I've had my new 2010 Octavia for a month now. It's the elegance model with leather seats.

I really like the car except for the lumbar support in the seats. I've a dodgy back, and no matter which way I turn the knob in either of the front seats I really feel no difference, and certainly no support for my lower back.

I'm just wondering does everyone have this problem and is the lumbar support in the new Octavia just a bit rubbish, or is there potentially something wrong with both of my front seats?

Thanks, ML.

I've had my new 2010 Octavia for a month now. It's the elegance model with leather seats.

I really like the car except for the lumbar support in the seats. I've a dodgy back, and no matter which way I turn the knob in either of the front seats I really feel no difference, and certainly no support for my lower back.

I'm just wondering does everyone have this problem and is the lumbar support in the new Octavia just a bit rubbish, or is there potentially something wrong with both of my front seats?

Thanks, ML.

if same as golf etc sometimes they do seem to jam

wind back all the way then wind forward all the way that seems to reset them

if same as golf etc sometimes they do seem to jam

wind back all the way then wind forward all the way that seems to reset them

Yep, tried that. The difference is so unnoticeable that I'm not even sure which way to turn it!!!

Funny because i have wondered if my lumbar has ever worked because it nevers feels any differnet in either direction.

Funny because i have wondered if my lumbar has ever worked because it nevers feels any differnet in either direction.

I did not buy an Octavia Scout because of one problem only;- the seat was not comfortable. Test drive of 55m I had lower back pain that I have not had for some time.

Credit to the dealer for allowing a decent unaccompanied test drive.

Ticked all the other boxes just not the seats. Something that cannot be a compromise when covering 25000m a year.

I just mentioned to my wife today that I did not think that the lumbar adjustment did anything on my 3 month old Elegance. Glad it is not just me (well think I am glad)

Thanks All.

Glad it's not just me. Might pop into halfords today for a lumbar cushion!!

Me too. When I got my car last July the lumbar adjustment was very noticeable but now seems to have no effect.

Car is still comfortable and unlikely that it will ever be "convenient" to drop off at the dealer until a service is forced upon me.10000 miles clocked as yesterday.

Will try the reset procedure as above.

Let it be checked by the dealers. It isnt uncommon on the Octavia that the lumbar support is faulty.

I have used one of these for several years because of my bad back and find it perfect - can be bought with or without the seat portion, I do not have the seat portion just place the backrest directly onto the cars seat. This has worked in my last Civic and my current Octy (3years now)

http://www.medesign.co.uk/shop/backfriend.php?gclid=CJ-O95en_p8CFdkB4wodLUdvkw

Me too. When I got my car last July the lumbar adjustment was very noticeable but now seems to have no effect.

Car is still comfortable and unlikely that it will ever be "convenient" to drop off at the dealer until a service is forced upon me.10000 miles clocked as yesterday.

Will try the reset procedure as above.

I just mentioned to my wife today that I did not think that the lumbar adjustment did anything on my 3 month old Elegance. Glad it is not just me (well think I am glad)

This subject has been debated before but you are right to bring it up .

I am concerned that you are talking about the new FL series as well as the previous model 2 series , which is a worry since this problem has been known to Skoda for a long while now . I have already had my back rest replaced ( in a Scout ) to little or no effect , but am about to insist that it is changed again . One member came up with a quick fix using ties , which I have used to some effect - I checked with my garage first and got their approval to do it " without prejudice " .

It is a design problem because of the change from the original LHD to RHD . The cable used simply slips off the channel guide because the LHD mechanism was not mirrored or redesigned .

Ironically , the Mk 1 had probably the best lumbar support system known to man .

Steve W

Very concerned about this.

Had 2 back operations in the past, vertebrae fused and metal rods etc.

Test drove a 55 plate Octy, seemed OK, but it wasn't a vRS.

Worst car I ever drove for bad backs was a VW Scirocco, left me in tears.

Checked my FL Octavia. Lumbar support adjustment is there still , just not as noticeable as I recalled. Passenger side knob is turned anti -clockwise to increase support (such as it is)- drivers side is the opposite.

A Datsun 120Y Coupe was the most painful car I've sat in. Felt like solid angle iron across the base of my spine. Did not even get as far as driving it.

