Uncomfortable driver seat?

[Georgesb2]

Same issue with my 23 M3LR.

They use the same seats between the Model Y and Model 3.
And I believe the 22 and 23 seats are the same.
The Model X and S share the same seat.
The seat metal frames are the same across all the models S3XY.
I test drove the X and S and I would have problems with those seats as well.
Mine is the 22 model 3 and I had to rebuild my seat myself.
All is well now....

 

[ayad]

My model 3 seats are extremely uncomfortable. In 1 week I have developed sciatic pain and have stopped driving the car. I’m searching for upholsters who can help with the seat. My previous Honda Accord had better seats than Model 3. I never had this problem with any of my cars. I see many people have complained about the quality of the seats and lower back pains, yet there is no action. Perhaps a class action is the way to go.

I too have had bad experience with my 2023 model Y driver seat. From day one after picking up the vehicle from Tesla in Fremont and driving it home. I began to experience back shoulder and neck pain. This pain has been an ongoing problem regardless of the numerous available adjustments in the seat. I still find the seat completely uncomfortable specially on long trips, I contribute most of the discomfort to the unadjustable and slightly tilted forward headrest and lack of significant lumbar support. I noticed that when driving,I would sit leaning to one side or the other to avoid the uncomfortable positioning of the headrest. Additionally, the vehicles stiff suspension often makes me feel as a bobble head which add to the discomfort associated with the driver seat, especially with cleaning your head against the headrest. Adding seat cushion, neck pillow and a small pillow for a lumbar support provides some comfort, but shortens their seating space, causing other issues with comfort.

 

[GoVols!]

You can’t beat BMW x5/7 full merino leather massage seats. I am 195lbs 5’10” and very lean and noticed right away how small the seat bottom was. I’m test driving the MYP tomorrow just double check if I want to still order one. Granted, this will only be for around town and trips under 240mi.

 

[discodanman45]

After driving a 2017 Chevy Bolt for 90,000 miles at 6'1" 190 lbs for 5 years, I will never complain about the comfort of another seat again.

 

[Jackdforme]

I have noticed this exact thing. I picked up my MYP (Freemont) yesterday and after putting on around 100 miles yesterday and today I am determined to fix the seat. The passenger seat is extremely comfortable, while the driver seat feels like I am sitting on a plastic tub. In fact, my toilet seat is more comfortable to sit on. I have it scheduled for a service next week, but after reading many posts I am sure they will say that it is in "spec".

I am now considering if it would be possible to swap the seat bottom of the passenger seat with the driver seat. Does anyone have any insight into the feasibility of this? It is crazy how noticeably more comfortable the passenger side seat is

I have a theory. They use stiffer foam in the drivers seat by design, knowing that this seat will get a ton more mileage than any other seat. So you make it stiffer because it will break down quicker.

Just a thought.

 

[Wattsisname]

I have a theory. They use stiffer foam in the drivers seat by design, knowing that this seat will get a ton more mileage than any other seat. So you make it stiffer because it will break down quicker.

Just a thought.

Interesting and kinda plausible. I hope they get it right for the RHD cars. SWMBO, my co-pilot, has not complained.

 

[Georgesb2]

I too have had bad experience with my 2023 model Y driver seat. From day one after picking up the vehicle from Tesla in Fremont and driving it home. I began to experience back shoulder and neck pain. This pain has been an ongoing problem regardless of the numerous available adjustments in the seat. I still find the seat completely uncomfortable specially on long trips, I contribute most of the discomfort to the unadjustable and slightly tilted forward headrest and lack of significant lumbar support. I noticed that when driving,I would sit leaning to one side or the other to avoid the uncomfortable positioning of the headrest. Additionally, the vehicles stiff suspension often makes me feel as a bobble head which add to the discomfort associated with the driver seat, especially with cleaning your head against the headrest. Adding seat cushion, neck pillow and a small pillow for a lumbar support provides some comfort, but shortens their seating space, causing other issues with comfort.

I had horrific pain driving over one hour. Under one hour was initially no issue at all.

I developed pain in my thighs, lower back, legs, upper back, neck.

I'm just not the correct build for this car. Or rather the car is not built for many of us.
I am not that unusual in build for a "European decent American". I am 6'1" tall. But my frame (bone structure) is wider than the seat base. The seats were clearly intended for more narrowly built people. They may be in the majority, I don't know?

