At 95,000 miles the drivers seat cushion in my '05 HSE was pretty lifeless. This is an easy DIY repair that will greatly improve comfort and give you a chance to customize the padding. I ordered a new cushion online (don't recall the price, but it was pretty cheap). This repair will take about two hours.
1. power seat forward, remove plastic covers at rear of seat rails, both covers lift up and are held in with the familiar metal snap clips. remove three t-50 torx screws
2. power seat rearward, remove black box at the front of the seat covering the seat wiring, loosen 7mm (?) nut and unclip both wiring connectors, release wiring loom from seat frame, let wiring fall to floor, remove black plastic trim pieces covering bolts, both release inward (large flat blade will help here), remove two t-50 torx screws
3. No need to remove seat from vehicle, just let it fall back against back seat, now is a good time to clean up all of those spilled coffees
4. Remove seat "tub". there are four t-40 torx screws that hold the pressed metal seat tub to the frame. the rear ones are easy to spot, the front are a little harder look above the motor. the winging loom is attached to the tub at two places one spot unclips the other you must cut a small wire tie, the tub just lifts out but may stick a little around the outside trim
5. lay tub with the cushion down on a firm work surface, starting at the rear, squeeze cushion and lift off black edge trim, remove two push pins on each side, remove front and side retaining trim by starting at end and pushing down at each clip while prying the upper side of the clip inward with a small flat blade
6. flip seat over and "turn inside out" the edges of the seat, using good side cutters cut the hog rings holding cover to cushion old padding lifts out tub
***Customize the new seat padding. I took a long serrated knife and cut the side and front bolsters (correct term?) off of the old seat and glued them with 3M #77 spray glue to top of the same position on the new cushion. the old cushion can be cut at a taper/wedge shape to blend in with the new. I wanted more firmness at the front and sides so that's what I built up. You can add about 3/4" in thickness, any more and it might be pretty hard to get the cover over it
7. Using 3/8" or smaller hog rings (if you can find them) re-attach cover to cushion, it will take some wrestling to get the rings on just bend the cushion in half as you work each row. turn over the tub and re-attach the rear and front trim and the push pins. depending on how much padding you added you may have to stand on the tub to get enough slack in the cover.
8. re-assembly is the reverse of removal tighten torx bolts to 30 lb.ft.
Enjoy the new regal throne.
1. power seat forward, remove plastic covers at rear of seat rails, both covers lift up and are held in with the familiar metal snap clips. remove three t-50 torx screws
2. power seat rearward, remove black box at the front of the seat covering the seat wiring, loosen 7mm (?) nut and unclip both wiring connectors, release wiring loom from seat frame, let wiring fall to floor, remove black plastic trim pieces covering bolts, both release inward (large flat blade will help here), remove two t-50 torx screws
3. No need to remove seat from vehicle, just let it fall back against back seat, now is a good time to clean up all of those spilled coffees
4. Remove seat "tub". there are four t-40 torx screws that hold the pressed metal seat tub to the frame. the rear ones are easy to spot, the front are a little harder look above the motor. the winging loom is attached to the tub at two places one spot unclips the other you must cut a small wire tie, the tub just lifts out but may stick a little around the outside trim
5. lay tub with the cushion down on a firm work surface, starting at the rear, squeeze cushion and lift off black edge trim, remove two push pins on each side, remove front and side retaining trim by starting at end and pushing down at each clip while prying the upper side of the clip inward with a small flat blade
6. flip seat over and "turn inside out" the edges of the seat, using good side cutters cut the hog rings holding cover to cushion old padding lifts out tub
***Customize the new seat padding. I took a long serrated knife and cut the side and front bolsters (correct term?) off of the old seat and glued them with 3M #77 spray glue to top of the same position on the new cushion. the old cushion can be cut at a taper/wedge shape to blend in with the new. I wanted more firmness at the front and sides so that's what I built up. You can add about 3/4" in thickness, any more and it might be pretty hard to get the cover over it
7. Using 3/8" or smaller hog rings (if you can find them) re-attach cover to cushion, it will take some wrestling to get the rings on just bend the cushion in half as you work each row. turn over the tub and re-attach the rear and front trim and the push pins. depending on how much padding you added you may have to stand on the tub to get enough slack in the cover.
8. re-assembly is the reverse of removal tighten torx bolts to 30 lb.ft.
Enjoy the new regal throne.