Had back pain off and on over the years but a bit of physio to strengthen stomach muscles has always cleared up the problem,

I've had no issues with comfort in my vRS. Covered 3800 miles or so in the first 5 weeks or so. Lumbar support seems to work fine and have had more than one car in the past give me backache... Worst one was the 3 series I had a few years ago... but I've spent 4 hours or more at a go in the Octy and feel fine when I get out.

Best seats I've had in a car were the Saab 9-3 ones, shame the rest of the car was so disappointing...

I soon gave up trying to adjust mine too, it seems to spin in either direction for about a hundred times, yet I can't really tell the difference. I definitely wouldn't be able to tell if it needed resetting - winding all the way back in like a previous poster suggested!

Edited 20 February, 201016 yr by luke_a

I have extensively driven a 05 Ambient with manual lumbar support...And I could tell the difference when turning it only a little bit.

Also my on 56 L&K with electric lumbar support (amazing) moves in and out and also up and down!

If you can feel a difference when turning it...there is something wrong! Get it sorted with the dealer!

Due to my back problems, I ordere a manual lumbar support and the jumbo box. Very happy with it, and I do notice the difference! No back pain at all, even after long trips.

Ironically , the Mk 1 had probably the best lumbar support system known to man .

Steve W

A bit of a blanket statement that ..... the lumbar support adjustment in my MKI Octavia Elegance was shocking! As are the std Superb Comfort ones - i now have a Recaro drivers seat fitted with an air pump lumbar support, this is MUCH better.

The MK5 Golf ones are also pretty good.

I also find mine poor, it also slipped off before....see here how I put it back on.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/115478-lumbar-support-broken/page__p__1451698__hl__lumbar__fromsearch__1entry1451698

Edited 21 February, 201016 yr by GAFF

I also find mine poor, it also slipped off before....see here how I put it back on.

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/115478-lumbar-support-broken/page__p__1451698__hl__lumbar__fromsearch__1entry1451698

I think mine's the same. How easy is it to dismantle the seat to this degree?

I think mine's the same. How easy is it to dismantle the seat to this degree?

Kinda hard to explain, move the seat back fully forward. At the very bottom of the back is how you access it. The lower and back leather parts had like a plastic sleeve on either end which kinda loops back into each other. I started at the edge and gentle prised open until I seen house it connected together, the back part of the cover gets pulled downwards and the lower part gets pulled upwards to seperate. When it was all loose I pulled up the covering to see the internals.

Kinda hard to explain, move the seat back fully forward. At the very bottom of the back is how you access it. The lower and back leather parts had like a plastic sleeve on either end which kinda loops back into each other. I started at the edge and gentle prised open until I seen house it connected together, the back part of the cover gets pulled downwards and the lower part gets pulled upwards to seperate. When it was all loose I pulled up the covering to see the internals.

Okay, I'll have a go. How much are new seats !!???

Okay, I'll have a go. How much are new seats !!???

Haven't a clue, other option is move lumbar from Passangers seat.....not sure how much hassle that would be.

I have used one of these for several years because of my bad back and find it perfect - can be bought with or without the seat portion, I do not have the seat portion just place the backrest directly onto the cars seat. This has worked in my last Civic and my current Octy (3years now)

http://www.medesign.co.uk/shop/backfriend.php?gclid=CJ-O95en_p8CFdkB4wodLUdvkw

Thanks Octi5

I checked out that BackFriend, but it's fairly expensive to get your hands on one over here in Ireland, about €150. I've just ordered one of these: http://bit.ly/91mByp on amazon. I'll let you know how it works out. The seats, as they are now, are giving me so much trouble I've had to make an appointment with the dreaded Chiropractor!!

Thanks Octi5

I checked out that BackFriend, but it's fairly expensive to get your hands on one over here in Ireland, about €150. I've just ordered one of these: http://bit.ly/91mByp on amazon. I'll let you know how it works out. The seats, as they are now, are giving me so much trouble I've had to make an appointment with the dreaded Chiropractor!!

How much did it cost & how much was postage. I'd be interested to hear how you get on, I also have back pain (disc problem) and it would be nice to get something to ease the pain.