Tools you will need:

4mm Allen Wrench
5mm Allen Wrench
6mm Allen Wrench
10mm Socket
15mm Socket or Wrench
Phillips Screw Driver
Straight Slot Screw Driver (small)
Pliers
Razor Blade

Procedure:

*Do NOT cut any holes in the seat covers until instructed to do so.*

These instructions are for a power 944 seat. A non power 944 seat is easier to recover and the instructions are the same.

1. If you are going to be recovering a power operated 944 seat then we would highly suggest adjusting the power seat to the highest position possible before removing the seat from the car. This is optional but will make recovering the seat much easier.

2. Start by putting blocks or stoppers under the wheels of the car so it can’t roll, and then release the e-brake. Releasing the e-brake will make removing the drivers side seat easier.

3. Slide the seat all the way back and remove the 2 allen bolts in the front of the seat rail. Be careful when removing these bolts. The allen head is soft and is easy to strip out. Use a good allen wrench and make sure it’s in the bolt straight. Then slide the seat all the way forward and remove the 4 allen bolts in the rear of the seat rail.

4. With the seat still in the car, lean the complete seat back and remove all the electrical plugs from the bottom of the seat. There are 2 plugs for power seats and 3 plugs for heated power seats. The large plug tucked up under the seat pulls straight off. Wiggle it back and forth and pull up and it will come off.

5. Pull the seat latches off the seat backrest. The knob pulls straight off the seat. This might be easy or it might be hard. If you are unable to pull the knob off the seat try sliding something very thin under the knob and pull it off that way. (like a thin metal ruler) But be careful as these are plastic. Another easy way we have found to remove stubborn seat latches is with a straight slot screw driver. Pull the latch up and stick the screwdriver in, like in the picture. Catch the end of the latch with the straight slot screwdriver and gently pry the latch off. Be careful as it might come flying at you. There is a metal clip that’s under the knob, make sure you remove this clip and save it.

Just for reference, these plastic latches are still available from Porsche and are not very expensive. Here are the part numbers which are found on the bottoms of the parts:
Knob – 911-521-817-00
Bezel – 911-521-815-00

6. Remove the 2 screws that hold on the seat side cover. The cover slides backwards to come off the seat.

7. Remove the E clip that holds the cable to the seat, and the 2 bolts that hold the backrest onto the seat frame. Our kit includes new E clips so these do not need to be saved, but you must save the little metal cable bracket and the backrest bolts.

8. Remove the clip and bolts from the other side of the seat and lift off the backrest. It will pull up and come off the seat frame.

9. Remove the 2 screws that hold on the switch cover and remove cover.

10. Remove the 1 screw that holds the switches into the seat. I know this seems odd that only 1 screw holds the switches into the seat, but this is the way Porsche (or Recaro) designed it. You are NOT missing a screw. Then gently pull the switches away from the seat, about 1 inch.

11. Remove the handle on the side of the seat with a 4mm allen wrench. Remove the screw and then wiggle and pull the handle straight off.

12. Now is a good time to clean the bottom of the seat. Flip the seat over and clean all the dirt from the bottom of the seat and the seat rails. This is important because you want everything clean for when you install the new covers. You don’t want to get dirt or grease on the new cover.

Another good tip is to wash your hands often when installing the new cover, so grease doesn’t transfer from your hands to the cover.

13. Flip the seat over and remove the hog rings and galvanized wire from the rear of the seat. We found it easiest to grip the hog rings with pliers and twist about 90 degrees. This opens the rings up and makes them easy to remove. Or take a screwdriver and slide it into the rings and twist the screwdriver.

14. Now remove the remainder of the hog rings from the bottom of the seat.

15. Removing seat rail bolts might not be necessary if you have raised the power seat all the way up before removing the seat from the car. If you have a non power seat, it’s easiest to completely remove the seat rails from the bottom of the seat. Remove the rear seat rail bolts from one corner only, and lift the seat rail up a little. This will allow for more room to remove the cover. Gently bent up the metal tabs that hold the cover onto the seat frame and remove the sides of the cover.

16. Once you get this far, reinstall 1 bolt back into the rear of the seat rail to told it all together. This step will make things much easier in the long run.

17. Remove the bolts in the front of the seat rail and continue to remove the seat cover from around the sides.

18. Then reinstall one bolt back into the seat rail like we have done.

19. Remove the black plastic cover from the front of the seat and continue to remove the cover from around the front and the other side.

20. Remove the seat cover from this side of the seat in the same way you did the other side. Removing only one end of the seat rail bolts at a time. Then your cover should look like this.

The front left side of the seat rail uses both 10mm bolts and allen bolts. Be careful with these allen bolts as they are soft and strip easy. Our’s were pre-striped from the factory, thanks Porsche.

21. Lift up the sides of the cover. Then remove the staples in the rear of the cover. The can gently be pulled out of the foam with some pliers.

22. Now you can remove the cover by pulling it up.

23. Pull the 4 metal rods out of the old cover and save them. And if you have seat heaters make sure you remove them now.

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