Drivers Seat Discomfort - Again.!

[Whaty]

I’m going to start with an apology.

 

Soon after getting my car I started a thread in which I mentioned that my drivers seat wasn’t comfy, over the course of a couple of days I received lots of advice but unfortunately, none of it resolved my problem. I said I wouldn’t witter on any more and would only post back once the problem was sorted. Well, it isn’t sorted and here I am wittering on again…… sorry.!

 

My seats are fully electric with alcantara/leather.

 

People have suggested that the seat needs to bed in but I’ve now done over 2,000 miles, so I can’t imagine that’s still the issue.

 

The seating position is fine, great, no problem at all. Sat on the drive I can find a perfectly acceptable set up (never quite as comfy as the passenger seat, but okay) and the first 15 – 20 minutes driving is also okay however, after this I start to feel an unpleasant push in my lower back. It doesn’t feel spread across my back but more like a fist right in the middle and perhaps a little towards my right. My commute takes around 45 – 50 minutes and I spend most of that squirming around in the seat trying to get comfy.

 

I’ve tried no lumbar support, full lumbar support and every increment in-between. Increasing the lumbar support does seem to spread the pressure across more of my back but then that too becomes uncomfortable because I need to apply too much in order to lessen the ‘sharp’ pressure.

 

I can also feel the lumbar plate/pad (whatever it is) move around under braking and when cornering, especially when I increase the amount of support, is this normal?

 

I have applied pressure to the seat with my hand but can feel nothing around the area that’s causing the problem, absolutely nothing? The backrest actually feels very nicely cushioned.

 

I’ve considered taking the car to the dealer but would they be prepared to drive it for 30 minutes or so to experience the problem? Also, given that everyone is very different, would the person doing the test drive experience the same issue? My nearest dealer isn’t that local/convenient and frankly, I don’t trust them to investigate the problem thoroughly but, all that said, I am beginning to think that this is my only option?

 

I’ve been driving for almost 40 years and over the years, I’ve owned/driven quite literally hundreds of cars, big, small and luxury to basic but I have never had this problem.

 

I really like the car but I’m sure you can understand when I say that this discomfort is spoiling the pleasure of ownership. This weekend we are driving up to the lakes and I’m not looking forward to the drive up there at all….

 

Is it possible I’ve got a faulty seat? Is it possible that the Superb seats just don’t suit me?

 

Terry

[El Dingo]

With older VAG cars the advice was always to set the seat very low.

With the S3 'Comfort' seats I personally find it best to keep the seat low but the seat front tipped up to keep leg support, otherwise my lower back and knees suffer after a while. 

I think the seat base is a little too flat but I can find a good position.  Hope this helps.

 

[freelunch]

@Whaty I'm 5'7" and I like to have my eyes just above centre in the windscreen, so my alcantara seat is raised a bit. I've finally got my seating position comfortable after much experimentation, mainly with the lumbar support. And, like you say, it's very individual.

 

There are three available seat settings and I'm the only driver, so I've used them all. If I get uncomfortable on a long trip, I can just push one of the other settings to move the stress around. I find the best for me is with the seat very slightly tipped forward and the lumbar support just up a bit from flat. Not too much of a reach for the pedals and a bend in my arms. The steering wheel is positioned so I have a centred view of the instruments. That's the thing: there's lots of variables. The seat back more upright than relaxed, if that makes sense.

 

You find the passenger seat more comfortable, but your arms aren't raised when you're in that seat. Are you fit? Maybe it's muscle tone?

 

You might test drive another Superb and see how that seat suits?

 

It's too bad that a seat is ruining an otherwise very nice car for you. Good luck!

[peter_k]

This is a video of a 2013 Passat electric seat lumbar support https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh3AOecp4To. I presume the basic operation of two metal strips bowing out will also apply to manual seats.  Any possibility that one of the strips (left?) isn't bending the same as the other strip? 

