Took a long trip 300 miles. Was having seat comfort issues. Pain left hip down. I tried lumbar support but felt to high. I pumped it out firm. I swear is softened up as trip went on. I got in car next morning i swear it was hard like it was when i first pumped it up. Is it possible it deflates and then goes back up after exiting car?
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Model x seat comfort
- Thread starter Crusader1
- Start date
Georgesb2
George Borrelli
There are many difficulties with Tesla seats.
I noticed that the difficulties are worse for those of us with a moderate to larger build, bone structure. I've been modifying Tesla Model 3 / Y seats for a year and a half now. I've experimented with many designs and finally have a seat that I love and can ride in pain free for many hours drives.
I just purchased my first Model X seat to investigate possibilities.
Turns out all Tesla models share the same base, I believe around the time the Model 3 went into production. The base is metal and is very unforgiving.
All Tesla models use minimal foam and the foam is too soft, lacking protection from the metal.
Sitting in it for a larger framed person, over time will begin to hurt where the hips and thighs contact the "bolsters / wings" because you are actually pressing against the metal frame.
As far as the lumbar and upper seat back.
I found the lumbar support to be troublesome.
In my 2023 Model 3, the lumbar support is made up of three bags filled with air by an air pump.
I found they never adequately deflate. They are difficult to get just right. And for a person with a taller hip bone, the lumbar support is actually doing more harm than good, moving the top of the hip bone forward.
I modified the lumbar support in addition to the seat bottom. I love it now.
If a driver has pre-existing lower back issues, these Tesla seats will aggravate. And the result is sciatica, referred pain, etc.
It can be excruciating to drive for any length of time over a short trip.
I know of numerous ways to limit these issues. And I have a complete rebuild concept to really and truly improve the seats. Because I just started to explore my first Model X seat, I'll have to report back with results. My initial look is that they seat is more similar than different from the Model 3/Y seat and therefore my rebuild should conceptually work in the Model x as well.
I noticed that the difficulties are worse for those of us with a moderate to larger build, bone structure. I've been modifying Tesla Model 3 / Y seats for a year and a half now. I've experimented with many designs and finally have a seat that I love and can ride in pain free for many hours drives.
I just purchased my first Model X seat to investigate possibilities.
Turns out all Tesla models share the same base, I believe around the time the Model 3 went into production. The base is metal and is very unforgiving.
All Tesla models use minimal foam and the foam is too soft, lacking protection from the metal.
Sitting in it for a larger framed person, over time will begin to hurt where the hips and thighs contact the "bolsters / wings" because you are actually pressing against the metal frame.
As far as the lumbar and upper seat back.
I found the lumbar support to be troublesome.
In my 2023 Model 3, the lumbar support is made up of three bags filled with air by an air pump.
I found they never adequately deflate. They are difficult to get just right. And for a person with a taller hip bone, the lumbar support is actually doing more harm than good, moving the top of the hip bone forward.
I modified the lumbar support in addition to the seat bottom. I love it now.
If a driver has pre-existing lower back issues, these Tesla seats will aggravate. And the result is sciatica, referred pain, etc.
It can be excruciating to drive for any length of time over a short trip.
I know of numerous ways to limit these issues. And I have a complete rebuild concept to really and truly improve the seats. Because I just started to explore my first Model X seat, I'll have to report back with results. My initial look is that they seat is more similar than different from the Model 3/Y seat and therefore my rebuild should conceptually work in the Model x as well.
Georgesb2
George Borrelli
Today I made progress modifying the Model X seat. Although I've done many Model 3/Y, this is my first Model X custom seat rebuild. I custom cut an older Model S circa 2017 seat cushion foam core and inserted it into the Tesla Model X faux leather cover. This first seat happens to be white. I moved the electricals from the original X to the rebuilt seat bottom. It will eliminate or significantly reduce the hip and thigh pain. It should have much more suspension for a better ride feel and less impact to the back. It will be electrically as the original Model X was. I'd also modify the lumbar support in the upper back, if it were my own car. We need to not only eliminate the pain in the butt and hips and add more softer ride via more suspension but we need to have the back in correct postural alignment as best we can.
