Ford Leather Care

[Geniusjustin]

So I have yet another question! According to my owner's manual, the leather in my 2010 Fusion has a protective clear coat, meaning I should not use oil- or petroleum-based conditioners on it. However, under the "advice" heading on Ford's owners website, it specifically recommends Lexol cleaner and conditioner be used. I assume the cleaner is safe, but do the seats need conditioning if they are coated, and if so, isn't Lexol conditioner oil-based?

[aneekr]

...under the "advice" heading on Ford's owners website, it specifically recommends Lexol cleaner and conditioner be used. I assume the cleaner is safe, but do the seats need conditioning if they are coated, and if so, isn't Lexol conditioner oil-based?

Lexol Leather Conditioner is a water based emulsion and contains no petroleum derived solvents. Here's the MSDS.

I'm sure you'll be pleased with this product. It's rather expensive, but worth it.

[Ralph Greene]

Lexol Leather Conditioner is a water based emulsion and contains no petroleum derived solvents. Here's the MSDS.

I'm sure you'll be pleased with this product. It's rather expensive, but worth it.

 

They are just a leather looking vinyl. Use whatever you want. damp cloth, etc, is good enough.

 

Somehow....they are allowed to call vinyl seats leather. Years ago...and I mean years....they probably did have seating surfaces from leather. Synthetic leather is far superior to the real stuff...at least in popular priced cars. My Dad's cars in the 50's and 60's had real leather. They cracked real fast. We did use Lexol on those, and keep the cars out of the sun. Nowadays cars with "leather" sit out in the weather for years with zero care, and seats stay fine. Real leather wouldn't survive that.

Edited September 26, 2010 by Ralph Greene

[akirby]

They are just a leather looking vinyl.

 

Wrong. It's real leather. There are many different types of real leathers - some are softer than others. Fake leather is called leatherette among other terms.

[Ralph Greene]

Wrong. It's real leather. There are many different types of real leathers - some are softer than others. Fake leather is called leatherette among other terms.

 

 

It is not leather in the sense that you are sitting on a thick cow hide. They are just seat covers with some coated treated leather bonded to a fabric backing. Leatherette would probably be better....if folks would pay extra for it. They are nothing like real leather seats of years ago. Since the seating surfaces are treated to resist stains, they also resist most traditional leather cleaners. I would follow directions in the owners manual, which I think usually recommends cleaning with a damp cloth. I suppose you could also use your favorite leather/vinyl cleaner, but I don't really see the need. These Fusion treated covers can exist many years in non garaged cars sitting in the sunlight, with little UV damage, so I see no need to treat them like seats in a Rolls Royce.

 

BTW....my Mustang has no treated coated leather in rear seats, just minimal leather surfaces in front. Not much you can do for these other than wipe them clean with a damp cloth once in a while. Wife's Montego does have some coated treated leather covers in front and rear. But again....the treated leather is so much like vinyl, not much you can do for them either that's better than just keeping them clean.

Edited September 26, 2010 by Ralph Greene

[akirby]

It is not leather in the sense that you are sitting on a thick cow hide. They are just seat covers with some coated treated leather bonded to a fabric backing. Leatherette would probably be better....if folks would pay extra for it. They are nothing like real leather seats of years ago. Since the seating surfaces are treated to resist stains, they also resist most traditional leather cleaners. I would follow directions in the owners manual, which I think usually recommends cleaning with a damp cloth. I suppose you could also use your favorite leather/vinyl cleaner, but I don't really see the need. These Fusion treated covers can exist many years in non garaged cars sitting in the sunlight, with little UV damage, so I see no need to treat them like seats in a Rolls Royce.

 

BTW....my Mustang has no treated coated leather in rear seats, just minimal leather surfaces in front. Not much you can do for these other than wipe them clean with a damp cloth once in a while. Wife's Montego does have some coated treated leather covers in front and rear. But again....the treated leather is so much like vinyl, not much you can do for them either that's better than just keeping them clean.

 

Yes, they're treated and they may not feel exactly like real leather, but that's not what you said. You said it was a "leather looking vinyl". Perhaps you meant to say it's real leather that's been treated and feels like vinyl.

[Ralph Greene]

Yes, they're treated and they may not feel exactly like real leather, but that's not what you said. You said it was a "leather looking vinyl". Perhaps you meant to say it's real leather that's been treated and feels like vinyl.

 

I don't mind you correcting me. I know Ford (and the others) "leather" seating meets the legal definition of leather seating. But I also think it's a tad misleading when there is a big charge for leather seating on the window sticker, and in many cases there is only some small pieces of treated leather on some seating surfaces in front, sometimes in back depending on model, and the customer has visions of nice leather seats. I don't know how high up the line you have to go to get leather seating that is more like leather than vinyl....perhaps Lincoln.

 

My Dad had real cow hide factory seats on some Chryslers in the 50's. They didn't hold up well to UV rays. So thick leather cow hides are not so great either. I don't expect marketing methods to change, but I would just as soon have hi quality perforated vinyl, and forget the "leather" charge.