Model Y - Sharp leg pain driving

[kmelton0716]

Hello! Has anyone experienced leg pain when driving (model y 2021)? After a few months it started, and I can't find a seat adjustment that helps. I also slide around quite a lot in the front seat. I drove a model s (older, not sure what year) and the seat was like a hug. It was SO comfortable. I love my model y, but this is concerning given I'm 32, active but do drive a TON for work. Even if I walk around or stretch, within a few minutes the pain is back specifically on my left leg.

*new to this forum so I apologize if this has been discussed ad nauseum!

 

[LoudMusic]

I do not have that problem with my Model Y.

I did experience that sensation occasionally while driving my Jeep Wrangler. I think it had to do with the way I was positioning my leg, and also just keeping my leg in traction while attempting to maintain constant pressure on the accelerator.

Do you get this feeling during city driving or during highway driving or both? For me it was exclusively highway driving and I tried to use the cruise control as much as possible.

Have you tried periodically shifting the peddle and floor contact points? Where your toes and heel strike the surfaces can make a difference. You've mentioned moving your seat, and that would be my next suggestion. Make it so that your ankle and knee bend at different angles.

Most of my friends think I sit too close to the wheel. They all tend to be more "lounge drivers", where I try to sit up and be engaged in the driving process. I've found it's much more comfortable long term.

 

[EVchiq]

Elon would say that you're not using autopilot enough

 

[LoudMusic]

Elon would say that you're not using autopilot enough

I'm genuinely curious how much he uses it. Someone with a more established Twitter account ask him to post his usage statistics. That'll also show us that they're tracking people

 

[Mateo83]

Maybe you should drink more water.

 

[LoudMusic]

Maybe you should drink more water.

Everyone should drink more water.

 

[kmelton0716]

I do not have that problem with my Model Y.

I did experience that sensation occasionally while driving my Jeep Wrangler. I think it had to do with the way I was positioning my leg, and also just keeping my leg in traction while attempting to maintain constant pressure on the accelerator.

Do you get this feeling during city driving or during highway driving or both? For me it was exclusively highway driving and I tried to use the cruise control as much as possible.

Have you tried periodically shifting the peddle and floor contact points? Where your toes and heel strike the surfaces can make a difference. You've mentioned moving your seat, and that would be my next suggestion. Make it so that your ankle and knee bend at different angles.

Most of my friends think I sit too close to the wheel. They all tend to be more "lounge drivers", where I try to sit up and be engaged in the driving process. I've found it's much more comfortable long term.

This is so helpful! Thank you. It's highway driving, I also like to sit upright and closer to the wheel, and I LOVE autopilot so I use it all the time. For anyone else having issues, I found a SUPER helpful blog post (#108) that helped immensely, although feels too close when I first sit in the car so I adjust as I go. Thank you for writing such a considerate and thoughtful response to my question!

 

[Georgesb2]

Hello! Has anyone experienced leg pain when driving (model y 2021)? After a few months it started, and I can't find a seat adjustment that helps. I also slide around quite a lot in the front seat. I drove a model s (older, not sure what year) and the seat was like a hug. It was SO comfortable. I love my model y, but this is concerning given I'm 32, active but do drive a TON for work. Even if I walk around or stretch, within a few minutes the pain is back specifically on my left leg.

*new to this forum so I apologize if this has been discussed ad nauseum!

I used to get that pain and other pains as well.
Until I totally replaced the seat foam in the seat bottom.
Now all is well.

Sincerely,
George Borrelli

 

[Georgesb2]

Hello! Has anyone experienced leg pain when driving (model y 2021)? After a few months it started, and I can't find a seat adjustment that helps. I also slide around quite a lot in the front seat. I drove a model s (older, not sure what year) and the seat was like a hug. It was SO comfortable. I love my model y, but this is concerning given I'm 32, active but do drive a TON for work. Even if I walk around or stretch, within a few minutes the pain is back specifically on my left leg.

*new to this forum so I apologize if this has been discussed ad nauseum!

I've been modifying Tesla seats for myself and other for a year now.
Leg pain is often sciatica or related. For most of us it's a nerve being pinched in the back.
This may or may not apply to you. It applies to many of us.

