Extending driver's seat adjustment

[BOBAD]

Can anyone help with with this?

After driving for about 2 hours I get bad cramp in my legs because the seat is too close to the pedals even when it's adjusted to it's rear-most position.

I've never had this problem before in any other car/truck I have driven.

The car is a 2006 Fabia, and for the record I am 6' tall.

Has anyone got any experience of this problem? If so, what did you do about it? No-one sits behind me, so rear legroom is not an issue.

Any sensible suggestions are more than welcome as it's driving me nuts!

Thanks.

[rb320]

take the drivers seat out and sit in the back,plenty of legroom then:thumbup:or sell car buy a pushbike another option.

tbh mate i dont think there's alot you can do once the seat is fully back except try adjusting it until you find a comfortable alternative

[Mort]

Are you sure it's because you're too close to the pedals? 6' isn't that tall, I'm just over that and my seat isn't right back.

I'd experiment with different positions that aren't just 'far back'. Cramps can be caused by inadequate oxygen getting to body parts. With the seat base angled slightly upwards to the front you could be reducing blood flow by being further back as it flattens your legs out and puts more pressure under your knees. Bent knees may require your heart to pump harder but there's no physical reduction in the flow of blood.

['Little' John]

Are you sure that you've got the seat all the way back? I'm 6'5" and I don't have a problem in either my 2007vRS or SWMBOs 2004 Classic.

Do you suffer from bad posture? I know that my dad slumps horribly when he is driving with his backside perched on the front edge of the seat:)

[Mr Wobblytickle]

I think it's significant that you only develop cramps after two hours or so.

As Mort indicates, helping to maintain adequate oxygenation to the muscles in your legs and thus hopefully lessening the accumulation of cramps-producing lactic acid, is sound advice.

Now, call me crazy, but might I suggest you actually try bringing your seat closer to the pedals, as this should help relieve the blood flow-reducing pressure on your legs by putting lots of lovely air between legs and seat base.

Failing that, try attacking the problem with some science and load up with a lactic acid buffer, such as sodium bicarbonate, before embarking on a long journey: Sodium bicarbonate (bicarb soda)...alkaline salt Lactic acid buffer

Edited 15 August, 2008 by Mr Wobblytickle

[viewer]

I'm only 5'9" (oh), but also had a problem when I first got the car. No matter how I adjusted the seat - and the steering column (you have played with that haven't you?) I had severe pains in my legs.I tried everything, including removing the left foot rest. I eventually came to the conclusion that the raised edge to the front of the seat was putting just enough pressure on the back of my leg above the knee to restrict the blood flow. I put a foam slab on the seat so that there was a small gap between my leg and the edge of the seat. No problems now and the left foot rest is back and useful.

HTH

V

[Mr Wobblytickle]

I'm only 5'9" (oh), but also had a problem when I first got the car. No matter how I adjusted the seat - and the steering column (you have played with that haven't you?) I had severe pains in my legs.I tried everything, including removing the left foot rest. I eventually came to the conclusion that the raised edge to the front of the seat was putting just enough pressure on the back of my leg above the knee to restrict the blood flow. I put a foam slab on the seat so that there was a small gap between my leg and the edge of the seat. No problems now and the left foot rest is back and useful.

HTH

V

Interesting.

Sort of echoes what I have suggested.

I wonder why bringing the seat closer to the pedals didn't work for you when the net effect would have been the same as your foam slab solution i.e. making a gap between leg and seat edge?

[tonto kowalski]

"CAN CAUSE EXPLOSIVE DIARRHOEA. USE ONLY FOR BIG EVENTS".

It might be an idea to get seat covers before gulping down Sodium Bicarbonate.

Seriously,I'm 6'7" and after covering 40,000 miles in the last 2 years in my vRS I can report no occurence of leg cramps.If on a long journey I need to stretvh my legs every 150 miles or so,but no cramps.

[MartynVRS]

I have a similar problem with my Polo. It's a year 2000 model, 3dr and the seat is all the way back. I have problems with my knees so that's why I get pain with driving sometimes. I found that if I wear shoes with thin soles then I'm not too bad and if I could adjust the wheel more I would be OK. Just try to position you feet in a different way see if that helps.

This is the only vehicle I've ever driven and had this problem.

[mathepac]

Have you tried raising or lowering the seat? For any given fore and aft position, raising or lowering the seat varies the distance between your bum and the floor (obviously) and the amount of pressure exerted on the backs of your legs by the anti-submarine squab at the leading edge of the seat.

[wja96]

When you raise and lower the seat it arcs forward and back - so the lowest position is also about a two inches further back than the highest position. I'm also 6' and I find the driving position excellent, but it takes lots of patience to find the right position.

[BOBAD]

Thanks to all who replied to my original post, but I am amazed at some of the suggestions. Is it really possible that some people think I hadn't thought of altering the seat position, or the height adjustment or the steering wheel rake?

There is no doubt as to the cause, which some posters correctly identified as being the front of the seat is too high due to the anti-submarining design and is stopping blood flow. Moving the seat forward to counter-act this doesn't work as it then brings me too close to the pedals and dashboard, and my head is too close to the roof.

So this afternoon I went to a local Motability conversion garage who were very conversant with the problem. Their solution is to construct an extension to the seat runners which will give me an extra 6" of rearward movement of the seat. Job done.

By the way, I have no posture problems, have no desire to swallow medication before a 2 hour drive, and have nowhere to store the driver's seat if I remove it and sit in the back!

