I got my Model Y with white seats just over a month ago. Somehow I was able to stain/mark the front passenger seat with something. From the color, it looks like it could be dye from jeans but not certain. I did not put anything other than passengers on the front seat, so it should not be from cargo. I also don't have any pets. Unfortunately I didn't notice these stains until likely a few days after the event, when I was working at the front passenger side to clean the floor mats.
I researched and tried nearly every solution from this forum for cleaning the white seats, and had no luck. None of these solutions even made a little bit of change.
From least to most abrasive:
1) Dawn dish soap
2) Baby wipes
3) 91% IPA
4) Diluted and concentrated degreaser
5) Magic eraser
I thought the white seats were supposed to be easy to clean? As I understand, there's some kind of coating on the seat which is supposed to make it resistant to permanent dye transfer of the PU leather. I hear of folks who don't even think about the white seats, have pets, etc. that haven't stained the seats, claiming easy clean with just dish soap. And yet here I am within 1 month of ownership I managed to stain it.
From the Model Y owners manual ("Cleaning the Interior", page 171):
When I took my vehicle to the Tesla Service Center (for unrelated reasons), I asked the Service Advisor to try to clean it off with whatever they use at the shop. Apparently they use a high-quality upholstery cleaner that works well. Unfortunately that did not work at all in my case, and they tried a few other solutions as well.
I was told by the Service Advisor that at this point the only solution is to replace the front passenger seat assembly, the entire thing including power electronics. Unfortunately, they don't have a way to replace just the seating areas. The cost for this for the front passenger white seat is $1870 (seat assembly) + $68.25 (labor) for a total of $1938.25.
I don't want to pay nearly $2k to replace a seat assembly for a brand new vehicle. If you have any other ideas of things I can try, please let me know!
I researched and tried nearly every solution from this forum for cleaning the white seats, and had no luck. None of these solutions even made a little bit of change.
From least to most abrasive:
1) Dawn dish soap
2) Baby wipes
3) 91% IPA
4) Diluted and concentrated degreaser
5) Magic eraser
I thought the white seats were supposed to be easy to clean? As I understand, there's some kind of coating on the seat which is supposed to make it resistant to permanent dye transfer of the PU leather. I hear of folks who don't even think about the white seats, have pets, etc. that haven't stained the seats, claiming easy clean with just dish soap. And yet here I am within 1 month of ownership I managed to stain it.
From the Model Y owners manual ("Cleaning the Interior", page 171):
Polyurethane Seats
Wipe spills as soon as possible using a soft cloth
moistened with warm water and non-detergent soap.
Wipe gently in a circular motion. After cleaning, allow
the seats to air dry.
Be careful with dyes, such as from clothing or denim,
that come into contact with the seats. Dyes can diffuse
into the seat material over time and cause staining.
CAUTION: Aftermarket, non-Tesla seat covers may
inhibit the sensitivity of seat sensors and may
cause staining or damage
Cautions for Interior Cleaning
CAUTION: Using solvents (including alcohol),
bleach, citrus, naphtha, or silicone-based products
or additives on interior components can cause
damage.
When I took my vehicle to the Tesla Service Center (for unrelated reasons), I asked the Service Advisor to try to clean it off with whatever they use at the shop. Apparently they use a high-quality upholstery cleaner that works well. Unfortunately that did not work at all in my case, and they tried a few other solutions as well.
I was told by the Service Advisor that at this point the only solution is to replace the front passenger seat assembly, the entire thing including power electronics. Unfortunately, they don't have a way to replace just the seating areas. The cost for this for the front passenger white seat is $1870 (seat assembly) + $68.25 (labor) for a total of $1938.25.
I don't want to pay nearly $2k to replace a seat assembly for a brand new vehicle. If you have any other ideas of things I can try, please let me know!