I just talked to my dealer's inventory manager (we talked about my delivery schedule for my '06 Seaside Pearl Package #8). During our conversation, she noted that their mechanics would not install leather seats or heating elements into a Prius with side curtain airbags. What is the reasoning / engineering behind this? If I took my Prius to an alternate party for installing heating elements for my seats, should I be concerned that it will damage the functionality of my side-curtain airbags?
I think she might have been responding to the heated seats part of the Question. Toyota wants the salespeople to respond no to that question. As for the leather, if a #8, it should come with it or at least added at either port, or regional HQ. I know that if I want leather added, the dealership does not do the work themselves. The send the car to someone else. Same with tinting and maybe the clear bra.
Aftermarket leather can be added, as long as it is designed to break-away when and if the side lumbar airbag deploys.
CURTAIN airbags have no relation to the seats. SIDE impact airbags are built into the seat, so they may not know how to fit the leather with a breakaway section, and may be wary of wiring near the airbags for fear of deploying them.
