Categories: CarpetHow to

Car Carpet Replacement Tips

Car carpet replacement is an update option that few car owners consider when rejuvenating an older car. Let’s face it, with the cost of new cars today, it pays to drive an older car and keep it fixed up. Car carpet replacement is a sure way to give your car and new feel and smell, and make it a joy to drive again.

Rather than a car, truck, coupe, or sedan, a car’s carpet does much more than provide an aesthetic look to the interior of a vehicle. It also serves as soundproofing to help reduce road noise inside the car while driving down the road. A carpet also becomes loaded with hidden dirt and grime over time, contributing to that unique smell a vehicle gets after a while.

Preparation for Replacing Car Carpet

For the most part, standard tools are all that is necessary for preparing a car or truck for installing a new interior carpet. In some cases, the bolts holding the seats to the floorboard may be star-shaped, or 12-point, headed bolts. It this is the case, you can pick up the correct socket or wrench at the local parts store.

If the car has electric seats of any type, disconnect the negative battery terminal on the car before attempting to remove the seats or the center console. This will prevent an inadvertent ground or shock while working with the electrical connectors and plugs hooked to the drive motors or heaters for the seats.

Removing the Seats and Molding

Remove the front bench or bucket seats by first unplugging the electrical plugs from beneath the seats. Once these are disconnected, locate the hold-down bolts that fasten the seats to the floorboards. The seat rails may be partially covered by a plastic cover. These are for looks only, gently pry them loose by hand or with a flat-head screwdriver.

Remove the hold-down bolts and snake the seats out of the vehicle. Place the bolts in a safe place so they are easily accessible when reinstalling everything after replacing the car’s carpet.

If the rear seat is a bench seat, pry the upper and lower section apart by hand and look for two small bolts on either end of the seat. These bolts secure the rear seat bottom to the seat frame. Remove the bolts with a socket and extension. Pry the seat forward and lift it out of the vehicle.

Take out the side molding around the bottom of the doors with a Phillips screwdriver. With the seats out of the way, and the molding removed from the bottom of the doors, the old carpet is ready to come out.

Removing the Car Carpet for Replacement

An adhesive holds the carpet to the floorboard of the vehicle. But, it will pull loose with a little effort. Pull the formed carpet up and remove it from the car. Cutting the carpet into smaller sections may help in removing the old carpet.

Installing the New Car Carpet

Clean the floorboard area of the car before applying carpet adhesive for the new carpet. Slightly fold the pre-formed car carpet to get it through the car door for installation. Position the carpet in place and pat it down all over to help spread the adhesive.

Ensure the electrical wiring and plugs and pulled through the pre-cut slits in the new carpet before completing the installation. With the new carpet in place, reinstall the moldings and seats in the reverse order from which they were taken out.

Replace the negative battery terminal onto the car battery and check the seats for proper operation. If all the plugs are correctly installed onto the seat connectors, all should work as before.

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I am Derek Patrowsky, editor of AutoSportCatalog.com. I have over 17 years of experience in the automotive service industry and am part owner of a service facility in his hometown. Together with other writers, I hope this website will help you with your auto repair needs making better decisions when it comes to your vehicle.

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