<PAGE>   1
 Registrant requests automatic effectiveness upon filing as per Rule 462 of
                         the Securities Act of 1933

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 24, 1998
                         Registration No. 333-_____

                                      
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C. 20549

                               ---------------

                                  FORM S-8
                           Registration Statement
                                    Under
                         The Securities Act of 1933

                               ---------------

                    UNIVERSAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, INC.
             (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)


        Delaware                                             36-3973627
-------------------------------                         -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                          Identification No.)



3350 North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago Illinois                     60618-5222
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)


           Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan
           -------------------------------------------------------
                          (Full title of the plan)

                                 Arvin Scott
                    President and Chief Executive Officer
                          3350 North Kedzie Avenue
                        Chicago, Illinois  60618-5222

                               With a copy to:

                         Mitchell D. Goldsmith, Esq.
                           Dennis B. O'Boyle, Esq.
                           Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.
                           444 N. Michigan Avenue
                               Chicago, IL  60611
            -------------------------------------------------------
                   (Name and address of agent for service)


                               (312) 478-2323
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

<PAGE>   2


                       CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
==========================================================================================================
                                                                        Proposed
                                                        Proposed        Maximum
                                                    Maximum Offering   Aggregate
    Title of Securities       Amount to be               Price          Offering    Amount of
      to be Registered        Registered               Per Share         Price      Registration Fee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                   <C>               <C>           <C>
Common Stock, par value $.01  700,000 shares (1)    11/16 (2)         $481,250 (3)       $245.69

==========================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Subject to increase (or decrease) in accordance with Rule 416  of
     Regulation C to reflect a merger, consolidation, reorganization,
     recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split or other change in the
     corporate structure of the Registrant which results in a change in the
     number of shares issuable pursuant to outstanding awards under the
     Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) of Regulation C, on the basis of
     the average of the high and low prices of the shares of common stock of
     the Registrant on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market on July 21, 1998.

(3)  Pursuant to Rule 429, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
     the Registration Statement also relates to registered on Registration
     Statement No. 33-97360, filed with the Commission on September 26,
     1995.  The Company previously paid a registration fee of $1,189.65 in
     connection with the filing of its previous Registration Statement on
     Form S-8 (File No. 33-97360) filed with the Commission on September 26,
     1995).  Since the amount of such registration fee is greater than
     $245.69, the Company is not required to pay any additional registration
     fee in connection with the filing of this registration statement.

<PAGE>   3


                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT



Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The documents listed below are hereby incorporated by reference into
this Registration Statement:                                                 

        1.   The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Universal Automotive
             Industries, Inc. (the "Company") for the fiscal year ended December
             31, 1997.

        2.   The Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the three
             month period ended March 31, 1998.

        3.   The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No.
             33-85162, dated October 14, 1994, as amended, including the 
             description of the common stock of the Company contained therein.

        4.   The Proxy Statement of Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. for
             the 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated May 14, 1998.


        All documents filed subsequent to the foregoing by the Company pursuant
to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered have
been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

                                  (See Item 3)

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

                                 Not Applicable

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     The Company's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision which
eliminates the personal liability of the Company's directors for monetary
damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty of care (provided that
such provision does not eliminate liability for breaches of the duty of
loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a


                                      1



<PAGE>   4

knowing violation of law, violations of Section 174 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, or for any transaction from which the director derived an
improper personal benefit).  This provision does not limit or eliminate the
right of the Company or any stockholder to seek non -monetary relief such as an
injunction or rescission in the event of a breach of a director's duty of care.
The Certificate of Incorporation also provides that the Company shall indemnify
its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, including circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

                                 Not Applicable

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit No.

     5      Opinion of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.

     10     Amended Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan

     24(a)  Consent of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. (see Exhibit 5)

     24(b)  Consent of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser LLP

     24(c)  Consent of BDO Dunwoody

     25(a)  Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature pages of this
            registration statement)


        Since the Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan (the
"Plan") is not required to comply with ERISA, the Company has not obtained
either an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with the requirements of
ERISA or an Internal Revenue Service determination letter that the Plan is
qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code.  As a result, the
Company does not undertake that it will submit the Plan or any amendment
thereto to the Internal Revenue Service in order to qualify the Plan.

Item 9. Undertakings.

        The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        1.  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
            a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement;

                  (i) To include any Prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
            the Securities Act of 1933;



                                      2
<PAGE>   5


                  (ii) To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events arising
            after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the
            most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
            or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
            information set forth in this Registration Statement; and
             
                 (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
            plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration
            Statement or any material change to such information in this
            Registration Statement;


        Provided however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in a periodic report filed by the Registrant pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

        2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.                                                  

        3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination 
of the offering.                                                                

        4. That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        5. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
                                                                               

                                      3


<PAGE>   6


                                   SIGNATURES


The Registrant.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Chicago, State of Illinois, on July 24, 1998.