[toni8b]

Superb seats are appalling. They are way to low for any tall person, so in the shoulder area, they dont have any support. Not to mention the the seat base could be longer as well. Superb is really missing some audi s-line sport seats with extendable seat base and tilt function.

 

 

[Lol6]

All this just goes to show how different everyone is when it comes to seat comfort.  I am 5'10" tall and have alcantara seats with electric adjustment.  I set mine to maximum height with the backrest reclining considerably to take the strain off the base of my spine and achieve a straight arm driving position.  I set the lumbar support to minimum.  I find this to be very comfortable and, indeed, restful over a long journey.  It is different, @Whaty, but try it and see what you think.  There should be no pressure on the centre of your back.

[lickspeed50]

Hello all, I've been having concerns with seat comfort on Octy 3 pre face lift. Mine is the SE L and comes standard with Alacantara and this has been the cause of my problems. After visiting a reputable trimmer we found that the seat material itself is too firm therefore you do not sit snug and evenly and therefore causing pressure points causing aches and pains. I'm a bit on the slight side so may not be heavy enough for this seat type lol (5"6, 9st).

 

I'm having my standard Alacantara trim replaced with a different type which is much softer and therefore can shape around my body much better when sitting on it but at a cost circa £250 (only doing drivers seat, sod the passengers lol). Im currently driving without the back rest cover on whilst its getting sorted and I'm comfy as anything :). As its a company car and i have it for another 3 years I thought its worth the "investment".

 

I checked at a local dealer also some weeks ago, sat in cloth, leather and Alacantara type seats and I can even doing a blind test (with the help of the missus) tell the difference in comfort from Alacantara to the others, at least on Octy 3. Checked also with the parts guy, seems the seat frame, foam cushions etc are the same so only the top cover making the difference.

 

Maybe see if there is a similar difference on the seat materials of the Superb 3?

 

Good luck I know what a pain it can be with bad seats.

 

 

[philsmith]

On the last E class merc I had my right thigh would ache so bad after a couple of hours driving that I could hardly stand up when I got out. No amount of adjusting would cure it.

My Superb (L&K leather, heated and ventilated) seats are great, I can do six hours or more without a break and get out like a spring chicken!

 

I guess if your body shape/size etc does not suit the car then there is not much you can do about it.

[Whaty]

Thanks for all the replies, I really do appreciate it.... The Superb gets so much praise for its comfort you start to think 'Am I the only one?'.

 

I'm 6ft, 12 and a half stone, fit and healthy and I've never suffered from back problems.

 

I have played with seat height and it's currently set quite low but not all the way down, I like to have a clear view through the window. The backrest is fairly upright but not at 90 degrees to the seat base (this seems to ease the lower back problem but of course, puts more pressure on my bottom). The seat base is now as flat as it can be and whilst it could do with being longer, I don't have any issue with thigh support. I also think the seat base could do with a little more padding but in truth, I can live with that. I've compromised on the position of the steering wheel. It's fully extended towards me which (in conjunction with the other settings) provides a very comfortable bent arm position when my hands are at 9 - 3 however, I've had to lower it to the point where the top of the instruments (rev counter and speedo) are obscured, any higher and it just doesn't feel comfortable.

 

My current theory is that there simply isn't enough padding. Perhaps the padding is being compressed by my weight after 15 - 20 mins to the point where I can feel the framework? 

 

Peter_K, I'm not sure the Superb seats are the same? I found an on-line workshop manual for the Octavia (I appreciate this is a different car but as lickspeed50 suggested, I think the seats are the same?) which showed a cutaway drawing of the electric seat. It wasn't the clearest drawing but the lumbar support appeared to 'float' on cables, this allowed for the movement up and down and in and out? This might account for why I do feel it move slightly?

 

I might see if I can find a thin cushion, it wouldn't need to be much, to see if that makes a difference.... be a shame to need a cushion but a damn site better than the discomfort I'm experiencing at the moment.

 

Thanks again everyone...

