To replace the carpet in your car, you'll need a few basic tools and a pre-cut carpet. Remove the old carpet and clean the interior before installing.

Written by Bonnie Stinson

Reviewed by Carrie Adkins

Updated on Aug 30, 2023

Table of Contents

Order new carpet
Remove old carpet
Install new carpet
FAQs

To install a new carpet in your car, you'll first have to remove the existing carpet. Then you can install the new carpet with careful attention to the wiring that needs to go through the carpet.

Replacing your own car carpet is surprisingly inexpensive and a fairly straightforward process. You may need an extra set of hands to help out, though, when it comes time to removing and replacing the seats. If you have a friend who is willing to help, here's a guide on how to replace a carpet in car — brought to you by

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Order your new carpet

Before you begin the process of removing your car carpet, make sure you have your new carpet on hand. Note that it may take up to two weeks to arrive. Here are a few simple options to getting the right car carpet for you.

Check with a local car dealership

The dealership that sells your vehicle might have some spare parts. Check with them to find out if they sell a replacement carpet and how much it costs

Go online and do a bit of window shopping

Companies like

CarParts

sell carpet replacement kits for $125 to $250, depending on the car and type of carpet you choose.

Order from a reputable company

After you compare prices, order from a company with a good service rating and a reasonable price.

MORE: How to get rust stains out of your carpet

Remove the old carpet

Getting rid of your old carpet isn't too hard. Here's how to do it:

Materials Needed

Allen or hex wrenches

Battery terminal wrench

Screw driver

Socket wrench

Disconnect the car battery before you begin removing the carpet

Use a battery terminal wrench to loosen the cable and lift the cable off of the post.

Wait 10 to 15 minutes before you begin to prevent

airbag

deployment when you remove the seats.

Unpack the new carpet and lay it out the night before or at least a few hours before installation.

Remove the bolts that hold the front and rear seats to the floor with a socket wrench

Place the bolts in a sealable container where they won’t get lost.

Disconnect the wiring harnesses beneath the seats

When you look under the seats, you will see the little plastic connectors. Disconnect them.

Lift the seats out of the car

Set them out of the way and cover them with plastic to protect them.

If the seat belts are held in place on the seats with a plastic trim piece, remove the trim piece from the seats and leave the seat belts in place. They should not be removed as they are difficult to put back in correctly.

Do not remove the catalytic converter cover, if your vehicle has one.

Remove the trim and center console

Use a screwdriver, allen or hex wrench, or

plastic trim removing tools

, depending on how the trim is held in place.

The screws holding the center console down can usually be found on the inside of the console, although there could be some on the outside as well.

Now you can remove the carpet

Be careful to feed any wiring down through holes in the carpeting so that it doesn’t get pulled out with the carpet.

Put the new carpet in your car

Car carpet installation is a relatively simple process. Here's how to go about it.

Materials Needed

Allen or hex wrenches

Battery terminal wrench

Box cutter or carpet knife

New carpet

Screw driver

Socket wrench

Give your car a good clean

Sweep up the dirt with a whisk broom or vacuum and give it a good scrub with glass cleaner and a damp sponge.

Let it dry completely before installing the new carpet.

Drop the new carpet in

Carefully feed the wiring harnesses through the appropriate holes in the carpeting.

They may be pre-cut. If not, you may need to use a box cutter or carpet knife to slice the holes where needed.

Lay the new carpet over the old carpet to make sure it is the right fit before you begin installing it.

Re-install the center console, car seats, and trim pieces

Simply reverse the order in which you removed them.

Replace the battery cable

Wait until you have everything hooked back up and bolted down.

MORE:

How to steam clean a carpet

FAQs

How much does it cost to replace carpet in your car?

Replacing your car carpet should only cost around $200, thought the price could go up if you need more expensive materials or if you hire professionals to do it.