                                     UNIVERSAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, INC.



                                     By: /s/ Arvin Scott 
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Arvin Scott
                                         Chief Executive Officer and President




<PAGE>   7


                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Arvin Scott and Jerome J. Hiss, jointly and
severally, his  attorneys-in-fact, each with power of substitution for him in
any and all capacities, to sign any future amendments to the Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with the exhibits thereto, and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission hereby
ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his
substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.


        SIGNATURE                   TITLE                      DATE
        ---------                   -----                      ----


/s/ Arvin Scott             Chief Executive Officer,       July 24, 1998
------------------------    President and Director                      
Arvin Scott                 (Principal Executive Officer)
                                                                        

/s/ Yehuda Tzur             Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Yehuda Tzur                                                             

                            Director                       
------------------------    
Eric Goodman 

                                                               
/s/ Sheldon Robinson        Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                   
Sheldon Robinson                                                        


/s/Sami Israel              Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------
Sami Israel                                                             


/s/ Sol S. Weiner           Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Sol S. Weiner                                                          


/s/ Dennis Kessler          Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Dennis Kessler


/s/ Jerome J. Hiss          Chief Financial Officer        July 24, 1998
------------------------    (Principal Financial Officer                
Jerome J. Hiss              and Principal Accounting                    
                            Officer)                                    



<PAGE>   8


                                    EXHIBITS


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Exhibit No.
-----------
<S>         <C> 
     5      Opinion of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.

     10     Amended Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan

     24(a)  Consent of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. (see Exhibit 5)

     24(b)  Consent of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser LLP

     24(c)  Consent of BDO Dunwoody

     25(a)  Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature pages of this 
            registration statement)


</TABLE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 16520}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "UNIVERSAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES INC /DE/", "cik": "0000931457", "assigned-sic": "5013", "irs-number": "363973627", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-59935", "film-number": "98671588"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3350 NORTH KEDZIE", "city": "CHICAGO", "state": "IL", "zip": "60618", "phone": "7734782323"}}
1
 Registrant requests automatic effectiveness upon filing as per Rule 462 of
                         the Securities Act of 1933

    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 24, 1998
                         Registration No. 333-_____

                                      
                     SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           Washington, D.C. 20549

                               ---------------

                                  FORM S-8
                           Registration Statement
                                    Under
                         The Securities Act of 1933

                               ---------------

                    UNIVERSAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, INC.
             (Exact name of issuer as specified in its charter)

        Delaware                                             36-3973627
-------------------------------                         -------------------
(State or other jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)                          Identification No.)

3350 North Kedzie Avenue, Chicago Illinois                     60618-5222
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)

           Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan
           -------------------------------------------------------
                          (Full title of the plan)

                                 Arvin Scott
                    President and Chief Executive Officer
                          3350 North Kedzie Avenue
                        Chicago, Illinois  60618-5222

                               With a copy to:

                         Mitchell D. Goldsmith, Esq.
                           Dennis B. O'Boyle, Esq.
                           Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.
                           444 N. Michigan Avenue
                               Chicago, IL  60611
            -------------------------------------------------------
                   (Name and address of agent for service)

                               (312) 478-2323
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
2

                       CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
==========================================================================================================
                                                                        Proposed
                                                        Proposed        Maximum
                                                    Maximum Offering   Aggregate
    Title of Securities       Amount to be               Price          Offering    Amount of
      to be Registered        Registered               Per Share         Price      Registration Fee
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock, par value $.01  700,000 shares (1)    11/16 (2)         $481,250 (3)       $245.69

==========================================================================================================
(1)  Subject to increase (or decrease) in accordance with Rule 416  of
     Regulation C to reflect a merger, consolidation, reorganization,
     recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split or other change in the
     corporate structure of the Registrant which results in a change in the
     number of shares issuable pursuant to outstanding awards under the
     Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan.

(2)  Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
     pursuant to Rules 457(c) and 457(h) of Regulation C, on the basis of
     the average of the high and low prices of the shares of common stock of
     the Registrant on the Nasdaq SmallCap Market on July 21, 1998.

(3)  Pursuant to Rule 429, under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
     the Registration Statement also relates to registered on Registration
     Statement No. 33-97360, filed with the Commission on September 26,
     1995.  The Company previously paid a registration fee of $1,189.65 in
     connection with the filing of its previous Registration Statement on
     Form S-8 (File No. 33-97360) filed with the Commission on September 26,
     1995).  Since the amount of such registration fee is greater than
     $245.69, the Company is not required to pay any additional registration
     fee in connection with the filing of this registration statement.
3

                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

        The documents listed below are hereby incorporated by reference into
this Registration Statement:                                                 

        1.   The Annual Report on Form 10-K of Universal Automotive
             Industries, Inc. (the "Company") for the fiscal year ended December
             31, 1997.

        2.   The Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of the Company for the three
             month period ended March 31, 1998.

