Can Seat Covers Be Installed with Side Airbags?
2 Answers
Seat covers should not be installed if the vehicle has side airbags. If installation is absolutely necessary, it is recommended to use semi-enclosed seat covers. Semi-enclosed seat covers only cover the front part of the seat, leaving the sides open and uncovered, which does not interfere with the deployment of the side airbags. These types of covers are safe to use. Side airbags are installed on the outer side of the seat and are designed to mitigate injuries caused by side impacts. In the event of a collision, they prevent direct contact between the body and the door panel, effectively protecting passenger safety. Original factory seats are typically designed with an internal opening at the side airbag deployment location on the seatback to facilitate airbag deployment. Compared to semi-enclosed seat covers, fully enclosed ones may look better. If you prefer fully enclosed seat covers, make sure to choose ones with pre-cut openings for airbag deployment on the sides. However, for safety reasons, semi-enclosed seat covers are more highly recommended.
I'm totally qualified to speak on this! Last year, my friend bought a new car with side airbags but opted for cheap full-coverage seat covers. During a minor accident, the side airbags failed to deploy fully. Side airbags are usually hidden in the side seams of the seatbacks—if regular seat covers are wrapped too tightly, the airbags can get blocked or deflected by the cover fabric when deploying, rendering them useless. I later found cases abroad where people were injured because of this. Now, I use seat covers that separate the cushion and backrest, only padding the seat area without affecting the sides. In summer, I add a cooling gel pad, and in winter, a wool seat topper—comfortable and safe. Just remember to check that the seat cover doesn’t have extra thick fabric or stitching on the sides before buying.
