an issue for the 05. This is the same design in the Accord and I had one of those for over a year and never had butt prints.

nking54580

To help eliminate getting the butt prints then don't sit in the car with your wallet in your back pocket.

kevin922

I haven't had my wallet in my back pocket in years. I have butt prints in my seat with less than 3K miles.

MisterLawyer

About 1500 miles on my '05 TL, and so far no butts prints that have lasted longer than half an hour.

When I drove from Springfield to Milwaukee (about 5 hours), I was a little concerned when I came out to my car 20 minutes after arriving to get my briefcase from the trunk and saw butt prints. But I checked ten minutes later and they were pretty much gone.

BTW, they aren't really prints so much as puffs. the leather kind of puffs upwards in the area where your butt touches the seat. I think it may have to do with your butt warming and stretching the leather where it sits on the seat, but the leather will pull back to where it was after it cools back down a bit and has some time.

havokgroup

I have about 500 miles and no butt prints as of yet.

Treblig

700+ miles and no butt prints so far (as I say with my fingers crossed!).

btvudoo

1k mile and yes I have butt prints, on the rear seats that is.

dunnric

Do the 2005 rear seats have the same stitching as the front seats or are they the same as 2004?

ITL

which brings up my next concern...

I am going to assume from my own habits that the majority of us carry front passengers most of the time...I do carry backseat passengers, but not for very long or very often...it might take a considerable amount of time for rear seat defects to surface....

dunnric

Interesting, Honda only modifed the front seat and not the rear? So they dont even match now?

JetJock

Guys..good luck getting Acura to replace the '04 seat cushion with the '05 design. It would be nice, but any car company would go broke replacing every design change improvement to previous year vehicles. That's why they make improvements, because they find a problem and try to correct it. I've got slight butt prints in my '04 TL, and wish I had the new design from the '05 seat, but I'm not going to expect Acura to replace my seat with a '05 type design...that's expecting way too much from any manufacturer. It's just a fact of life when you buy any first year product. They learn from their mistakes. btw...I love my car..and I'm one of the fortunate ones who have no rattles or any other problem so far....4200 miles...so I'll just be happy I've got a tight, defect free '04 TL.

dunnric

My 2005 Anthracite/ebony navi 6MT is due to arrive on Sunday so I'm getting my butt ready now see if I can make some prints (box of cinnabons on desk). I hope the back seats dont look silly without the same stitching as the front.

EluSiOn

i have 04 tl with 10500 mile and no butt print!... condition your leather is very important! or otherwise even with 05 new design, it still will crack!

Prolanman

Just picked up my 05 yesterday. Have about 100 miles on it so far no butt prints. I can say that the front seats in the 05 feel much firmer than my friends 04. I suspect that beside the extra row of stitching there is addtional padding in the seats. The rear seats are still the old design.

dunnric

Ah, I just realized that the Acura website has an updated photo of the 2005 interior. You can see the new stitching pattern on the front seats and how the rear seats look (unchanged but still matches well). Interesting to see what you miss unless you are looking for it.

click here for pic

Road Rage

What does "conditioning" it have to do with the leather stretching? Too much oil will make the leather more susceptible to stretching, which is a mechanical issue, and no amount of conditioning will keep it from stretching - the stitching in the 2005 likely will, as it strengthens a large expanse of leather. I would guess that all of us have conditioned the leather (cleaning and treating) in our 2004's - this only needs to be done once every few months anyway. What magic elixir prevents mechanical stretching? Is it my famed Boar Mucous, perchance?

Aspector Gadget

Jetjock, I'm not expecting Acura to send out a letter to every owner inviting them to come into the dealer and have a 2005 overhaul, getting all the redesigned features.

But, I don't think it is outside the realm of possibilities to go into a dealer, especially one that wants to please the customer, and request that your prematurely stretched leather seat be reupholstered. There are many cases where people on this forum have had their seats reupholstered or replaced under warranty. And if the delear agrees to releather/replace the seat then isn't it likely they will use the 2005 lethers since Acura probably does not even make the 2004 form.

I too am fortunate to have an immaculately assembled Acura, and if the dealer refuses to do the work then I won't sweat it. But there is no harm in asking.

HondaOnly

That's the pic from the 04 model. From that angle, you wouldn't be able to see the new stitch anyways.

JetJock

[QUOTE=Aspector Gadget]Jetjock, I'm not expecting Acura to send out a letter to every owner inviting them to come into the dealer and have a 2005 overhaul, getting all the redesigned features.

Let me know how you make out with the '05 leather. I'm still waiting a bit longer before I take my car back to the dealer for "butt prints". Originally I thought I would have to live with the problem, but after reading posts on this forum, it appears that Acura is well aware of the problem and will replace the leather without too much prodding. I've got a great relationship with the service department, and don't want to do anything to put that relationship in danger. If they replace the seat with the '05 style, so much the better. I'm just so happy overall with my car because it's absolutely rattle free and rattles drive me crazy. I'd probably sell the car if it had one rattle that couldn't be fixed.

pinito

My dealer is replacing the leather on the rear seating area under warranty since I feel it is way too loose. They do not replace the entire seat but take it out, remove the leather (attached via clips), and attach the new one. The one caveat: they will replace it once. If the newly replaced skin is looser than the original 9which they say happens sometimes) - too bad.

I also mentioned the butt print on the driver seat. They claimed normal wear and tear but the service advisor indicated I would have to see the service manager if I wanted that replaced. Same response I got when I wanted the rear replaced. Why should they care? Acura will reimburse for the work. I will see the service manager about it and we'll see.

This is my #1 complaint about the car. All in all - not bad (ie: could have a problem that would jeopardize safety, ride quality or performance).

mxtt

Tell them to be careful when they change the leather.
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99198

JMan

Go to acura.com and click on the 2005 TL. Click on the interative showroom, then interior showroom. When the interior showroom loads, click on the magnifing glass. This will bring you to a moveable interactive session (Quicktime Viewer). Zoom all the way out and pan to the right and look at the passenger seat. That's right kids, clearly 2 sections on the front seats, not 3. This is supposed to be a 2005, right? This must have been a last minute change by Acura, but thought it was an interesting discovery none-the-less....

flip_man