[Mr Wobblytickle]

Moving the seat forward to counter-act this doesn't work as it then brings me too close to the pedals and dashboard, and my head is too close to the roof.

Ah, but does it stop the leg cramps?

[Mr Wobblytickle]

"CAN CAUSE EXPLOSIVE DIARRHOEA. USE ONLY FOR BIG EVENTS".

It might be an idea to get seat covers before gulping down Sodium Bicarbonate.

Perfect excuse for getting a leather re-trim, if you ask me.

[wja96]

Thanks to all who replied to my original post, but I am amazed at some of the suggestions. Is it really possible that some people think I hadn't thought of altering the seat position, or the height adjustment or the steering wheel rake?

There is no doubt as to the cause, which some posters correctly identified as being the front of the seat is too high due to the anti-submarining design and is stopping blood flow. Moving the seat forward to counter-act this doesn't work as it then brings me too close to the pedals and dashboard, and my head is too close to the roof.

So this afternoon I went to a local Motability conversion garage who were very conversant with the problem. Their solution is to construct an extension to the seat runners which will give me an extra 6" of rearward movement of the seat. Job done.

By the way, I have no posture problems, have no desire to swallow medication before a 2 hour drive, and have nowhere to store the driver's seat if I remove it and sit in the back!

Well, I'm 6' tall and and even with the seat up as high as it will go I have 4" of headroom - and with the seat back dropped and all the way back I can't touch the clutch pedal yet you seem to have an issue with the legroom too. The car has been designed to the 95 percentile (ie. 95% of people would be able to get comfy) so you must just be in the 5%.

My gut feel is that moving the seat back won't solve your problem - I think you may need a better seat as well for extended periods of driving.

[rum4mo]

Well, I'm 6' tall and and even with the seat up as high as it will go I have 4" of headroom - and with the seat back dropped and all the way back I can't touch the clutch pedal yet you seem to have an issue with the legroom too. The car has been designed to the 95 percentile (ie. 95% of people would be able to get comfy) so you must just be in the 5%.

My gut feel is that moving the seat back won't solve your problem - I think you may need a better seat as well for extended periods of driving.

I agree, I once had a 1984 Ford Orion Ghia 1.6i and it had the XR3i Recaro seats as standard - long jouneys no problem, I then traded it for a 1988 Ford Orion Ghia 1.6i (same model but face lifted) - it only had "normal" seats as standard - after 2 hours driving I had to roll out of the car (severe back ache). You probably need a set of VRS seats as they will be not only better looking but more importantly better shaped as you will end up sitting in them and not on them IMHO.

[BOBAD]

Well, I'm 6' tall and and even with the seat up as high as it will go I have 4" of headroom -

If I adjust the seat up as high as it will go I have zero headroom, and the car is un-driveable in this state. I am sure that raising the seat height will solve the problem of the front of the seat being too high, but that is small consolation if it introduces other problems. I must stress that I have never had a problem in any other vehicle I have ever driven, ( and I have vast experience of many other vehicles ) - this is a first.

For me, Mercedes tops the list of comfortable cars over long distances and I am sure this is because of the hard seats they fit as standard and, more importantly, lengthy seat adjustment available in all their models.

[viewer]

Hi Mr Wobblytickle, Just as an answer to your question; if I moved the seat forward then I was too close to the pedals. As an addendum; when I had this problem it made me hate the car because my legs really were painful and I looked at every site I could for help, most were useless, but two points I did find useful. In finding the best position it is easier to start with the seat as high as possible and the best position for town driving is different to the best position for motorways. For the latter, once I was sorted overall, I dabbed a bit of tippex at the two best positions. This is useful as when cleaning you don't have to spend ages finding where the seat was when you're finished. I think I'm about normal (my view, not that of SWMBO) in proportions, though I can see some people easily being in the 5% mentioned. Two of the people I work with tower over me when standing, but sat side by side I'm looking down at them. I wonder how they manage with their legs!

[wja96]

OK - Sorry, I didn't realise it wasn't a vRS - I sort of assume most Fabia owners on Briskoda have a vRS, as it tends to be the way. The seats must be very different indeed. I's certainly try a vRS seat if you get the opportunity as it sounds like it's not only more figure-hugging than the standard seat, it sounds thinner/lower too. I regularly do 350-500 miles in my vRS in one hit (until the diesel runs down basically:D) and other than some slight stiffness in my shoulders I've never had any issues.

[ExAudiSi]

I am 6'2" and have just driven SWMBOs Fabia Estate for 4 hours back from Norfolk and got out without any aches pains or other trauma. I always drive with the seat on it's lowest and most rearward setting (same as in my own Fabia). I don't think that from this position there is another 6" of rearward travel to be had as the seat backrest will meet the front of the rear seat.

With the seat in the lowest position, the front of the seat squab provides support to my thighs but not so much that it prevents the circulation.

[BOBAD]

I always drive with the seat on it's lowest and most rearward setting....... I don't think that from this position there is another 6" of rearward travel to be had as the seat backrest will meet the front of the rear seat.

I've measured it and there is!

The garage which is constructing and fitting the device which will extend the seat adjustment 6" further back has told me that the recliner and seat height adjusters will remain usable. I am sure this will do the trick, but if it doesn't it will mean chopping the Fabia in for a different car, and I don't want to do that as I am happy with it (apart from the seat.)