Update: Took it to the Kia dealership. They checked it out and it seems the terracotta finish on the leather is wearing off. When they wiped the seat with a cloth, the cloth turned terracotta color. They’re sending pictures to Kia to figure out the next steps. Might be refinishing the leather or replacing the seat cover. I’ll share when I know more. Also, the spots are more like a dark unfinished brown instead of black.
@EmmanuelBrown
Do you think the warranty will cover this?
TomHenry said:
@EmmanuelBrown
Do you think the warranty will cover this?
It should be. I’ve got 18 months / 24,000 miles on the car, and the warranty covers up to 5 years / 60,000 miles.
@EmmanuelBrown
Could this lead to a recall? Maybe a bad batch of leather? Glad I didn’t go for terracotta. Not my style, feels overrated.
Dolph said:
@EmmanuelBrown
Could this lead to a recall? Maybe a bad batch of leather? Glad I didn’t go for terracotta. Not my style, feels overrated.
Terracotta looks amazing. My wife loved it right away, so we had to get it. Let’s see how this all plays out though…
Do you usually wear darker jeans? That could cause color to transfer.
TellurideTribe said:
Do you usually wear darker jeans? That could cause color to transfer.
I mostly wear light khakis or joggers. My wife wears dresses, so maybe it’s from that? Still, the placement is odd. Wouldn’t stains from clothes show up more on top of the seat?
@EmmanuelBrown
It usually happens where there’s friction, like sliding off the seat. The corner placement is unusual, though.
These aren’t actual leather seats. You can use any interior cleaner on them, just test it on a small area first to be safe.
SANDRA said:
These aren’t actual leather seats. You can use any interior cleaner on them, just test it on a small area first to be safe.
What material are they made of then?
SANDRA said:
These aren’t actual leather seats. You can use any interior cleaner on them, just test it on a small area first to be safe.
What material are they made of then?
It’s synthetic leather, also known as vinyl.
@SANDRA
Really? They advertise it as terracotta leather. I thought synthetic materials had names like leatherette or softex.
Lily said:
@SANDRA
Really? They advertise it as terracotta leather. I thought synthetic materials had names like leatherette or softex.
I thought it was SynTex, but you’re probably right. Either way, most interior cleaners should work fine. Just test first. Cheers!
@SANDRA
Now you’ve got me second-guessing myself. I bought the 2025 SX X-Line with ‘terracotta leather.’ If it’s not leather, then I guess I’ve been fooled.
Looks like the material is scuffing off from sliding in and out of the seat. Happens with a lot of cars that use this type of finish.
Both of those marks look like stains, not scuffs. Maybe try different cleaners?
Billy said:
Both of those marks look like stains, not scuffs. Maybe try different cleaners?
Any recommendations for good cleaning products? Still puzzled about how stains just appeared out of nowhere though.
@EmmanuelBrown
I keep Griot’s Garage leather cleaner in my car. It’s good for general cleaning, but I’m not sure it’ll handle that stain. Start with something mild and work up to stronger products. Here’s a link to a page with homemade cleaning tips. Try starting with ideas for crayon or makeup stains and move to tougher solutions like ink or oil removers. Conditioning the leather regularly can also help prevent future stains.
Check out Tuffindustries.com for their interior cleaner or leather cleaner. Works well.