The Tesla Model 3/Y seats are terrible for anyone of any size.
Meaning that smaller or "normal" sized folks seem to be fine with the seat.
If you have larger hip bone, these seats are no good and even harmful to us.

I modified the seat bottom which resolved problems there but back related sciatica pains in legs were experienced.
So I also modified the upper seat back.
I removed the Tesla Lumbar support.
I installed a foam block horizontally but much higher than the stock lumbar support.
I also installed a foam block vertically but slightly less thick. That block runs from the horizontal block to the top, centered. Additionally, I bent the headrest backwards.
The seat is much better now.
It has a good chance of eliminating back, disc, leg related pains from poor posture.
We need to sit in a proper position. But for many of us the Tesla seat won't let us!

1. The headrest pushes our head and neck forward, this promotes a curvature of the spine and a slouch position, this puts pressure on the lower discs of the back.
2. The lumbar is too low for many and that scoots the hips forward, creating a gap where the back can curve in the wrong way, slouching again.
3. The seat bottom provides almost zero suspension. That causes jarring to the spine and discs. With the disc curved in a very bad position and the jarring, you can get disc bulging into the spinal nerves. Leg pain can result.
4. The seat back is concave to a larger boned person and promotes dangerous slouching or curvature of the spine.
5. The way the seat back is built prevents us from resting our back and spine on the seat back upper. This puts the entirely of our upper body weight into compression on our lower back discs.

Additional things to try are a higher seating position with leg weight on the floor and the front of the thighs.
Seat back more vertical.
Shoulders "back", so a closer seating position.

I wish you resolve this.
If you need more information I can be found I also have a YouTube channel under my full name.
Sincerely,
George

 

[andaconda]

" Leg pain is often sciatica or related. For most of us it's a nerve being pinched in the back.
This may or may not apply to you. It applies to many of us. "
I agree! l used to drive 80~90k a year for my work job with various vehicles. I did modify the seats in a few of the cars that I drove, which did help. I'm retired now and most of the time I no longer have the sciatica pain. I drive both the MY and a Rav4. In the Rav , I can go about 60 miles before the pain in my left leg starts to act up. With the Tesla - I can pretty much drive all day without it bothering me.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

" Leg pain is often sciatica or related. For most of us it's a nerve being pinched in the back.
This may or may not apply to you. It applies to many of us. "
I agree! l used to drive 80~90k a year for my work job with various vehicles. I did modify the seats in a few of the cars that I drove, which did help. I'm retired now and most of the time I no longer have the sciatica pain. I drive both the MY and a Rav4. In the Rav , I can go about 60 miles before the pain in my left leg starts to act up. With the Tesla - I can pretty much drive all day without it bothering me.

I had bad sciatica pain when riding in the backseat of our Rivian R1T for more than an hour. I can ride 10+ hours a day in a Tesla without any sciatica pain. My legs can get a bit restless if I'm in the backseat of a Model S on long drives.

 

[Georgesb2]

I had bad sciatica pain when riding in the backseat of our Rivian R1T for more than an hour. I can ride 10+ hours a day in a Tesla without any sciatica pain. My legs can get a bit restless if I'm in the backseat of a Model S on long drives.

Which Tesla model and year can you ride all day in?
Also, can you describe your body build, especially hip size?
I find if the hip bones are wide and tall, the refreshed Tesla seats, all models, cause me pain in my hips, legs, and hurt my back and cause sciatica as well.
Thank you

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Which Tesla model and year can you ride all day in?
Also, can you describe your body build, especially hip size?
I find if the hip bones are wide and tall, the refreshed Tesla seats, all models, cause me pain in my hips, legs, and hurt my back and cause sciatica as well.
Thank you

We've done extended road trips in both the Model S and Model X without any problems. We've also driven a Model 3 on a 1000 mile trip without any problem. I'm only 150 and 5'8", so maybe the seats are more designed for someone my size.

With that said, I do use a Purple gel cushion when sitting on the overstuffed couch at home. I used to sit in a Herman Miller Aeron chair when working but now I just use a standing desk. Sitting for just a few minutes on a hard or insufficiently padded chair can leave me with sciatica pain for 3 days or more. My sciatica is related to a possible tailbone fracture back in the 6th grade when someone pulled the chair away when I was about to sit down and I landed on the concrete floor.