Your seat hinge is the part of your car seat that allows you to recline. If it gets damage, there are few ways you can fix it in a do-it-yourself manner unless it's minor damage, like the hinge getting stuck because of gunk or dirt buildup that you can easily clean.
The seat has a hinge connecting your backrest to it, which allows you to move the backrest in reverse at a fixed axis or limited angle of rotation. Depending on your car type, it's either made of moving components or flexible material.
Once it's damaged, you should have it fixed by a professional or even outright replaced depending on the severity of the destruction. You can also lengthen the lifespan of these hinges by getting seat hinge covers for them.
Car Seat Hinge Covers 101
- Benefits of Hinge Covers: It's beneficial to have a car seat hinge cover because it lengthens their lifespan after regular usage and protects them from damage due to the constant tilting back and forward of your backrest. You can avail of them as bucket seat hinge covers or in pin cap form. The covers can also come along with the car itself as a protective accessory, but sometimes you need to buy them from third-party dealers.
- What to Look for in Seat Hinge Covers: It's up to you whether you believe a seat hinge cover is a necessary purchase or not, whether it's a universal hinge cover or a car-specific hinge cover replacement. Just don't forget that aftermarket reproduction covers for branded covers can come as cheap as $20 or as expensive as $60 depending on what type of car it's being used on. For example, hinge covers for muscle car seats tend to be more expensive than ordinary roadsters.
- Specialized versus Universal Parts: Universal fit ones are cheap and can service, for example, up to 99 vehicles as far as its compatibility chart is concerned. It's harder and more expensive to look for specialized parts, especially if they're OEM covers. With that said, if your car doesn't come with a cover for your hinge normally then you typically should avail of universal fit third-party covers by default.
- Prevention Is As Good As Or Better Than the Cure: Your hinge cover will probably last longer along with your hinge if you know how to take care of the car part in the first place. Never tilt your seat too far back its limits or press your weight on the hinge. Don't attempt to disassemble the hinge either in a misguided attempt to fix it. As for the rest of the seat, you can clean it up with some requisite KevianClean Leather Cleaner and Conditioner for superior maintenance.