One of the more problematic modifications on the Generation II Toyota Prius is changing the upholstery on the seats. This is because of all the circuitry that's involved in the front seats for the many seat functions. The upholstery might be changed, however, for a number of reasons: adding a seat heater, upgrading the fabric or adding a lumbar support. Doing so requires diligence and removal of lots of hog rings, but is a satisfying and fulfilling do-it-yourself task that can be done in a few hours.
Remove a Prius seat from the car. Use a 14mm socket wrench to remove the screws that secure the seat. Unplug any wiring harnesses. Tilt the seat back prior to removal to access the wiring harness.
Pull the back seat cover up and off the seat.
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Remove the seat bottom fabric. Hog rings secure the fabric to the cushion. Detach them with hog ring pliers or clip them with wire cutters. Remove the rings with needle-nosed pliers. Zip ties can serve as replacements for the hog rings.
Attach the new seat fabric around the seat cushion. Use Velcro, zip ties or new hog rings to attach the seat cover at each point where the old fabric attached.
Pull the new seat back fabric over the seat back cushion. Attach with zip ties or new hog rings where necessary. Use a thin film of adhesive on the fabric to better bind the seat cover to the cushions.