        3.   The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-1, File No.
             33-85162, dated October 14, 1994, as amended, including the 
             description of the common stock of the Company contained therein.

        4.   The Proxy Statement of Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. for
             the 1998 Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated May 14, 1998.

        All documents filed subsequent to the foregoing by the Company pursuant
to Sections 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a
post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities registered have
been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to
be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

Item 4. Description of Securities.

                                  (See Item 3)

Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

                                 Not Applicable

Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

     The Company's Certificate of Incorporation includes a provision which
eliminates the personal liability of the Company's directors for monetary
damages resulting from breaches of their fiduciary duty of care (provided that
such provision does not eliminate liability for breaches of the duty of
loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional
misconduct or a

                                      1
4

knowing violation of law, violations of Section 174 of the Delaware General
Corporation Law, or for any transaction from which the director derived an
improper personal benefit).  This provision does not limit or eliminate the
right of the Company or any stockholder to seek non -monetary relief such as an
injunction or rescission in the event of a breach of a director's duty of care.
The Certificate of Incorporation also provides that the Company shall indemnify
its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Section 145 of the
Delaware General Corporation Law, including circumstances in which
indemnification is otherwise discretionary.

Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed.

                                 Not Applicable

Item 8. Exhibits.

Exhibit No.

     5      Opinion of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.

     10     Amended Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan

     24(a)  Consent of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. (see Exhibit 5)

     24(b)  Consent of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser LLP

     24(c)  Consent of BDO Dunwoody

     25(a)  Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature pages of this
            registration statement)

        Since the Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan (the
"Plan") is not required to comply with ERISA, the Company has not obtained
either an opinion of counsel concerning compliance with the requirements of
ERISA or an Internal Revenue Service determination letter that the Plan is
qualified under Section 401 of the Internal Revenue Code.  As a result, the
Company does not undertake that it will submit the Plan or any amendment
thereto to the Internal Revenue Service in order to qualify the Plan.

Item 9. Undertakings.

        The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

        1.  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
            a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement;

                  (i) To include any Prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
            the Securities Act of 1933;

                                      2
5

                  (ii) To reflect in the Prospectus any facts or events arising
            after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the
            most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually
            or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
            information set forth in this Registration Statement; and
             
                 (iii) To include any material information with respect to the
            plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration
            Statement or any material change to such information in this
            Registration Statement;

        Provided however, that paragraphs (1)(i) and (ii) do not apply if the
information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those
paragraphs is contained in a periodic report filed by the Registrant pursuant
to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement.

        2. That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.                                                  

        3. To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination 
of the offering.                                                                

        4. That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities
Act of 1933, each filing of the Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section
13(a) or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that is
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be
a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered herein, and the
offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona
fide offering thereof.

        5. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will
be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
                                                                               

                                      3
6

                                   SIGNATURES

The Registrant.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the Chicago, State of Illinois, on July 24, 1998.

                                     UNIVERSAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES, INC.

                                     By: /s/ Arvin Scott 
                                         -------------------------------------
                                         Arvin Scott
                                         Chief Executive Officer and President
7

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENT, that each person whose signature appears
below constitutes and appoints Arvin Scott and Jerome J. Hiss, jointly and
severally, his  attorneys-in-fact, each with power of substitution for him in
any and all capacities, to sign any future amendments to the Registration
Statement, and to file the same, with the exhibits thereto, and other documents
in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission hereby
ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact, or his
substitute or substitutes, may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.

        SIGNATURE                   TITLE                      DATE
        ---------                   -----                      ----

/s/ Arvin Scott             Chief Executive Officer,       July 24, 1998
------------------------    President and Director                      
Arvin Scott                 (Principal Executive Officer)
                                                                        

/s/ Yehuda Tzur             Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Yehuda Tzur                                                             

                            Director                       
------------------------    
Eric Goodman 

                                                               
/s/ Sheldon Robinson        Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                   
Sheldon Robinson                                                        

/s/Sami Israel              Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------
Sami Israel                                                             

/s/ Sol S. Weiner           Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Sol S. Weiner                                                          

/s/ Dennis Kessler          Director                       July 24, 1998
------------------------                                                
Dennis Kessler

/s/ Jerome J. Hiss          Chief Financial Officer        July 24, 1998
------------------------    (Principal Financial Officer                
Jerome J. Hiss              and Principal Accounting                    
                            Officer)
8

                                    EXHIBITS
Exhibit No.
-----------
5      Opinion of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd.

     10     Amended Universal Automotive Industries, Inc. Share Option Plan

     24(a)  Consent of Shefsky & Froelich Ltd. (see Exhibit 5)

     24(b)  Consent of Altschuler, Melvoin and Glasser LLP

     24(c)  Consent of BDO Dunwoody

     25(a)  Power of Attorney (included as part of the signature pages of this 
            registration statement)