Before you buy anything to plug the space next to your seat, measure it. It takes about five minutes. The gap between a front seat and the console is almost never the same width from front to back, and it changes again when you move the seat, so one quick reading can steer you wrong.
Here’s how to do it, what to write down, and how to use the numbers when you compare products. You don’t need special tools and you don’t need to take anything apart.
What you need
- A ruler, a tape measure, or a stiff strip of paper you can mark
- A flashlight (your phone’s is fine)
- Your phone camera
- Something to write on
- The car parked on level ground, engine off
Do all of this while parked. And don’t put your hand in the gap while someone else is moving the seat.
1. Set the seat where you normally drive
Start with the seat in your usual spot. That’s where a filler will spend most of its time, so it’s the baseline that counts. Note roughly how far forward or back the seat is and how much it’s reclined. If somebody else drives the car too, repeat this at their setting.
2. Clear it out and take a look
Pull out whatever is in there (you’ll probably find a few things) and shine the flashlight down the length of the gap. You’re looking at three things: how wide it is, how deep it goes before something stops it, and what’s down there. A lot of cars have the buckle, wiring, seat rails or trim clips in that space, and where they sit tells you where a filler can and can’t go.
3. Measure the width in three spots
Don’t trust a single number. Measure across the opening at the front, the middle and the back (near the buckle, if there is one). Hold the ruler flat from the edge of the seat to the edge of the console, and write down the narrowest and widest readings you can see.
| Where | Width | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Front | ||
| Middle | ||
| Back | Buckle? Rail? |
If the numbers vary a lot, that’s worth knowing. A stiff, straight-sided product might fit in one spot and not in another.
4. Check how deep it goes
Slide the ruler or a stiff strip of paper straight down until it stops, mark it, and measure the marked part. That gives you a rough depth. A deeper gap gives a filler more to grip. A shallow one leaves less to hold on to.
5. Move the seat and watch
Most people skip this, and it’s probably the most important step. With the car parked, slide the seat all the way forward, then all the way back, then recline it. Watch what the gap does. Does it get wider or tighter? Does the angle change? Does the buckle move with the seat or stay put? Do the seat rails show up?
Measure again at the extremes if you can. A filler that suits one seat position can bind, ride up or get pinched in another. With power seats, use the normal controls, still parked.
6. Take photos
Shoot straight down into the gap so you can see all of it, then take another with the seat pushed back. Put your ruler in the frame for scale. They’re handy if you want to ask someone about fit later, and they’ll remind you where the buckle sits.
7. Check for airbags and sensors
This one is about safety, so don’t skip it. Some front seats have side airbags built into the inner edge, the side that faces the console, and some have occupant sensors or seat heater wiring. You usually can’t see any of it. Volvo and Polestar, for example, both tell owners in their manuals to keep the area between the seat and the tunnel console clear, and other carmakers give similar warnings.
Look it up in your owner’s manual (search for “side airbag”). If it says to keep that space free, don’t put a gap filler there. If you can’t tell, ask a dealer.
Using your numbers
With a table, a depth reading and a few photos, you can compare options sensibly. Look for something that:
- Has some flex, if your gap changes width.
- Lets the seat move through its full range.
- Has a cutout for the buckle instead of covering it.
- Comes out easily for cleaning.
If a listing gives dimensions, compare them to your narrowest and widest readings. If it doesn’t, ask before you buy. Be a little wary of “fits any car” too. It usually means a range of sizes, and your gap might fall outside it.
Prefer paper? Print our free Gap Check Card, a gauge that reads the width at a few points. Or try the photo measuring tool.
Still not sure?
Measuring cuts down on guesswork, but nothing beats trying it in your own car. That’s why we’d rather you check twice. The Car Seat Gap Filler pair is $24.95 with free shipping in the US, and we’re happy to look over your measurements before you order. Our returns page explains what we cover.
You can also send us your measurements and a photo through the contact page. We’ll tell you honestly whether we think it’ll work in your car, and if we don’t know, we’ll say that.
The short version
- Seat in your normal driving position, car parked.
- Width at the front, middle and back.
- Depth.
- Seat moved through its whole range, with changes noted.
- Buckle, rails and anything else in the way.
- Photos from above.
- Owner’s manual checked for airbags and sensors.
Do those and you’ll know your gap better than most people who buy a filler.