The Tesla seats being uncomfortable has less to do with a person's height and even weight (although that often goes along with what I'm about to say) than to do with structural build. If a person has a larger frame, wider hips, wider shoulders, even larger head.... Then the Tesla seats are just awful.
I am only 6'1" but I have a larger, wider bone structural frame and taller upper torso. The Tesla seats really, really hurt me.

I experimented with countless "fixes" and none of them worked. But I finally found a solution....

So I removed the seat bottom, installed a thicker, more dense foam, having a shape almost identical to the Tesla but much different in build. I removed the stock lumbar support. I replaced the lumbar with my own cut foam in the proper place for my build. I raised the head rest a bit and bend it back.

Now I love the seat!

George Borrelli
Crystal River, Florida

 

[Wattsisname]

I had horrific pain driving over one hour. Under one hour was initially no issue at all.

I developed pain in my thighs, lowerback, legs, upper back, neck.

I'm just not the correct build for this car. Or rather the car is not built for many of us.
I am not that unusual in build for a "European decent American". I am 6'1" tall. But my frame (bone structure) is wider than the seat base. The seats were clearly intended for more narrowly built people. They may be in the majority, I don't know?

The Tesla seats being uncomfortable has less to do with a person's height and even weight (although that often goes along with what I'm about to say) than to do with structural build. If a person has a larger frame, wider hips, wider shoulders, even larger head.... Then the Tesla seats are just awful.
I am only 6'1" but I have a larger, wider bone structural frame and taller upper torso. The Tesla seats really, really hurt me.

I experimented with countless "fixes" and none of them worked. But I finally found a solution....

So I removed the seat bottom, installed a thicker, more dense foam, having a shape almost identical to the Tesla but much different in build. I removed the stock lumbar support. I replaced the lumbar with my own cut foam in the proper place for my build. I raised the head rest a bit and bend it back.

Now I love the seat!

George Borrelli
Crystal River, Florida

Same build but 6'4" and yes , I am stting on the sides of the seat buy always have in every car with sculpted squabs ( not marble pigeons) is pretty much the case with any decent car today.
Like most vehicle dimensions, the seats are designed for the average beam which surely, overtime, had widened in the first world and yet.....

 

[Happy Hippo]

W

I had horrific pain driving over one hour. Under one hour was initially no issue at all.

I developed pain in my thighs, lower back, legs, upper back, neck.

I'm just not the correct build for this car. Or rather the car is not built for many of us.
I am not that unusual in build for a "European decent American". I am 6'1" tall. But my frame (bone structure) is wider than the seat base. The seats were clearly intended for more narrowly built people. They may be in the majority, I don't know?

The Tesla seats being uncomfortable has less to do with a person's height and even weight (although that often goes along with what I'm about to say) than to do with structural build. If a person has a larger frame, wider hips, wider shoulders, even larger head.... Then the Tesla seats are just awful.
I am only 6'1" but I have a larger, wider bone structural frame and taller upper torso. The Tesla seats really, really hurt me.

I experimented with countless "fixes" and none of them worked. But I finally found a solution....

So I removed the seat bottom, installed a thicker, more dense foam, having a shape almost identical to the Tesla but much different in build. I removed the stock lumbar support. I replaced the lumbar with my own cut foam in the proper place for my build. I raised the head rest a bit and bend it back.

Now I love the seat!

George Borrelli
Crystal River, Florida

here did you get the seat replacement from?

 

[ev_go123]

I have a theory. They use stiffer foam in the drivers seat by design, knowing that this seat will get a ton more mileage than any other seat. So you make it stiffer because it will break down quicker.

Just a thought.

The passenger seat has a ~1/4" plastic weight sensor that sits under the entire seat while the driver seat doesn't. It only has an extremely thin film weight sensor. The passenger seat needs to know more precise weight, driver seat sensor is there or not. My theory is the plastic sensor adds a bit of height and keeps the foam from sinking into the springs, resulting in less sinking.

It's also possible they use a different foam, not sure about that.

 

[Georgesb2]

W

here did you get the seat replacement from?

I built it.

 

[Happy Hippo]

I built it.

you are handy!!

 

[Wattsisname]

I built it.

Yes! Very handy.

 

[Rob9874]

Adding my 2¢. I got my MYLR in Dec, and both cheeks sit on the sides of the drivers seat. Have had pain in my left buttocks since getting it. Hoping either the seat conforms or I get used to it, as I love the car otherwise. I tried ordering a gel seat cushion on Amazon, but that did nothing. Hoping there's a solution short of taking the seat out and replacing parts. I'm not handy and don't want to ruin the seat.