Hope you posted what your final conclusion was George, I'm having the same problem! I feel those steel pillars under the seat and it is killing my replaced hips. I'm medium build 5'8". I don't use the lumber support for the reasons you stated....makes hip pain worse. I bought a seat cushion and that works ok, but it's just the thought that here is a new car, 100K of supposed Luxury and it's uncomfortable. I am so glad I didn't trade in my older car.
Georgesb2
George Borrelli
I really want to help everyone with this suffering.
There must be thousands of us out there suffering in Tesla seats. Lucky for those with more narrow hips who love the seats. For us, the seats are killing us.
What year is your Model X?
This is what I think, still getting supporting evidence.
The newer (2022-2023) Model X and probably the Model S as well (not sure). Have a metal frame inside the foam of the seat assembly. So I must replace the foam. I found that I could modify the older (2017-2021) seat from Model S and likely Model X cushion foam and insert it into the faux leather top of the 22-23 Model X. This eliminated the metal inside the foam.
In the older (2017-2021) Model S / X the metal wire was outside the foam base.
If you have an older (2017-2021) Model X, then "all" we need to do is get that cushion raised. (We can do that provided you have enough headroom.)
I do that by gluing foam to the bottom of the stock foam. I haven't worked with the vented seat yet, but I think I could make that work as well.
There are other forums where people with the Model 3/ Y simply put a dense foam spacer from floor materials or something of about 1/4" between the springs and the foam base. This mitigates the issue just a bit, provided there is no metal inside the foam base. They never used metal in the foam in the Model 3 / Y.
If you are a DIY type and you have a Model X older than 22, you might try simply inserting a spacer. I can give more details on what might be involved if you are interested.
If you have a newer Model X (22-23 ) then you must get rid of the foam and replace it.
Let me know if I can help further.
If you want to discuss in detail you can find me by searching for my name in my home town. I teach Systema there.
Sincerely,
George Borrelli
There must be thousands of us out there suffering in Tesla seats. Lucky for those with more narrow hips who love the seats. For us, the seats are killing us.
What year is your Model X?
This is what I think, still getting supporting evidence.
The newer (2022-2023) Model X and probably the Model S as well (not sure). Have a metal frame inside the foam of the seat assembly. So I must replace the foam. I found that I could modify the older (2017-2021) seat from Model S and likely Model X cushion foam and insert it into the faux leather top of the 22-23 Model X. This eliminated the metal inside the foam.
In the older (2017-2021) Model S / X the metal wire was outside the foam base.
If you have an older (2017-2021) Model X, then "all" we need to do is get that cushion raised. (We can do that provided you have enough headroom.)
I do that by gluing foam to the bottom of the stock foam. I haven't worked with the vented seat yet, but I think I could make that work as well.
There are other forums where people with the Model 3/ Y simply put a dense foam spacer from floor materials or something of about 1/4" between the springs and the foam base. This mitigates the issue just a bit, provided there is no metal inside the foam base. They never used metal in the foam in the Model 3 / Y.
If you are a DIY type and you have a Model X older than 22, you might try simply inserting a spacer. I can give more details on what might be involved if you are interested.
If you have a newer Model X (22-23 ) then you must get rid of the foam and replace it.
Let me know if I can help further.
If you want to discuss in detail you can find me by searching for my name in my home town. I teach Systema there.
Sincerely,
George Borrelli
Georgesb2
George Borrelli
Yes
I think so.
Really depends upon what your issues and goals are and the body type.
I believe the 18 had the wire loop outside the OEM base foam. So it is possible to get improvement without replacing the OEM foam bottom. Just raise it by adding some foam underneath.
The passenger seat had a more sophisticated weight sensor. We have to work around and respect that function.
To emulate improvement you can first try to raise or fill the seat bottom center, all the center but especially towards the back, with after market foam. They sell on Amazon etc. Then you can try to slip a thin material between the springs and the seat bottom foam.
Finally, you can take the seat bottom out entirely. Add dense foam blocks to the bottom of the OEM foam bottom. In my model 3 and in the 22 Model X I replace the OEM foam bottom with a more dense one from another car. I move all the electrical as applicable from the OEM to the replacement foam.
If the electrical for sensing and heating is in the faux cover then it is saved. We keep the OEM faux leather cover.
If there's a seat sensor in between the OEM foam bottom and the springs, like in the passenger seat of the 3/Y, you can't go too thick adding foam in between them.
All functions and wiring must be respected.
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