Interiors see a lot of wear and tear, particularly the seat on the driver's side. Constant in-and-out motions cause fabric to tear and leather to wear and brings the overall interior quality down substantially. Installing new seat covers can be a little bit challenging, but with the proper tools, it can be done in just a few hours. In this case, we're doing the work on a 2001 Chevrolet Silverado.
Remove the seat from the vehicle using the specialized Mac Tools socket listed in the reference section. There is a wiring harness that connects to the bottom of the seat, so unclip that before you completely remove the seat.
Unscrew all side plastic pieces from the seat using the Phillips head screwdriver.
Unbolt the seatbelt from the base of the seat using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket set.
Pry the seatbelt trim ring on the upper half of the seat with a flathead screwdriver. It's held in by clips, so pry the clips, being careful to not break them.
Unclip the plastic seat cover retainer hidden in the seam between the top and bottom seat sections. It's a 12-inch plastic strip that curls into itself, so uncurl it and it will come apart.
Unclip the headrest by pulling it vertically and pushing in the tab on the base.
Pull the top seat cover off the seat using your hands. Make sure to work the seat belt through the seat belt hole.
Place the new seat cover over the factory seat, working the seat belt through the seat belt hole. You may need to slap the foam with a flat hand to work the material through, as it's easier to make things work.
Secure the bottom of the seat cover using the plastic strip, in the reverse order of how you removed it.
Flip the seat over so the bottom is visible.
Peel back the Velcro strips that hold the bottom seat cover to the base.
Place the new seat covers over the foam, and reattach the Velcro. You may have to slap the foam again with a flat palm to help work the covers onto the seat.
Steam and slap the upholstery using the steamer. This will help get everything in line and fit the foam so it feels comfortable.
Reassemble the seat and interior in the same manner in which it was removed.
