Are seat covers safe with side airbags?

How seat-mounted side airbags work

A seat-mounted side airbag sits inside the backrest on the door side. When it fires, it has to get out of the seat fast, so the seat upholstery is built to let it through at one place. Renault's Clio handbook describes the airbag being deployed through the slits in the front seatbacks on the door side. That opening is part of the seat's design. Anything laid over it is a layer the airbag was not tested with.

How to tell if your seats have them

• Look for the label. Some cars mark the seat. Kia's handbook shows an "AIRBAG" label on the side seam of the front seat backrest. Check the door side of both front seats.
• Read the handbook. The airbag section shows where each airbag is fitted and usually carries a warning about seat covers.
• Do not rely on age or trim. Equipment can vary between versions, so check your own car rather than a forum post about someone else's.

Why universal covers can be a problem

A universal cover is cut to fit a wide range of seats, so it cannot know exactly where your car's airbag seam sits. Three things can go wrong:

• The weak point is in the wrong place. A cover sold as airbag compatible is meant to have a section that will give way. If that section does not line up with your seat's seam, the airbag meets intact fabric.
• The fabric is too tight. A tightly stretched cover over the side of the backrest is a barrier the airbag has to push through.
• Straps cross the seam. Elastic hems and straps that run across the side of the backrest sit in the airbag's path.

Car makers are cautious about all of this. Renault's handbook says seats equipped with an airbag require covers specifically designed for your vehicle, and that no work or modification may be carried out on the seat except by qualified personnel from its network.

What to check before fitting a cover

1. Read the airbag section of your car handbook. If it says only the maker's own covers may be used, that is your answer.
2. Find the airbag label or seam on each front seat.
3. Read the cover's fitting instructions. They should say which part of the cover goes over the airbag and how it is meant to open. If they say nothing about airbags, do not fit it to an airbag seat.
4. Fit the cover so its airbag section sits over the seat's seam, with no straps or hems crossing it.
5. Re-check after washing or refitting. Covers move, and a section that lined up on day one may not line up later.

Common mistakes

• Treating "side airbag compatible" as a guarantee for every car. It is the seller's claim about the cover, not your car maker's approval.
• Fitting the driver's cover on the passenger seat. The airbag section needs to be on the door side of each seat.
• Pulling the cover tighter to stop it creasing. A tight side panel is exactly what you want to avoid.
• Adding a seat-back organiser or hanging a coat on the door side of the backrest.

Related reading

• Our seat cover picks
• Seat cover materials explained
• How to measure headrest posts for a seat cover
• Do seat covers work with ISOFIX?

Frequently asked questions

Does 'side airbag compatible' on a listing mean the cover is safe in my car?

It means the seller says the cover is designed to let a seat-mounted airbag through. It does not mean your car maker has approved it. Renault's handbook, for example, says seats fitted with an airbag need covers specifically designed for that vehicle. Read your own handbook first, then the cover's fitting instructions, and only use the cover if both are satisfied.

How do I know if my seats have side airbags?

Look at the outer side of each front backrest, the side nearest the door. Some cars carry an 'AIRBAG' label or tag on that seam; Kia's handbook shows one on the side seam of the front seat backrest. Your handbook's airbag section will confirm where the airbags are fitted.

Can I hang a coat or bag on the side of the seat?

Car makers advise against anything in the airbag's path. Renault's handbook says not to place accessories, objects or even pets between the seatback, the door and the internal fittings, and never to insert objects into the slits the airbag deploys through.

Are rear seat covers affected?

Only if your car has airbags in the rear seats themselves. Check the airbag section of your handbook. If it shows no seat-mounted airbags in the rear, rear covers do not sit over an airbag seam, though they still need to leave seat belt buckles and child seat anchor points clear.