 

[Coops]

10 hours ago, toni8b said:

Superb seats are appalling. They are way to low for any tall person, so in the shoulder area, they dont have any support. Not to mention the the seat base could be longer as well. Superb is really missing some audi s-line sport seats with extendable seat base and tilt function.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, philsmith said:

On the last E class merc I had my right thigh would ache so bad after a couple of hours driving that I could hardly stand up when I got out. No amount of adjusting would cure it.

My Superb (L&K leather, heated and ventilated) seats are great, I can do six hours or more without a break and get out like a spring chicken!

 

I guess if your body shape/size etc does not suit the car then there is not much you can do about it.

 

Nope, BMW seats in the 2 series are the worst. The one I borrowed recently had me with a numb right thigh after about 10 minutes. Way too narrow.

 

Getting back into the Superb was bliss.

 

[peter_k]

3 hours ago, Whaty said:

 

My current theory is that there simply isn't enough padding. Perhaps the padding is being compressed by my weight after 15 - 20 mins to the point where I can feel the framework? 

 

Peter_K, I'm not sure the Superb seats are the same? I found an on-line workshop manual for the Octavia (I appreciate this is a different car but as lickspeed50 suggested, I think the seats are the same?) which showed a cutaway drawing of the electric seat. It wasn't the clearest drawing but the lumbar support appeared to 'float' on cables, this allowed for the movement up and down and in and out? This might account for why I do feel it move slightly?

 

I might see if I can find a thin cushion, it wouldn't need to be much, to see if that makes a difference.... be a shame to need a cushion but a damn site better than the discomfort I'm experiencing at the moment.

 

Thanks again everyone...

 

Sorry I thought you had manual seats. From what I've seen on the online parts catalogues and pictures  I would have thought  the electric adjustment mechanicals identical apart from  motors  and their locations.  

An alternative: Have a look at these inserts http://www.sportseats4u.co.uk/real-race-3-cell-inflatable-lumbar-support/prod_4245.html.  I think a "BMW forum" had a thread about how good they are  and debated if the identical looking ones on ebay at a fraction of the price are the same item.  I've no idea how hard they would be to fit - the passat video shows seats that fold forward  so it's easy to see what you are doing. 

[toni8b]

1 hour ago, Coops said:

 

 

Nope, BMW seats in the 2 series are the worst. The one I borrowed recently had me with a numb right thigh after about 10 minutes. Way too narrow.

 

Getting back into the Superb was bliss.

 

But Superb is almost 5 meter car, while bmw 2 is a small car.

[Coops]

15 minutes ago, toni8b said:

But Superb is almost 5 meter car, while bmw 2 is a small car.

 

Don't see what the size of the car has to do with it. The Gran Tourer 2 Series (which I borrowed) had has much room width ways as my S3. 

 

In fact the 2 Series is 1560mm wide vs S3 at 1584

[toni8b]

I was just saying I think Superb needs better seats on offer, foremost for large people, with longer seat base which can be properly lifter up like in audi models and higher seat back. 

[Whaty]

I don't want to tempt fate but..... I 'think' I've nearly found my compromise? All I've changed from the details I gave in my previous post is to raise the front of the seat base just a touch and I've also raised the lumbar support further up the backrest, above the small of my back. I don't think this is ideal in terms of back support (at least not according to all the guides and advice on such things) but it has eliminated the painful 'fist like' pressure in my lower back. It's hard to explain but I would say that the main support is now somewhere between the small of my back and my shoulder blades, there is now very little pressure on my lower back at all.

 

I drove to and from work yesterday without making any tweaks at all (this is a first...) and this morning I've only made the smallest of tweaks to the 'amount' of lumbar support.

 

I think it could still be better but, daft as it sounds, I'm nervous about making any more changes in case I go too far and make it worse again... Going forward my approach will be to make very small changes to just one thing, drive the car for a couple of days and if it's no better, revert and make a very small change somewhere else.

