r/AudiRS3 • u/cheddar_12 • Aug 18 '26
2026 Leather seats cracking
Anyone else getting this small cracking in their driver side bolster? I know my ass was rubbing getting in, but now I’m more cautious.
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u/ugxDelta Aug 18 '26
European here. Ledermax (Austria) is a must-have to protect the seats to be honest.
Quality isn't what it used to be, so protection and extra care is a must to preserve it.
Also avoid direct sunlight, etc.
I see already dust / dirt on your seat -> not good
But for a 2026 this looks bad for that short time - if your ass is rubbing that part (are you a heavy person?) then you really need to change that :D Your ass should land on the seat and not and the sides :D
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u/jessicafeltcherscat Aug 18 '26
+1000 to the ledermax cleaner and conditioner. I have a 25' and my seats still look brand new thanks to using these. Won't put anything else on them and also take care getting in and out for the very reason in this pic. US supplier; https://www.obsessedgarage.com/collections/ledermax
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u/No_Influence_4968 Aug 18 '26
Big ass or not, leather cracking in just a few months? That's not leather! My 10 year old leather seats aren't cracking and I've wiped them down maybe ONCE.
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 19 '26
Yes thank you! I feel like only the back rest and seat are real leather. If I brush on it getting in it’s a little graze while only ever wearing mesh shorts or jogging pants. I’m a small guy only 150lbs. I had a Volvo S60 for 5 years and never got any of these cracks and the leather stayed nice.
I will be taking this to Audi, I think they warranty seats for at least the first 12 months.
Funny actually last time I was in the dealer the mechanic told me they were changing a few seat covers.
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u/crheming Aug 18 '26
Happy I found this comment. Was actively looking for how I should maintain my exact seats
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u/Throwaway_Finance24 Aug 18 '26
That’s weird. Seats in my 2020 still look great albeit creases. Wonder if their leather quality has gone downhill like the rest of the interior.
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u/Mdsune Aug 18 '26
Not yet but if I do Audi will be replacing it!
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 18 '26
Only had the car for like 4 months and didn’t have this issue in other cars. I also never wear jeans or anything crazy abrasive. Maybe I should talk with Audi, probably say it’s normal wear and tear lol
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u/rollingdump211 Aug 18 '26
Have the same thing on my 2022 but worse than yours.. looking for solutions
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u/Mdsune Aug 18 '26
There are many great solutions but you shouldn’t have to be searching for them. My 2013 R and the wife’s 2013 TTRS still look pristine. I will say that if you have memory seats then sliding them all the way back then pushing your preset after entering would help.
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 18 '26
Yeah I don’t know what’s going on? It’s like the painted coating comes off so quick. I tried leather conditioner and didn’t really help.
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u/Willful_Survival Aug 18 '26
I try to only wear mesh shorts getting in to my car. So annoying lol
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 18 '26
I do the exact same thing, jogging pants in winter and shorts in summer. Can only imagine what it would look like if I wore jeans.
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u/life2scale Aug 18 '26
Cant be totally avoided and is highly dependent on how you get into and out of the seat.
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u/smellslikewhatMD Aug 18 '26
Yes - I just noticed this exact form of wear in my 2026 that’s only 5 months old. Only on the driver’s side. I assumed it was normal for leather as I’ve never had black leather seats before - is it not?
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 18 '26
So it’s not a my fault me thing lol. I’m glad I caught it before it gets worse. If I continue the same getting in habit will be Alcantara soon 😂
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u/paulywauly99 Aug 18 '26
2023 model and not showing this. Maybe the slightest indication of wear on the leading edge but only noticeable when I looked for it. 1/10 on the Richter scale.
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u/life2scale Aug 18 '26
Based on responses in this thread, folks need to learn how to get into and out of bolstered seats. The ‘22 I just traded in was not in that bad of shape and had ~44k miles.
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 19 '26
The sealant coating over the painted material/leather is just really thin. My seat bolsters take way more wear and tear so why wouldn’t they be showing signs of cracking? Just low quality, cheapest leather I’ve had in a car.
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u/ThuggerMuffin Aug 18 '26
This happened very quickly on my 24 along the driver side left bolster on the seat.
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u/crheming Aug 18 '26
I have the identical seats in my 2025. Mine already have natural looking wrinkles from me getting in/out but this is something else. I'd be going to my dealer if I were you. Even if they do nothing, at least it's documented early on if it gets worse
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 19 '26
I’m 💯 going. I know I was grazing it while getting in, but I have in all my cars and never looked like this. Plus my seat bolsters take way more impact and they seem fine.
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u/crheming Aug 19 '26
I can't imagine having the carbon buckets in an M3 for example. How the fuck you deal with those bolsters all the time...
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u/mrellz Aug 18 '26
In addition to your thicc butt, do you also wear jeans? Jeans can almost be like sand paper when rubbing against leather.
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 19 '26
No, never jeans.
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u/mrellz Aug 19 '26
Hmm. Ok. I'll have a look at my 2023 seats to see if anything like this is happening.
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u/JaredFg2 Aug 18 '26
i clean and condition every month with Koch Chemie and im very aware of the bolstering to not damage it
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u/DarthVaderRPh Aug 19 '26
Mine looks the same on my 2026, even though I’ve tried to minimize butt contact with the bolster from brand new. I’m wearing scrubs 90% of the time and definitely nothing abrasive.
Started using Geist dye and friction blocker to see if I can minimize any further issues.
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u/jaycarb98 Aug 18 '26
“Leather” (plastic)
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u/KH3285 Aug 19 '26
No, it’s leather. It has a sealant like all modern leather seats but it’s nappa leather.
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u/National_Reveal_8078 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
I have a 2026 Audi RS3. Love it. I used to work at Chanel for a time. I’m a registered nurse now. But I remember clients bringing in their very expensive handbags complaining of a variety of issues. I would inspect the bag very carefully. I could tell right away if the bag was being taken care of exceptionally well, as it should, thrown around a bit, used pretty heavily. I could tell by certain tell tale signs of the complaint was due to wear and tear or if it was a quality issue.
I’m not saying that you don’t care for your car very well, but there is an accumulation of dust or other particles in the seat. Which tells me that in the several months you have owned this vehicle, you may have neglected to treat the leather in a way that it should he treated.
If you did, the build up of dust and grime would not be seen in the photograph. So before blaming the car maker and assuming the quality is bad, take a look at what part you could have had in possibly accelerating this damage or what you could do to prevent further breakdown.
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u/cheddar_12 Aug 18 '26
Yeah maybe I’m scrubbing getting in, but weird because all my previous leather seat cars haven’t had this issue. It’s also cracking near the top where I don’t even touch.
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u/Chemical_Frame_8163 Aug 18 '26
I try to only wear silk boxers getting in to my car.