How do I check my headrest posts before ordering seat covers?

Steps

1. Try to remove the driver-side headrest. Press the release tab at the base of one or both posts and lift. If it lifts free, the headrest is removable.
2. With the headrest removed, measure centre-to-centre between the two posts in millimetres. Typical spacing is 140 to 180 mm.
3. If the headrest will not lift, look at how it joins the seat back. A visible gap between the headrest and the top of the seat means it is a two-piece design that is simply not lifting; a smooth moulded join means it is integrated.
4. Inspect the outer edge of the seat back for a small SRS or AIRBAG label. If present, note it. Any cover you buy must have a tear seam in that position.
5. Look at the seat from the side. A standard seat back is roughly flat with a shallow curve. A sport seat has pronounced side bolsters that project forward. Note which you have.

What you need

• A ruler or short tape measure in millimetres.
• A small screwdriver or plastic trim tool for hidden headrest release slots.
• A torch to inspect the airbag label and the seat back seam lines.
• The owner's handbook, which usually diagrams the front seat and labels the airbag position.

Common mistakes

• Buying a cover with a separate headrest sleeve for a seat with an integrated headrest. The sleeve has nowhere to slide over and the seat back cover cannot pull up past the moulded headrest.
• Ignoring the airbag label. A cover without a tear seam over a side airbag interferes with deployment and can disable the airbag entirely.
• Ordering a standard cover for a sport seat. The bolsters either wear through the cover from underneath or leave the cover slack.

Frequently asked questions

How do I remove a headrest for measurement?

Most headrests have a small release button or spring tab on the base of one or both posts where they enter the seat back. Press the button, pull the headrest straight up, and it lifts out. If there is no button, look for a slot on the post visible only at a certain height, insert a small screwdriver into it, and pull. If nothing lifts, the headrest is integrated and cannot be removed without upholstery work.

What if the headrest is integrated?

An integrated headrest is moulded into the top of the seat back, common on sports seats and many modern bucket-style front seats. Universal seat covers with a separate headrest sleeve will not fit these seats. You need a cover cut with an integrated headrest silhouette, or a two-piece design that ties around the seat back below the headrest.

Does side airbag position affect the cover I can use?

Yes. Most modern front seats have a side-impact airbag built into the outer bolster of the seat back, marked by a small SRS or AIRBAG label on the fabric. A seat cover that fits over that bolster must have a tear seam in the same position, so the airbag can deploy through the cover. A cover without that seam will either not deploy the airbag or will do so in an uncontrolled way, which is a safety issue.

Sport seats with heavy side bolsters, will a universal cover fit?

Rarely well. Sport seats have deeper side bolsters than standard seats, and a universal cover cut for a standard seat will either stretch across the bolsters and pull loose, or sit too small on top of them and leave the bolsters uncovered. Look for covers explicitly marked for sport or bucket seats, or for a specific vehicle known to have that seat type.