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I have had my new Model S for a little over a month now (2100 miles), and the only thing I truly hate about the car is the driver's seat. But for me it's not that the bottom is too hard or that it lacks lateral support. It is the contour of the seat. It must have been designed by demented trolls with scoliosis. Does anyone really have a back contoured like that? I made a back support (vertical--a plywood board covered with foam rubber) that helps. Then I added an extra support under my butt in an attempt to make the bottom of the seat flat. It's about 80 percent better now (nowhere near my beloved LS460), and at least bearable. Does anyone else have a problem with the contour of the seats?
Jon Model S/pano/tech package/dual chargers/pearl white with nappa tan leather/43530
Jon Model S/pano/tech package/dual chargers/pearl white with nappa tan leather/43530
It fits my back very well, and also my wife's. Neither of us has scoliosis.
The range of human shapes and sizes is very large. It is difficult to design a seat with enough adjustability to fit 99.9% of the population.
Gizmotoy
Active Member
I can't say that I have much problem with the contour, but I'm a bit on the young side so perhaps I just haven't noticed. I did have trouble adjusting, and still HEAVILY prefer the OEM Recaro seats in my last car. They're like the polar opposite, I think.
When I get in the S, the seats are unobtrusive and moderately comfortable. The longer you're in the car, the more you're aware how bad they car. And they're what, 18-way adjustable or something like that?
In contrast, those Recaros were extremely obstrusive. 2-way adjustable: slide front/back, angle of seatback. but the longer you're in the car the more you realize they're made of fluffy clouds and teddy bears. We took a 2500+ mile road trip without a single instance of "my butt/back hurts." Something like that with toned-down bolstering would be ideal. Hopefully Tesla's consulting other seat manufacturers for this next upgrade.
Gizmotoy
Active Member
There's certainly more than a few of us. Seat comfort is kind of a personal thing that varies greatly, but I've never seen the volume of complaints about the seats for any other car I've ever owned, so I think they're clearly below-average.
Part of the problem, I think, is that this particular part was out-sourced. They brought in an outside company, housed them in the factory, and gave them the reins on the seats. And they botched it. So hopefully that company really stepped up their game, Tesla brought the design in-house, or they started soliciting outside help from a different vendor. I kind of hope it's the latter, but we'll see.
Not surprising to me at all. My impression is that, like the steering wheel, they relied on "established players" to provide "tested with time" commodity parts for some of the car. Over time we've seen a number of examples where the industry apparently has poor results of "tested with time". Either because they just suck or because something else is going on. Either way, again, I'm not surprised at all that Tesla hasn't put 100% focus into every component of the vehicle. They were aiming for the "car of the year" type recognition not "best vendor of all car parts" recognition. There's only so much time in the day.
Good seats and floor mats are commodities as you say, and pretty much every German automaker does a better job on both than Tesla did. I don't think it required any big focus for Tesla to get this right. Just go for best of breed and they could have probably satisfied owners. Instead, I think they caught up with being 'different' and perhaps emphasized interior aesthetics above other things. Just a big miss, in my opinion.
It definitely is a miss but we don't know their financial numbers in the early builds. Maybe they thought they had a decent seat and the cost was low enough to make the numbers work and still keep their large margins. They were likely just trying to get the car out the door and stop the bleeding of cash. Now that is done and it is overall an engineering and critical success they can focus on many of the areas they let slip some like seats.
This is an interesting theory. If it was in fact fairly in line with reality, I'd love to see Tesla offer retrofits that aren't painfully priced for those of us with the early seats.
"But but the painful part of the price is often the labor..."
Ok. Elon, Jerome think out of the box. Allow owners to spend personal time to assist with the seat retrofit on a Saturday. I'd be happy to help for my car if it brought the cost done. I'm not sure Tesla would agree that my "helping" wouldn't be counterproductive, but that's a different issue specific to me probably.
Seat swaps are generally pretty easy, if you're careful not to scratch the car in/out. The no-no would be cycling the start-up while it is disconnected. That will light up the dash, and you're apt to need a service center clear the code/MIL. I haven't done it on a Tesla, but not a big deal on German cars.
Ordering is out to October, for MS. I am wondering if either the spring fix will be incorporated into assembly, or if in fact there could be a surprise with what they are pulling off the shelf? I didn't find the seats uncomfortable, having only tested it. But cars that inspire cornering confidence, IMO, naturally ought to have better lateral support. With the heavy use of cooling systems and perforated leather, there are lots of other directions they could consider (and still make a high margin on options).
Ordering is out to October, for MS. I am wondering if either the spring fix will be incorporated into assembly, or if in fact there could be a surprise with what they are pulling off the shelf? I didn't find the seats uncomfortable, having only tested it. But cars that inspire cornering confidence, IMO, naturally ought to have better lateral support. With the heavy use of cooling systems and perforated leather, there are lots of other directions they could consider (and still make a high margin on options).
William13
Active Member
I had the "fix" for the seat. Minimal change but better. The loaner (33,000) versus mine (5xx) was more of a difference than my change with the fix.
I hope to buy new seats that are better in a few years when the superchargers are built out, my car is older, and I can afford the upgraded battery
.
I hope to buy new seats that are better in a few years when the superchargers are built out, my car is older, and I can afford the upgraded battery
.
So, are there plans or rumors as to when a new seat design will be included in future production?
I'm 6'2" and very lanky. I am usually very picky about seats, as I have a hard time getting comfortable because my body shape is outside the "norm." I actually find our Model S seats quite comfortable. Our VIN is in the low 6000s, delivered March 2013. Last week I had a loaner that was in the 43,000 range, and it didn't even occur to me that the seat might be different at all. (Granted, I didn't go on any long trips in the loaner.)
Any idea what the VIN "breakpoint" might be where they started with newer seats? I'm wondering if it is below 6000 or so...?
Any idea what the VIN "breakpoint" might be where they started with newer seats? I'm wondering if it is below 6000 or so...?