 

[Happy Hippo]

Adding my 2¢. I got my MYLR in Dec, and both cheeks sit on the sides of the drivers seat. Have had pain in my left buttocks since getting it. Hoping either the seat conforms or I get used to it, as I love the car otherwise. I tried ordering a gel seat cushion on Amazon, but that did nothing. Hoping there's a solution short of taking the seat out and replacing parts. I'm not handy and don't want to ruin the seat.

I had my passenger seat replaced and it feels more comfy. I took a measuring tape and measured the width and they are the same size. I think the foam on the drivers side will break in as I keep sitting in it. I am feeling it is more comfy, not fully comfy yet but more than when I first took delivery.

 

[ncridgerunner]

The day I took delivery of my MYLR I had a 2 hour drive home. By the time I got home, my butt and hips ached really bad. I tried several thicknesses and densities of foam pads cut to fit inside the high bolsters which seemed to be the problem. None of these really worked very well though a softer closed cell foam pad about 1.5 inches thick seemed to be the best. After that I began to experiment with small incremental changes with the angle of the of the front edge of the seat. I found what I believed to be the best angle after a number of tests and this seems to work better than any pad to prevent pain.

For a six hour drive (one way) this past week I did not need to use the pads and did not have pain from the seat either on the trip down or the return trip. For me at least finding the correct angle of the seat under my thighs made a tremendous difference. My vehicle only has 1100 miles at this time so the seats probably have not broken in yet.

 

[WasRight]

My model 3 seats are extremely uncomfortable. In 1 week I have developed sciatic pain and have stopped driving the car. I’m searching for upholsters who can help with the seat. My previous Honda Accord had better seats than Model 3. I never had this problem with any of my cars. I see many people have complained about the quality of the seats and lower back pains, yet there is no action. Perhaps a class action is the way to go.

You have identified a problem and mitigated it. Nobody is forcing you to drive any particular vehicle. A class action lawsuit is not possible now due to the fact that you have alleviated the problem. Take your lawsuit crap somewhere else, grifter.

 

[ev_go123]

Adding my 2¢. I got my MYLR in Dec, and both cheeks sit on the sides of the drivers seat. Have had pain in my left buttocks since getting it. Hoping either the seat conforms or I get used to it, as I love the car otherwise. I tried ordering a gel seat cushion on Amazon, but that did nothing. Hoping there's a solution short of taking the seat out and replacing parts. I'm not handy and don't want to ruin the seat.

For longer drives, I've used the Purple Royal seat cushion, and it's extremely comfortable. The seat goes from the least comfortable car seat I've sat in to the most comfortable.

Sadly it's not a permeant fix for a few reasons:
1. Max temp of purple seat cushion is 105F, so you can't leave it in the hot car, otherwise it apparently deforms.
2. Bottom seat heater won't penetrate it. So when it's really cold out, the cushion will be cold and will stay cold for a while.
3. The cushion is thick and raises your viewing heigh a lot, might be an issue for people over 6ft.

So I end up only using the cushion for long drives, but it is wonderful for those. For a more permanent solution, I'm going to be experimenting with extremely stiff foam between the metal springs and seat cushion to raise the middle section, I'll report back how that goes.

 

[Jeffkitref]

I’m 5’8” 180lbs and I get upper back, shoulder and neck pain from driving this. Hopefully I can get used to this otherwise I’m screwed on long trips.

 

[Wattsisname]

For longer drives, I've used the Purple Royal seat cushion, and it's extremely comfortable. The seat goes from the least comfortable car seat I've sat in to the most comfortable.

Sadly it's not a permeant fix for a few reasons:
1. Max temp of purple seat cushion is 105F, so you can't leave it in the hot car, otherwise it apparently deforms.
2. Bottom seat heater won't penetrate it. So when it's really cold out, the cushion will be cold and will stay cold for a while.
3. The cushion is thick and raises your viewing heigh a lot, might be an issue for people over 6ft.

So I end up only using the cushion for long drives, but it is wonderful for those. For a more permanent solution, I'm going to be experimenting with extremely stiff foam between the metal springs and seat cushion to raise the middle section, I'll report back how that goes.

They look good but are not shipped to the UK.
I am 6'4" and 240 pounds. I find the side padding ( which I sit on) a little firm but usually OK. However, I am suffering from trapped sciatic nerves ( not the cars fault) and so a cushion such as you describe, could be a good solution.