 

I know all this must sound ridiculous to the many people who find their cars to be comfortable but.... I really like the car, it is my pride and joy but, I'm sure you can understand that the discomfort when driving it for anything more than 20 - 30 minutes as really taken the edge off my pleasure of ownership.

 

Fingers crossed....  

 

[ncpierce]

I find that it takes my about 2k miles to get the seat exactly how I want it.  I use the memory presets on the seat to save interim settings and then tweak from the last one each time.  If it makes it worse I just go back to my last preset.

 

I had got the seat roughly right over the weekend but a run to Chesterfield yesterday - 180miles - revealed that although OK for short journeys it was not quite right as I got a really bad pain on the right hand side.  Tweaking as I drove alleviated the pain and the run home yesterday afternoon was pain free.  So I'll stick with these settings for a while and see what happens.

 

What would be great would be if you could download the seat position settings and then copy them across to the new car....

[IJWS15]

On 5/26/2017 at 09:34, Whaty said:

The backrest is fairly upright but not at 90 degrees to the seat base (this seems to ease the lower back problem but of course, puts more pressure on my bottom).

 

 

Advice is normally to have the seat reclined a little so the seat back takes some of the weight off your spine.

 

Have done 2500 miles in mine in a month (SEL Exec with electric and leather/alcantara) and third trip was a four hour drive to Winchester and no issues at all.

[Whaty]

@IJWS15 Trust me when I say I've tried the backrest at just about every inclination from fully upright to overly reclined.! It's difficult to be accurate but I would say the backrest is currently somewhere near 100 - 105 degrees to the seat base.

 

I think I mentioned (possibly in another thread) that when I first got the car I don't recollect having the problem and over the course of a couple of days I did a few journeys in excess of 30 minutes (the problem normally develops after 20 - 25 minutes driving). It might be complete coincidence but three or four days after collecting the car I let a colleague sit in it and for some reason, he felt a need to press every button and twiddle every knob  The seat can be adjusted every which way without the key and I've never got it exactly right since.

 

I've also become very conscious of the problem and 'possibly' a little oversensitive? That said, the pressure on my back really does cause a great deal of discomfort and that isn't me being over sensitive.

 

Whilst it isn't perfect I do think I've managed to get it very close. Rightly or wrongly I'm convinced that it's the lumbar adjustment that's causing the issue and I've found a slightly unorthodox setting that's relieved the sharp 'fist like' pressure on my lower back, I'm now making very small tweaks to both the up/down position and the 'amount' of support.

 

The actual driving position I'm very happy with.

 

It sounds simple but I just want to get in the car, drive it and be comfortable.   

 

[Sharpy83]

Has anyone had issues with the back rest height it feel tiny in comparison to the other cars I've sat in?

[toni8b]

Yes, seats seem to be short for some reason:

 

 

[xman]

Designed for short overweight obese German businessmen I suspect.

 

Einfach schlau...

 

Or maybe for little Chinese people

 

就这么聪明   

 

 

Edited 26 September, 2018 by xman

[xman]

Manfred, Skoda's chief test dummy is more concerned whether front assist is working properly rather than seat comfort...

[Robert1964]

Did you ever resolve this problem.

I'm driving a Skoda Otavia 2022, the seats are agony after an hour.
I've got a Corsa and have no troubles with it.

[Gammyleg]

I've recently done a few 5 - 6hr trips down top Cornwall in the Superb. Begins to get uncomfortable after about 4hrs and upon arrival both hips have all but seized up.

 

Had to do the same trips in a high-top transit and a Vivaro van. Both were excellent with no pains during or after the journey. Of course the seating position in the vans is far more upright than the Superb and ultimately far more comfortable.

 

Worst car I ever had for back pain was a Citroen BX. The seating position was such that you drove in almost a horizontal position. 

[k.young]

I changed my 2016 L&K for a 2019 L&K back in January. No trouble with the previous seat but since I changed I am having awful trouble with my back.......to the extent tat I'm thinking of changing the car.

 

Agony.